ps JOB

INTROD UCTION
III
o...,
TO THE

WISDOM BOOKS K'

Five books of t he Old Testament are called 'w isdom' books: J ob, Proverbs,
Fcc lesia stes, Eccl esiasticus, Wisdom. Wit h these is grouped, somewhat unaptly,
I he Song of Songs. T he school of thought they represent is also th at of a certain
number of Psalms and, in part, of the books of Tobit and Baruch.
Wisd o m literatu re flourished throughout the ancient East. Egypt produced

II wisdo m writings in every period of its history. Fro m Mesopotamia come

pro ve rbs, fa bles an d poems on human suffering rem iniscent of Job. Fro m
Ar uma ic-speak ing areas we have the Wisdom of Ahik ar, Assyrian in origin and
trunslated into seve ra l ancient languages. T his 'wisdom' ignores national
boundaries. It gives little attention to rel igious thought, being concerned ra th er
with human solutions . It treats of the meaning of life, not philosophically in
I he G reek manner b ut by appeal to experience. It offers a recipe for su ccessful
hying and is it self regard ed as a cultural accomplish ment.
l'hc Israelites wer e acquainted with t his wisdom . The h ighest praise the Bible
1"11 \ give to Sol omo n is t ha t h is wisd o m excelled the wisdom of the sons o f the
l-ust and the wisd o m of Egypt, 1 K 5: 10. Ara b a nd Edo mite sa ges we re
well known, Jr49:7; Ba3 :22-23; O b8. Job and the three sages who were
lil K frie nds lived in Edom. The a ut hor of Tobit kn ew the Wisdom of Ahik ar,
I nd Pr 22:17- 23:II very fai thfully fo llows th e Egyptia n ma xims of Amene-

n,,' phis. Several P salms a re a tt ributed to He man a nd Etha n, Canaa n ite sages
11'I'nr d ing to 1 K 5:11. Pr ove r bs includes th e Wo rd s o f A gur, Pr 30:1- 14, and
II", Words of Lemuel, Pr 31:1-9, both from M a ssa, a tribe in no rthern Arabia,
I 11\ ~~: 14.
II I ~ not surprising that the earliest wisdom wo r ks of Isra el closely resemble
I h,, ~c of neighb ouring rac es; they are plants of the same so il. I n the older
I " II"n s of Proverbs we find little else than maxims born of human wisdom.

WII h I he exception o f the latest books, Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom, this group
til luhl ical liter ature does no t touch on the great themes o f the O ld Te sta ment:
I " IY, Co vena nt, Election, Salvation. The sages o f Israe l show no concern for
I h, past and future fortunes of the ir nation: like their pag an cou nterpa r ts they
til ubso rbed in the individua l and his desti ny . Th is, however, t hey view in
I , 1"lller light, that of th e religion of Ya h weh . Though t he wisdom of Israel

I'l ln" s from th e same ro ot as, and thus resembles, the commo n wisdom of
11" I 'II~ I, it has an essentia l supe rio rity, the effec ts of wh ich beco me m ore marked
I , i ovr lntion progresses. The contrast once drawn between wisdom an d foll y

lltllY l-ccomes an opposition be tween virtue and vice , be tween t rue religion a nd

