Ayub 21:22

21:22 Can anyone teach ¹  God knowledge,

since ²  he judges those that are on high? ³ 

Ayub 35:3

35:3 But you say, ‘What will it profit you,’ ⁴ 

and, ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’ ⁵ 

Ayub 36:24

36:24 Remember to extol ⁶  his work,

which people have praised in song.

Ayub 36:26

The Work and Wisdom of God

36:26 “Yes, God is great – beyond our knowledge! ⁷ 

The number of his years is unsearchable.

[21:22]  ¹ tn The imperfect verb in this question should be given the modal nuance of potential imperfect. The question is rhetorical – it is affirming that no one can teach God.

[21:22]  ² tn The clause begins with the disjunctive vav (ו) and the pronoun, “and he.” This is to be subordinated as a circumstantial clause. See GKC 456 §142.d.

[21:22]  ³ tc The Hebrew has רָמִים (ramim), a plural masculine participle of רוּם (rum, “to be high; to be exalted”). This is probably a reference to the angels. But M. Dahood restores an older interpretation that it refers to “the Most High” (“Some Northwest Semitic words in Job,”Bib 38 [1957]: 316-17). He would take the word as a singular form with an enclitic mem (ם). He reads the verse, “will he judge the Most High?”

[35:3]  ⁴ tn The referent of “you” is usually understood to be God.

[35:3]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew text merely says, “What do I gain from my sin?” But Job has claimed that he has not sinned, and so this has to be elliptical: “more than if I had sinned” (H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 224). It could also be, “What do I gain without sin?”

[36:24]  ⁶ tn The expression is “that you extol,” serving as an object of the verb.

[36:26]  ⁷ tn The last part has the verbal construction, “and we do not know.” This clause is to be used adverbially: “beyond our understanding.”