Ayub 32:2

32:2 Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry. ¹  He was angry ²  with Job for justifying ³  himself rather than God. ⁴ 

Ayub 42:3

42:3 you asked, ⁵ 

‘Who is this who darkens counsel

without knowledge?’

But ⁶  I have declared without understanding ⁷ 

things too wonderful for me to know. ⁸ 

[32:2]  ¹ tn The verse begins with וַיִּחַר אַף (vayyikhar ’af, “and the anger became hot”), meaning Elihu became very angry.

[32:2]  ² tn The second comment about Elihu’s anger comes right before the statement of its cause. Now the perfect verb is used: “he was angry.”

[32:2]  ³ tn The explanation is the causal clause עַל־צַדְּקוֹ נַפְשׁוֹ (’al-tsaddÿqo nafsho, “because he justified himself”). It is the preposition with the Piel infinitive construct with a suffixed subjective genitive.

[32:2]  ⁴ tc The LXX and Latin versions soften the expression slightly by saying “before God.”

[42:3]  ⁵ tn The expression “you asked” is added here to clarify the presence of the line to follow. Many commentators delete it as a gloss from Job 38:2. If it is retained, then Job has to be recalling God’s question before he answers it.

[42:3]  ⁶ tn The word לָכֵן (lakhen) is simply “but,” as in Job 31:37.

[42:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “and I do not understand.” The expression serves here in an adverbial capacity. It also could be subordinated as a complement: “I have declared [things that] I do not understand.”

[42:3]  ⁸ tn The last clause is “and I do not know.” This is also subordinated to become a dependent clause.