I,d·., Rea l wisd om is fo und in the fear o f God which is the very foundation
" I 11111' religion. The wisdom o f th e Ea st ma y be called humanistic ; the wisdom
,Ii I" 111'1 is hu manism spiritu a lised .
 INTRODUCTION TO THE WISDOM BOOKS 724
In particular, the wisdom of man is set in perspective with the wisdom of
God. All wisdom come s from God since he alone is wise (Pr 21:30, an early
text), with an excelling wisdom which man may read in the work s of crea tion
but never und erstand , Jb 28; 38-39; Si 1:1-10; 16:24f ; 39:12f; 42:15-43:33 . In
the impressive prologue to Proverb s, Pr 1-9, divine Wisdom speaks as if she
were a perso n, at once present in G od from eternity, and acting with him in the
work of creation, cf. especially. Pr 8:22-31. In Jb 28, Wisdom is presented as
distinct from God who alone knows where she lies hidden . In Si 24 Wisdom
says of he rself th at she has come from the mouth of the Most High, t hat her
home is in heaven whence G od sends her to Israel. In Ws 7:22-8 :I, she is an
outpouring of the glory of the Almighty, an image of his perfection . T hus
Wisdom as a d ivine att ribute detaches herself from him, to ass ume a personality
of her own. Striking though these expressions may be, it still do es not seem
that the personification is more than a poetic device : the monotheism of the
Old Testament forbids it. On the other han d, the expressions provoke scrutiny
a nd prepare the mind for a revelation of a plurality of Persons in God.
St John's Logos, the Word, is at once in God and outside him, like divin e
Wisdom, and all these impressive texts find their deepes t fulfilmen t in the
incarnate Word.
Since the question of the indi vidua l and his destiny was the chief preoccu-
pa tion of the sages, the problem of retr ibution was of primary importance for
them . It was in th eir circl es a nd by dint of their hard thinking that th is doctrine
develop ed . In the older sections of Proverbs, wisdom (which is to say, virtu e)
is sur e to bring happiness, and folly (or vice) ruin. Thus God rewards the good
and punishes the wicked . And such is still the position in the prologue of
Proverbs, 3:33-35; 9:6 and 18. T his is the doctrine, ther efor e, on which the
teaching of wisdom is based, maintaining, as it does, that the world is ru led
by a Go d who is j ust and wise. In its support it claims expe rience, despite the
fact that experience often contradicts it. This contradiction is dramatically
demonstrated in the Book of Job where the three frie nds defend th e traditional
thesis. But to the questionings of the goo d man in affliction there is no intel-
lectually sati sfactory answer as long as we hold th e th eory of adeq uate retri-
bu tion on ea rth; to have unquestio ning fait h in Go d is all there is to do . Th e
Book of Ecclesiastes , ho wever d iffering in its ap proach, reac hes the sam e
concl usion ; it, too, rejects the trad itio nal thesis, mai nta ining that man has no
right to ca ll God to acco unt or de ma nd happin ess as a d ue. Ecclesias ticus is
of the same mind; true, he writes ent hus iastically of the wise man's happiness,
14:20-15:10, but he is haun ted by the tho ught of death and he knows tha t
everyth ing depends on that final hour: 'Yet it is a trifle for the Lo rd on the day
a man d ies to repay him as his con d uct deser ves', 11:26, cf. 1:13; 7:36 ; 28:6;
41:9. He has a presen timent of 'the four last things' but does not express it
clea rly. Shortly after him, Dn 12:2 makes a clear ac t of faith in retri bution
after death, which is here coupled with fa ith in the resu rrection of the body ,
since the Hebrew mental ity cou ld no t co nceive the surv ival of a spir it separated
from the flesh. Among the Jews of Alexandr ia great er progress was to be
ac hieved by a nother, parallel cou rse ; on ce Platon ic philosop hy, with its
doctrine of an immo rtal soul, has bro ken thro ugh the limitations of Hebrew
though t, the Book of Wisdo m can declare that 'God made man imp erish abl e',
2:23, a nd that after death th e faithful soul will enjoy unend ing happiness with
725 INTR O D U C T ION TO T H E W ISDOM BOOKS
G od while the wicked will receive their punishment , 3:1-12. T he sages of Israel
at last have the an swer to thei r great pro blem.
The oldest and simplest form of wisdo m literature is the mashal. And this is
(in the plural) the title of the book we call 'Proverbs ' , though, str ictly speaking,
the mashal is a striking sentence that catches the imagi nation, a popular saying, m
o
-,
or a ma xim. The older collections in Proverbs consist only of short sentences.
Later, the mashal develops into more elaborate forms, becom ing parable,
allegory, discourse, argument. Thi s development, already perceptible in the
lr
short appended sections of Pro verbs and still more so in the prologue, Pr 1-9,
crystallises in the subs equ ent books; with Job or Wisdom the mashal becomes
II great literary comp osition.
These short, easily mem orised sentences were intended for oral inst ruction.
Parents taught them to their sons , Pr 1:8; 4: I ; 31: I; Si 3:I, and the na me 'son'
is retained when maste r teaches pupil, since the sages ra n schools, Si 51:23,26 ;
cf, Pr 7:lf; 9: lf. ' Wisdom' became a privilege of the educated and there fore
lettered classes ; sages and scribes app ea r side by side in J r 8:8-9, and Si 38:24-
.\1) : II puts the scribe above the manu al wor ker beca use his profession enables
him to acquire wisdom. Scrib es were needed for secretari al.d uties at co urt and
il was at cou rt that the doctrines of wisdom first bega n to develop. All these
churacteristics find their precise parallel in the ot her centres of Oriental wisdom,
whether in Egypt or in Mesopota mia. O ne of the Solomonic collections in
Proverbs was made by 'the men of Hezek iah, king of J udah' , Pr 25:1. But the
iges were not mere ly colle ctors of old sayings, t hey were also authors. T hey
ended by becoming a class apa rt, a kind of Academy of Moral Science, in
which the learned wrote for th e learn ed.
l'he school of sages is therefore very d ifferent from the circles that prod uced
Ihe,; priestly and the prophetic writings, a nd J r 18:1 8 care fully distinguishes
Ihrce classes: priests, sages, prophets. The sage s had their own preo ccupations:
they were not particularly interested in th e litur gy, nor do they seem to have
l.ccn stirred by the misfortunes of their people or stimu lated by the great hope
Ihlll held the nation together; Jeremiah evidently had a poor opinion of them,
I I K:'). But from the Exile onwards, these three separate strea ms begin to merge.
I li e pro logue of Prove rbs assumes the manner of a preaching prophet ; Eccle-
ui vric us, ch. 44-49, and Wisdom, 10-19, dwell at some length on the history of
rl vut ion ; Ecclesiasticus shows his veneration for the priesthood, he is a devout
W il l shipper, and finally he identifie s wisdom with the Law, Si 24:23-24: here
w r have the alliance of scribe (or sage) with doctor of the Law that we find in
II ~ ptd limes.
AI the beginning of this long search for wisdom stands the figure of Solomon.
11 ,'1<' again we find oriental parallels: two Egyptian wisdom writings were
IhllllJ{ hl to be the teachings given by a pharaoh to his son . Fro m I K 5:9-14,
I I \ 1). 12 and 28 ; 10:1-9, to Si 47:12- 17, Solomon is held up to admiration as
Ihll Itll.:alcst sage of Israel , and the two oldest an d most important collections
I I I l'I< ,vcrbs, ch. 10-22 and 25-28, a re att rib uted to him (hence the tit le of the
1"", 1, , Pr 1:1). Ecclesiastes, Wisdom an d the So ng were similarly attributed
1," IiiIII. All this teaching, grad ually dispensed to the chosen people, was
1'" pli li lig the revelation of Wisdom inca rnate: ' here is someo ne greater than
", 111 11 11111', Mt 12:42.

