Ayub 9:24

9:24 If a land ¹  has been given

into the hand of a wicked man, ² 

he covers ³  the faces of its judges; ⁴ 

if it is not he, then who is it? ⁵ 

Ayub 13:20

13:20 Only in two things spare me, ⁶  O God, ⁷ 

and then I will not hide from your face:

Ayub 20:25

20:25 When he pulls it out ⁸  and it comes out of his back,

the gleaming point ⁹  out of his liver,

terrors come over him.

Ayub 31:2

31:2 What then would be one’s lot from God above,

one’s heritage from the Almighty ¹⁰  on high?

Ayub 34:25

34:25 Therefore, he knows their deeds,

he overthrows them ¹¹  in the night ¹² 

and they are crushed.

Ayub 34:32

34:32 Teach me what I cannot see. ¹³ 

If I have done evil, I will do so no more.’

Ayub 35:6

35:6 If you sin, how does it affect God? ¹⁴ 

If your transgressions are many,

what does it do to him? ¹⁵ 

[9:24]  ¹ tn Some would render this “earth,” meaning the whole earth, and having the verse be a general principle for all mankind. But Job may have in mind the more specific issue of individual land.

[9:24]  ² sn The details of the verse are not easy to explain, but the meaning of the whole verse seems to be about the miscarriage of justice in the courts and the failure of God to do anything about it.

[9:24]  ³ tn The subject of the verb is God. The reasoning goes this way: it is the duty of judges to make sure that justice prevails, that restitution and restoration are carried through; but when the wicked gain control of the land of other people, and the judges are ineffective to stop it, then God must be veiling their eyes.

[9:24]  ⁴ sn That these words are strong, if not wild, is undeniable. But Job is only taking the implications of his friends’ speeches to their logical conclusion – if God dispenses justice in the world, and there is no justice, then God is behind it all. The LXX omitted these words, perhaps out of reverence for God.

[9:24]  ⁵ tn This seems to be a broken-off sentence (anacoluthon), and so is rather striking. The scribes transposed the words אֵפוֹא (’efo’) and הוּא (hu’) to make the smoother reading: “If it is not he, who then is it?”

[13:20]  ⁶ tn The line reads “do not do two things.”

[13:20]  ⁷ tn “God” is supplied to the verse, for the address is now to him. Job wishes to enter into dispute with God, but he first appeals that God not take advantage of him with his awesome power.

[20:25]  ⁸ tn The MT has “he draws out [or as a passive, “it is drawn out/forth”] and comes [or goes] out of his back.” For the first verb שָׁלַף (shalaf, “pull, draw”), many commentators follow the LXX and use שֶׁלַח (shelakh, “a spear”). It then reads “and a shaft comes out of his back,” a sword flash comes out of his liver.” But the verse could also be a continuation of the preceding.

[20:25]  ⁹ tn Possibly a reference to lightnings.

[31:2]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “lot of Shaddai,” which must mean “the lot from Shaddai,” a genitive of source.

[34:25]  ¹¹ tn The direct object “them” is implied and has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[34:25]  ¹² tn The Hebrew term “night” is an accusative of time.

[34:32]  ¹³ tn Heb “what I do not see,” more specifically, “apart from [that which] I see.”

[35:6]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “him” (also in v. 7); the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[35:6]  ¹⁵ tn See Job 7:20.