Ayub 13:9-11

13:9 Would it turn out well if he would examine ¹  you?

Or as one deceives ²  a man would you deceive him?

13:10 He would certainly rebuke ³  you

if you secretly ⁴  showed partiality!

13:11 Would not his splendor ⁵  terrify ⁶  you

and the fear he inspires ⁷  fall on you?

[13:9]  ¹ tn The verb חָפַר (khafar) means “to search out, investigate, examine.” In the conditional clause the imperfect verb expresses the hypothetical case.

[13:9]  ² tn Both the infinitive and the imperfect of תָּלַל (talal, “deceive, mock”) retain the ה (he) (GKC 148 §53.q). But for the alternate form, see F. C. Fensham, “The Stem HTL in Hebrew,” VT 9 (1959): 310-11. The infinitive is used here in an adverbial sense after the preposition.

[13:10]  ³ tn The verbal idea is intensified with the infinitive absolute. This is the same verb used in v. 3; here it would have the sense of “rebuke, convict.”

[13:10]  sn Peake’s observation is worth noting, namely, that as Job attacks the unrighteousness of God boldly he nonetheless has confidence in God’s righteousness that would not allow liars to defend him.

[13:10]  ⁴ sn The use of the word “in secret” or “secretly” suggests that what they do is a guilty action (31:27a).

[13:11]  ⁵ sn The word translated “his majesty” or “his splendor” (שְׂאֵתוֹ, sÿ’eto) forms a play on the word “show partiality” (תִּשָּׂאוּן, tissa’un) in the last verse. They are both from the verb נָשַׂא (nasa’, “to lift up”).

[13:11]  ⁶ tn On this verb in the Piel, see 7:14.

[13:11]  ⁷ tn Heb “His dread”; the suffix is a subjective genitive.