INTRODUCTIO N
TO THE BOOK OF
JO B
The Book of Job is the literary masterp iece of the wisdom mo vement. It
opens with a prose narrative. Th ere was once a faithful servant of God whose
name was Job , a rich and happy ma n. God allows Satan to test him to see if he
will rema in faith ful despit e misfortu ne. Job loses his po ssessions and his children,
but is resigned to God's ta king back what he had given. Next, his own perso n
III is att acked ; his sickness is revolt ing and pai nful, but still he is resigned; his
wife advi ses him to cur se G od but he rebukes her. At this point, three of his
friend s, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, come to offer sympa thy, ch . 1-2. After
this introd uction the long dialogue poem begins which constitutes the body
of th e boo k. It opens with a fou r-corn ered con versa tio n. In three series of
speeches, ch. 3- 14, 15-21, 22-27, Job an d his friends op pose their different
concept ions of divi ne ju stice ; the re is no very steady develop ment of ideas, but
rath er an elab oration of principles laid dow n at the beginning. Eliphaz spea ks
with th e moderation of adva nced age but also with th e severity learned of long
experience of men ; Zopha r ha s the excita bility of youth; Bildad is a pro sy
person of measured discou rse. All th ree, ho wever, defend the traditional th esis
of retr ibution on earth : if Job suffers, it is becaus e he has sinn ed ; his own
op inion may acquit him, but not G od's. When Job protests his innocence th ey
grow still mo re obstinat e. Job confronts this theo rising with his own sad
experience and with the universal experience of injustic e. He comes back to
this repeatedly, and as repeatedly is brought up against the mystery of a G od
of j ust ice who makes the good man suffer. Thus gro ping in the dark he ma kes
no pro gress towards a solution. His tortured soul matches his suffering bod y:
the bo dy has its pa ro xysms an d its times of ease , th e sou l its revolts a nd its
sur renders. This altern ating mot ion has two climaxes: its first in the act of
faith of ch. 19, its second in th e final protestation of innocence in ch . 31. A new
character, Elihu, now appears: both Job and his frien ds are mistaken, he says,
and then in a spate of words attempts to vindicate God 's ways, ch. 32-37.
Yahweh himsel f cuts him short and 'from the hear t of the tempe st' (the tradi-
tiona l setti ng of th eophanies) gives Job his answe r. Or rather there is no answer,
since man is no j udge of a God whose wisdom an d po wer are infinite. Th ereupo n
Jo b rea lises the folly of his words , 38:1-42:6. Th e book ends with an epilog ue
in prose: Ya hweh rebukes t he th ree friends, rewa rds Job with sons a nd daug hters
and doubles his possessions, 42:7-17.
T he main characte r, Job, is a famous figure in an cient history, Ezk 14:14,20,
believed to have lived in the patriarchal age on the bo rders of Arabia and
Edom, a regio n which is well-known for its wise men, Jr 49:7 ; Ba 3:22-23,
Ob 8, an d fro m which his three friends also come . Job was tradi tionally regarded
72 7 IN TRO DU C TION T O JO B
as a model of virtue , cf. Ezk 14, whose loyalty to Go d remained un shaken
despite grievous t rials. Our author has used this old story as th e fram ework
of his book and, th ough th e dia logue poem is in style and tone so different
from the pro se prol ogue and epilogue, it can at no time have existed witho ut
lXl
the m. o.,
The authen ticity of certai n passages in the dialo gue has been quest ioned.
The poem on wisdom, ch. 28, sounds odd on Job's lips since it antic ipates God' s
an swer to Job 's questions, ch. 38-39. Nevertheless, it is a product, if not of the
same author, at least of the author's schoo l of thought, and is closely associated
with the theme of the book; but why it has been inserted just here , where it is
alien to the context, is difficult to say. It has been arg ued, too , t hat th e speeches
of Yahweh, ch . 38-4 1, did not belong to the original poem. The argument is,
however, based on a misunderstanding of the book's meaning . It is true th at
ch. 38-41 ignore all the preceding debate as well as Job 's own plight, by
tran sferring the discussion from the human plane to th e divin e ; bu t it is for this
very reaso n that these speeches of Yah weh provide what, in the author 's eyes, is
the only solutio n to the problem, namely the mysterious nature of th e ways of
God . Other scholars believe that two pas sages of this section at least are not
authentic: the description of the ostri ch, 39:13-18, and the long descriptio ns
of Behemoth and Leviathan, 40: 15-41:26; but the arg uments are not decisive,
nor is the matter of grea t impo rtance . Finally, the arrangement of ch. 27-28
is not entirely satisfact ory ; the car elessness of cop yists, or edito rial readjust-
ments, may be the explanation here.
The arguments against the authenticity of the speeches of Elihu, ch. 32-37,
are weightier. Elihu ap pears ab ruptly an d unannounced and Yahweh, who
speaks next, ignores him completely. Th is is all the more strange in that Elihu
an ticipates the words of Yahweh, even giving the imp ression that his purpose
is to supplement them. Moreover, he repeats to no pu rpose what the three
friends have alread y said. Add to this that the vocabulary and style are different,
a nd it begins to look as if these chapters have been added to the book and are
from a different ha nd . But th ese chapters too are inspired and have the ir own
contribution to ma ke to the religious message of the book .
The autho r of Job is known to us onl y fro m his work: th e boo k shows that
he was without doubt an Israelite, broug ht up on the work s of the prop hets
und the teachings of the sages. His home was most probably in Palestine but
he must have visited other countries, particularly Egypt, or lived in them for
fI time. His date is conjectural. The pros e na rrative smacks of patriarcha l times
lind made early writers th ink tha t the bo ok was, like Genesis, th e work of
Moses. But this argument applies on ly to the prose framewo rk of the book
md, even here, tradit ional sources or literary imitation may explai n th e style.
lh c book is later tha n Jeremiah an d Ezekiel (with which it has certain
expressions and ideas in common) and its language has a strong Aramaic
Ilu vour . We are therefore in po st-exilic times when abs orption in the destiny
of the nation as a whole was giving way to an interest in th e individu al. Th e
IIlOsl likely, though still unce rtai n, date is th e beginn ing of th e 5th cent ury, B.C.
T he writer puts the case of the good man who suffers. This is a paradox for
Ihl' conservative view the n prevalent tha t a man's actions are rewarded or
punished here on earth. This iro n rule is plainly enu nciated, so far as a nation
1M II whole is concerned, by th e classic texts of D t 28 an d Lv 26; its working-out
 INTRODUCTION TO JO B 72 8
in history is demonstrated by the Books of Judges and Kings, a nd the same
idea underlies the preaching of th e prophets. With Ezekiel (ch . 18) the conception
of individ ual responsibility finds clear expression, though it was a lread y latent
and oc cas ionally expr essed, D t 24:16 ; Jr 31:29-30; 2 K 14:6. But even Eze kiel
has only earthly retribution in mind a nd is therefo re brought sha rply up against
harsh reali ty. W here a community is concerned, it may well be tha t t he fa ults
of th e soc iety as a society prevail, a nd that good men are therefore p unished
with the wicked. But if it is the rule that the individual is to be recompensed
for his own actions, how is it t hat the good man suffe rs ? Yet th is is the fact, a nd
Jo b is an example. The reader is indeed informed in the prologue tha t Job's
d istress is not God's doing but Satan's and that it is a test of his fidelity . But
Jo b does not know this, nor do his friends . These offer the old solutions: the
ha ppiness of the wicked is short-lived , cf. Ps 37 and 73; the sufferings of the
go od man test his fo rtitude, cf. Gn 22: 12, or possibly punish faults committed
un wittingly or o ut of weakness, cf. Ps 19:12; 25:7. The three friends propose
these explanations wh ile they still think Job more or less innocent. But the
cr ies that pain wrings from him and his impatience wit h God persuade them
that his guilt goes deep: only grave sin can explain distre ss like this. The speeches
of Elihu take up and develop these solutio ns: the su ffering of those whom men
judge virt uous is an atonement for sins of omi ssio n or of thoughtlessness, or
po ssibly (t he most origina l contribution of this section) a safeguard against
still more serious faults and a cure for pride. But like the three friends, though
not as harshly, Elihu holds that sin and suffering are connected, o ne with the
ot her.
Job protests agai nst this rigorous theory of ca use a nd effect with the vigo ur
of conscious innocence. He does not deny the principle of earthly recompense,
indeed he lives in hope of it, and God gives it in the end (cf. the epil og ue). But
the recompense is, here and now, withheld; t his is Job's problem and he seeks
in va in for the meaning of it all. In his an guish he rea ches out for G od; God
eludes him, but Job st ill trusts to his go od ness. Wh en G od does appear it is
to tell how in scru ta ble ar e his person a nd his designs, a nd Jo b fa lls to silence .
Th is is the book 's lesson : faith must remain even when understanding fai ls.
At th is stage of divine revelati o n, the autho r cou ld go no further. More light
cannot be th rown on the mystery of suffering inn ocence until God opens up
the prospect of a fut ure life in which reco m pense is made, a nd un til ma n learns
the wo rt h of sufferi ng when it is un ited wit h th e suffer ings of C hrist. Two tex ts
of St Pa ul give Job his a nswer: 'The sufferings of this pres en t time ca nnot be
compared wit h the glory that is to be revea led in us' , Rm 8: 18, a nd: ' In my
flesh I make u p wha t is lacking in Chr ist' s trials, fo r the sa ke of his Bod y,
which is the C h urc h', Col 1:24.
m
Q
THE BOOK OF
~
JOB
I. PROLOGUE"
Tb 12:B
Satan tests J ob
1
I There was once a man in the land of UZb called Job : a sound and honest
man who feared God and shunn ed evil. -Seve n sons and three daug hters
Elk 14 :14 +
I T h 5:22
Gn 12:16 :
were born to him. -A nd he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, 13:2;26:14
five hundred yoke of oxen and five hund red she-donkeys, and many servants
besides. This man was indeed a man of mark among all the people of the East.'
.1 It was the custom of his sons to hold banquet s in each oth er's houses, one after
the other, and to send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
s Once each series of banquets was over, Job would send for them to come and
1 S 16:5
be purified! and at dawn on the following day he would offer a holocaust for
each of them. 'Perhaps' Job would say ' my sons have sinned and in their hearts
affronted- God.' So that was what he used to do after each series.
Go 6:1 +
One day the Sons of God ! came to attend on Ya hweh, and among them was I K 22: 19-23
Sa ta n.v -So Yahweh said to Satan, 'W here have you been?' ' Round the earth,' Gn3:1 +
Zc 3:1-2
H he answered 'roa ming about.' -So Yahweh asked him, ' Did you notice my
servant Job? There is no one like him on the ear th: a sound and honest man I Th 5:22
'I who fears Go d and shuns evil.' · ' Yes,' Satan said 'bu t Job is not God -fearing
I II for nothing, is he? •Have you not put a wall round him and his house and all
29:4
his domain? You have blessed all he undert akes, a nd his flocks throng the
I I countryside. •But stretch out your hand and lay a finger on his possessions:
I ~ I warrant you, he will curse you to your face.' . ' Very well,' Ya hweh said to
Satan 'all he has is in your power. But keep your hand s off his person.' So
Satan left the presence of Yahweh.
li On the day when Job 's sons and daughters were at their meal and drinking
14 wine at their eldest broth er's house, 'a messenger came to Job. ' Your oxen'
I \ he said 'were at the plough , with the donke ys grazing at their side, -when the
I K 10:1+
Sabaeans- swept down on them a nd car ried them off. Your servants they put
I /o to the sword: r alone escaped to tell you.' • He had not finished speaking
20:26
when another messenger arri ved. 'The fire of God " he said 'ha s fallen from
the heavens and burnt up all your sheep, a nd your shepherds too: I alone esca ped
I a. In thi s pr ose na rr a ti ve the au thor has pr eserved sup er hu ma n crea tu res who ma ke u p G od 's co u rt a nd
th e flavour o f a f ol k tale. co unci l. They a rc id en tified wit h th e an gels ( LX X
b. Pr ob ably in th e S . of Edom . cr. G o 36:28 : transla te s ' the a nge ls of G od ' ).
1.111 4:2t. g. I.e. ' the Ad vers ary' . A legal term . a pp aren t ly ,
c. T he ph r ase is used o f aJI w h o li ved E . of P ale s ti ne, cf. Ps 109:6, b u t be co m ing incr easin gly co m m o n fo r
more part icula rl y in Edomite or A rab territory. an evil bein g, ZC 3: 1 an d event ua lly a pr ope r n am e .
R2,
cr. Nb 24:21 -i-, I C h 2 1: 1, o f th e power of ev il , cr. L k 10:18 . In Rv 12:9;
d . Li t. 'sanct ified' . The reference is to the ritual 20:2 it is sy no nymous wit h t he D ra gon , the Dev il. the
remov al of impediment s to sacred func tio ns . cf. Lv Se rpen t . cf'. G n 3: I -t- , a lte rna tive na mes or personifica-
II : 1+ . t io ns o f th e evil sp ir it. He re Satan. like th e se rpe n t of
e. Heb r, ' b lessed' . So a lso in 1:11 an d 2:5.9. T he G n 3, tem p ts ma n 10 sin .
o rta lna t wor d 'cu rse. bl as ph em e' has been replaced in h. Sa baca ns an d C ha ldaca ns (v. 17) her e mean
I leb r. from m oti ves of re verence. predatory nom a ds .
r. cr. 38;7 ; G n6: 1-4; P s 29 :1: 82 :1 :89;6. These are r. Lig htning . Cf. 2 K 1:10.12.14 .
" I'

I :q JOB 73° 73 ! JOB 3:2 2

to tell yo u.' -He had no t finished spea king when an other messenger a rrived . 17 Yes, let the dark lay hold of it,
'The Chal daeans,' he said 'three band s of them, have ra ided your camels and to the days of the year let it not be joi ned,'
ma de off with them . Yo ur serva nts the y pu t to the sword: I alone escap ed to into the reckonin g of mont hs not find its way.
tell you.' • He had not finished speaki ng when another messenger arrived . \8 May tha t nigh t be dismal ,
' Yo ur sons and da ughters' he sa id ' were at their meal an d dri nk ing wine at no shout of joy come near it.
the ir eldest brother 's hou se, -when suddenly fro m the wilderness a gale sprang 19 Let them cu rse it who curse the day,"
up, a nd it battered all fou r co rners of th e ho use wh ich fell in o n th e yo ung who ar e prepared to rouse Leviathan.'
peop le. T hey are dead: I a lo ne escaped to te ll you .' Da rk be th e stars of its morn ing,
Jo b rose and tore his go wn and shav ed his hea d. ' Then falling to the gro und 20 let it wait in vain for light ~
he wor ship ped -a nd said : 2\ an d never see t he ope ning eyes of da wn.
G n 2:7 ; 3: 19 ro Since it wo uld not shut the doors of the womb o n me
R t 1:21 ' Naked I came from my mo ther 's womb,
IS 3: 18
nak ed I sha ll return . k to hide sorrow fro m my eyes.
P s 139: 15
005: 14. 18
SIII : 14 :4 0: 1 Ya hweh gave, Ya hweh has taken back . II Why d id I no t die new-bo rn , 10:18- 19
I T m 6:7 Q o 4:2 ; 6:3
Blessed be the nam e of Ya hweh !' not perish as I left the wom b?
In all this misfortun e Job co mmitted no sin nor offered any insult to God. 22 \2 Why were th ere two knees to receive me,
1:6 ' two breasts for me to suck?
I K 22:19
2 O nce again the So ns of God came to attend on Yahweh , a nd among the m was
Sa ta n. 'So Ya hweh sa id to Sa ta n, 'W here have you been ?' 'Ro und the ea rth,' I t Had there not been, I sho uld now be lying in peace,
wrapped in a restful slumb er,
he a nswered ' roa ming a bout.' 'So Ya hweh as ked him, 'Did you no tice my 3
Is 14:9-11
\ Th 5:22
ser vant Job? Th ere is no o ne like him o n the earth: a sound a nd ho nest ma n who \., with the kings and high viziers of earth Ezk 32:18-32
fea rs G od and shuns evil. H is life co ntinues blam eless as ever ; in va in yo u who build themselves vast va ults, "
pr ovo ked me to ru in him .' .'Skin for sklnl ' « Satan repli ed . 'A man will give 4 I j or with princ es who have gold a nd to spare
awa y all he has to save his life. • But stretch ou t your hand and lay a finger o n 5 and ho uses crammed with silver. «
P s 58:8
his bo ne a nd flesh; I warra nt you, he will curse you to yo ur face .' ·' Very well,' Ih Or put away like a st ill-born child t hat never came to be," 0 0 6:3
Ya hweh said to Sata n 'h e is in yo ur power. But spare his life.' -So Sa tan left like unb o rn bab es that never see the light.
the presence of Yahweh. , 17 Down there,' bad men bustle no mo re,
He struck J o b down with ma lignant ulcers from the sole of his foot to th e there the wear y rest.
to p of his head. -Jo b too k a piece of pot to scrape himse lf, and went and sat IR Prisoners, a ll left in peace,
in the as hpit, -T hen his wife said to him, ' Do you now st ill mean to persist 9 hear no more the shouts of t he gao ler.
2 K 6:33
Tb2: 14 /· in you r blamelessness? C urse G od, a nd d ie.' · 'That is how foo lish wome n 10 19 Down ther e, high and low are all on e,
tal k' Job rep lied. 'If we take ha ppiness from G od's ha nd, must we not ta ke and t he slave is free of his master.
so rrow too? ' And in all this misfortune Job utt ered no sinful word . Si 41:2
zo Why give ligh t to a man of grief?
Th e news of all the disaste rs that had fallen on Job ca me to the ea rs of three of II
Ba 3:23 Why give life to th ose bitt er of hear t,
his friends. Each of them set o ut from home- Eliphaz of Te rnan, Bildad of Shua h » Rv 9:6
21 who long for a death that never co mes,
and Zophar of Naamath v-s-and by common cons ent they decided to go and offer
I s 52:14 and hun t for it mo re tha n for a buried tr easure?
him symp at hy and consolatio n. • Loo king at him from a dista nce, they cou ld 12
zz T hey wo uld be glad to see th e gra ve-mo und!
not recognise him ;' they wept a loud and to re th eir garment s and threw dus t over
and sho ut with joy if they reached the tom b.
the ir heads ." -They sat there o n the grou nd beside him for seven days and seven 13
nights. To Job they spo ke never a word , so sad a sight he mad e.
i. M o u rni ng ri tu al. He br. ' b e joi ned ' versions: ' rejo ice' Hebr,
k . Ap parently likenin g mo the r earth to t he womb . d . Eithe r the enem ies of ligh t, th ose who wo rk in
2 a . Pro bab l y a pro verb d raw n f r o m cust o ms o f the d ar k , cf. 24: 13f: 38: 15: o r t hose who . like J ob . cu rse
II. T HE DIA L O G U E bar ter . It co uld be expan ded a s ' a sk in is fa ir exc ha nge t he d ay t hey were born : or. mor e pr o bab ly. so rcerers
fo r a skin' , l.c . a man o n ly Rives h imse lf a wa y when his or m ag icia ns whose cu rses a nd spells were be lieved
o wn per son is a ffected . ca pa b le o f ma k in g lucky d ay s u nlu c ky o r eve n o f
A . FI R S T SE R IE S OF S P E E CHES prod uci ng ccfi nscs. when ' Le via tha n' tem p or a r ily swa l-
b . T he th ree (Owns a rc situa te d in Id u m aca n a nd
Ar a b te r r ito r y. Edom a nd ' t he East', cr. 1:3 t-, wer e lo wed t he SU ll o
Jr 20: /4-18
J ob curses the day of his birth regarded by t he Israel ites as t he homeland of th e sag es c . Le via tha n (a lso ca lled th e D ra go n or F lee in g
I K 5: \ 0- 1\: 10 : \ -3 : P r 30:1 ; 31: 1; J r 49 :7; Ob R; Se rp en t). cr. 40:2 5 t- : Is 27: I ; 5 1:9 ; A m 9 :3 ; Ps 74: 14 ;
In the end it was Jo b who broke the silence and cursed the day of his birth .
3 Th is is what he said:
I IJa 3:22 -2 3.
c . He was so disfigured (lik e t he su ffer ing se rva nt In
Is 52:14 ) ,
104: 26 , wa s a m o ns ter o f p r im ev a l cha os . d . 7: 12 + ;
th er e was a co m m o n su per st itiou s fear t ha t a po werf ul
curse uu nl ns t t he pr esen t or der m ight sti r h im to action.
S1 23:14 d . Peniten tia l ges t ur e a nd co m mo n sign of m o urn- T he D ragon of Rv 12:3. who em bo d ies Ev il' s h os tili ty
May the day perish when I was born, ina . Th e t hree friends con sider Jo b as Rood as dead . to G o d . ha s cert a in cha ra cte r istics in co m mon wi th th is
M .26:24
and the night that told of a boy conc eived ." T he text add s ' towa rds heaven '. po ssib ly a glos s. which se rp en t of cha o s.
turns th e ac t int o a gest u re of ind ign a tio n . cr. Ac 22:23. f. T he H e be. wor d mean s ru in s . d eserted sp ot s. b u t
Ma y tha t day be darkness, eit he r calli ng d own di vin e vengea nce or shelteri ng t he co n text su gges ts tombs (o ften b u ilt in d eser ted
may God o n high ha ve no thought for it, oneself from it. p laces) ; a p ossi ble tra nsla tio n 'w ho b u ild (houses) in
may no light shine on it. 3 a . T wo p a rallel cu rses: o ne of the da y o f birt h, so lita ry p laces ' .
t he o ther o f t he n ight of co nc ep tion . 1:. Ap na re n tlv in their tombs. li ke th e ki n gs o f D r
May murk a nd deep sha do w >claim it for t heir own , b . Hebr. 's hado w of de a th ' . ' eclipse' co rr. : 'li ke o r th e p h ara o hs.
clo uds han g over it, t he b itte rne ss of the d ay' He b r. h . ' t ha t never ca me to be' co r r.
i. In She a I. cr. Nb 16:33 + .
eclipse swo op down on it. c . 'Yes' (lit. ' behold ') taken from v. 7 ; ' th at n igh t' I, ' gra ve-m o und ' co rr .
 3:23 JOB 732 733 JO B 5:2 0
Pr4:18- 19 R esentment kills the senseless,
Is 26:7 Why make this gift of light to a man who doe s not see his way, 23 2
Lm 3:7 and an ger brin gs death to the fool.
whom God bau lks on every side?
Ps 42:4
My only food is sighs , 24 I myself have seen how such a on e took root,
and my groans pour out like water. until a swift curse fell on his House."
Whatever I fear comes true , 25 4 His sons at a single blow lose their prop and stay,
29:7
Pr 10:24
whatever I dread befalls me. ruined at the gater with no one to defend them; Ps 109:10 ;
127:5
For me, there is no calm , no peace; 26 their har vest goes to feed the hungry,
my torments ban ish rest. God sna tches it fro m their mo uth s,"
and th irsty men hanker afte r their goods . ~
Confidence in God" Grief does not grow out of the earth,
4 Eliphaz of Ternan spoke next. He said: nor sorrow spr ing from the ground.
It is man who breeds tro ub le for himself
15:35
If one should address a word to you , b will you endure it? Gn 3:17- 19
as surely as eagles fly to the height.'
Yet who can keep silent?
Many another, once, you schooled, If I were as you are , I should appeal to God,
giving strength to feeble hands ; an d lay my case before him.
~9:10:3 7:5
your words set right whoev er wavered, 4 His wor ks are great, past all reckoning, Ps 147: 8
and stre ngthened every failing knee , Si 43: 32
marvels, beyo nd all countin g.
Pr 24:10
And now your turn has come, and you lose patience too ; . It) He send s down rain to the earth,
now it touches yo u, and you are overwhelmed. pours down water on the fields.
Does not your piety give you con fidence, 1 S 2:7-8
11 If his will is to rescue the downcast, Ps 75:7-8
your blameless life not give you ho pe? Lk 1:52
Ps 37: 25
or raise the affr icted to the heights of joy,
P r 12:21 Can you recall a guiltless man tha t perished, 12 he wrecks the plans of the art ful,
S i 2: 10 12:23-25
2 P 2:9 or have you ever seen good men brought to noth ing? and brings to naught their intrigues.
Ps 7:/6 1 Co 3: 19
Pr 22:8 I speak of what I kno w: tho se who plough iniquity 13 He tr aps the crafty in the snare of their own shrewdness,
?'
Si 7:3
li n 8:7 an d sow the seeds of grief reap a harve st of the same kind. turn s subtle counsellors to idiot s.
W.\'/ J:ZO
A breath fro m Go d will bring the m to destruction , 14 In daylight they come against dark ness,
In 12:35
Ps 17:1 2; 22:
14.22 a blast o f his a nger will wipe them out. and grope their way as if noon were night.
Pr 28: 15
The lion 's roar , his savage growls, 10 15 He rescues the ban krup t! from their jaws,
like the fangs of lion cubs are broken off. and the poor man from the han ds of the violent.
For lack of prey the lion dies at last, 11 16 Thus the wretched can hope again
Ps 107: 4/-42

an d the whelps of his lioness are scattered . and wickedne ss must shut its mou th.
32:13 :33: 15
Now , I have had a secret revelat ion," 12 17:12:22:1
a whisper has come to my ears. 17 Happy indeed the man whom God corrects! Gn 17- 1 +
Ps 94:12
Ws 18:17
At t he hour when dreams master the mind, 13
Then do not refuse this lesson" from Shadd ai." Pr3 :1 1-12 +

and slum ber lies heavy on man, 18 For he who wounds is he who soothes the sore,
D,32:39
Ps 119:120
a shiver of horror ran thro ugh me, 14
and the hand that hurt s is the hand that heals. Ps 147:3
H06:1
and my bones quaked" with fear. 19 Six times he will deliver you fro m sor row,
Pr 3:26
A breat h slid over my face. 15
and the seventh, ' evil shall no t touc h you. Si 33:1

the hai rs of my body bristled. 20 In time of famine, he will save you from death, J r 39:18

So meone sto od there-I co uld not see his face, 16

and in wartime from the stro ke of the sword. Ps 33:19

but the form rema ined before me,

1 K 19:/ 2-13
Ps 14 3:2 Silence-and then I heard a Voice, 4 a . Eliphaz ex p o unds t he tra ditio nal d octrine o f
retr ibu tio n in a m os t ri gid fo r m . a d octr ine wh ich is
Pr 20:9 'Was ever a ny ma n found blamele ss in the pre sence of Go d, 17 tru e within its limits. T he author . h owever . sus pec ts
14:4+: or fau ltless in the presence of his Mak er? that it do es not cov er a ll cases and seem s to have
15:14 ; 25: a llo wed h is o wn opi ni on s to in fluence th e exp os it io n.
4-6 In his own servants, God puts no tru st, 18 b. ' ad dress ' corr . ; ' ven tur e' Hcbr.
and even with his ange ls he has fault to find . e c. A messa ge from heaven in slee p , pos sibl y co m -
15: 15-16 mun ica ted by an a nge l; cf. G n 2:21 : 15: 12. The teach ing
Ws9: 15 Wha t the n of those who live in houses of clay, 19 o f the Sages, therefore, is not merel y human knowled ge
who are founded on d ust? handed dow n; d ivine r evel a tio n plays it s p art . giving
t he do ct rine a 'c ha ris mat ic' q ua lit y.
Th ey are crus hed as easily as a moth , d . 'Quaked ' corr.
Is 38:12
one day is eno ugh to grind them to powder. 20 e. 'an gels' a nd 's erva nts o f God' are th e sa me .
If these, so cl ose to Go d, ar e essentially impe r fect. h o w
They van ish for ever, and no one remembers the m'! mu ch mo re so carnal , m orta l ma n .
Their tent-peg " is sna tched from them, 21 f. ' no o ne rem embers th em' co r r.: ' witho ut an y
regarding it ' Hebr.
and they die for lack of wisdom ."
Ps 89:5 5 Ma ke your app eal then . Will you find an answer?
g. ' tent- pe g' co r r. : ' t heir cord' Hebe.
h . Eit her p re matu re dea t h wh ich m an 's fo lly b ri ngs
on hi msel f, or e lse dea t h as th e co m m on fat e of h uman
To which of the Holy O nes" will you turn? na t ure, whi ch ma n wit h h is lim ited knowled ge can no t
wa rd off .
5 a . T he a ngels. d . l 5:15 (i n th e liah t o f 4: 18) ;
Zc 14:5 : Dn 4: 10 , 14,20 : 8: 13. T hei r Int er cess ion is
menti on ed uuai n in 33:23- 24 , d . Zc 1: 12 ; Tb 12:12 .
b . T he text of vv , 3-4 is uncert a in a nd th e trans -
latlon co n i.
c . Th e m ai n ga te of t he town. co mmon meetin g
place wh er e just ice was d ispe nsed .
d . 'f ro m their mo ut hs' co rr .. li t. 'fr o m thei r teeth ' .
c . 'breed s' corr.: ' is b orn' Heb r. ' eag les' foll ow in g
vers io ns: H eb r. ' the so ns o f R es hep h' (god o f thunder
an d Hah mi ng).
f. Li t. ' t he desp oil ed' ca rr .
g. J ob 's m isfortu nes a re th eref or e d isci p lina ry, a
painfu l but sa lutary lesson . Elihu sa ys th e sa me, 33:19f.
h . N a me for G od in th e pa t ria rcha l period,
cf. G n 17: I + : a de libe ra te a rc ha ism in Jb .
I. Eltn haz uses the sty le o f the ' num er ica l p ro-
verb s', cr. Pr 6: 16-19 : 30 : l 5f.
 5:2 1 JOB
p, 12:2-4
You shall be safe from the lash of the tongue,
p, 31:2 1: 9 1
and see the approach of the briga nd; with out fear.
You shall laugh at dro ught and frost,>
and have no fear of the beasts of the earth.
You shall have a pact with the stones of the field,'
2K3: 19.25
Is 5:2:11:6~8 and live in ami ty with wild beasts.
Ho 2:20
Yo u shall find your tent secure,
and your sheepfold untouched when you come.
DI 28:4. 11
You shall see your descendants multiply,
your offspring gro w like the grass in the fields.
Ps 91:16
In ripe age you shall go to the grave,
like a wheatsheaf stacked in due season.
All this, we have observed: it is true.
Heed it, and do so to your profit.
O nly the sufferer knows his own grief
6 Job spoke next. He said:
If only my misery could be weighed,
and all my ills be put on the scales!
21:4
But they outweigh the sands of the seas:
what wonder then if my words are wild?
7:20 : 16: 13
Ps 3H:3 The ar rows of Sha ddai stick fast in me,
my spirit absorbs the ir poison,
Ps 88: 16
G od's terro rs sta nd aga inst me in array .
Does a wild donkey bray when it finds soft gras s,
or a n ox ever low when its fodder is in reach?
Ps 107: I !'I
Can tasteless food be ta ken witho It salt,
or is there flavou r in the white of a n egg?"
T he very dishes which I cannot stomach,
these are my diet in my sickness. b
O h may my prayer find fulfilment,
may Go d gran t me my hop e'
7:15
Nb 11: 15 Ma y it please God to crush me,
1 K 19:4
to give his hand free play an d do away with me!
Th is tho ught, at least, would give me comfort
(a thrill of joy in unr elentin g pain),
Lv 17:1 +
1,6:3 + that I had not denied the Ho ly One's decrees.r
But have I the stre ngt h to go on waiting?
What use is life to me, when doo med to certain death?
Is mine the strength of sto ne,
or is my flesh bro nze?
Can any power be found within myself,
has not all help dese rted me?
29:12- 13 :
31: 16-20 Grudged pity to a neighbour,
Ps 69:20b
1 In 3: 17 and you forsake the fear of Shaddai.s
My bro thers have been fickle as a tor rent,
J r 15: IX
as the course of a seasonal stream.
Ps 147: 17
Ice is the food of t heir dark waters,
they swell with the thawi ng of the snow;"
but in the hot season they dry up,
with summer 's heat they vanish.
Ca ravans leave the trail to find them ,
go deep into desert , and are lost.
Is 21:14 I·
The car avan s of Tema look to them,
I K 10:1 +
and on them Sheba' s convoys build their hopes.
734 JOB
735 7:9
21 20 Their tr ust s pro ves vain,
they reach them only to be thwarted.
22
21 So, at th is time, do you behave to me:"
23 one sight of me, and the n you flee in fright.
Ir 15:10
22 Have I said to you, 'Give me this or that,
24 bribe someone for me at your own cost,
23 snatch me from the clutches of an enemy,
or ransom me from a tyrant's hand'?
25 ~
24 Pu t me right , and I will say no more ;
26 show me where I have been at faul t.'
25 Fair comment can be borne without resentment,
27 but what is the basis for your strictures?
26 Do you think mere words dese rve censure, 2 1:4
desperate speech that the wind blows away?
27 Soon you will be casting lots for an orphan,
28
and selling your friend at bargain prices!
Come, I beg you, look at me:
as ma n to man, I will not lie.
29 Rele nt, and gran t me justice ;
relent, my case is not yet tried.
30 Is falsehood to be foun d on my lips'?
Canno t my palate tell the taste of misfortune?
14: 14
1 7
Is not ma n's life on earth not hing more tha n pressed service,"
his time no bett er tha n hired dr udgery? b
Like the slave, sighing for the shade, S140:1f
00 2:23
or the workman with no tho ught but his wages,
mont hs of delus ion I have assigned to me, S13 0: 17
no thing for my own bu t nights of grief.
Lying in bed I wonder, ' When will it be day?' D 1 28:61
S140:5
Risen I think , ' How slowly evening comes!' c
Restlessly I fret till twilight falls.
Vermin cover my flesh, and loathsome scabs;
my skin is cracked and oozes pus."
Swifter than a weaver 's shuttle my day s have passed , Ps 39:5
10 Is 38:12
and vanis hed, leaving no hope behind.
10:20
Reme mber' that my life is but a breath , P, 78:39 : 89:
11 and that my eyes will never again see joy. 47
The eye that once saw me will loo k on me no more ,
12 your eyes will tu rn my way, and I sha ll not be there.
As a cloud dissolves and is gone, W,2:1.4
13 so he who goes down to Sheo l never ascends again'!
14 I. 'brigand' co rr.
an ce , cr. Lv 4; Nb I S : 2 2 ~ 2 9 ; Ps 19:12,
k , 'dro ug h t and fros t ' corr. 7 a. Re fer ring to mil itar y ser vice, cr. 14:14, wh ich
I. In Palest ine th e so il mus t be clear ed of these . invo lves both figh ti ng and fo rced lab o ur. G ree k tra ns-
15
C r. Is 5:2 : 2 K 3: 19.25 . lates ' tria l'; v u te . militia, warfare or war ser vice .
() a . ' wh ite of a n egg ' foll owin g Targ. b. T he hired lab ourer, pa id by th e d ay , D t 24:15;
b . Lin e corr . Job's rep ug n ance for his wretche d M t 20:8, wo rks for an o th er from mor ning to nig ht , as
16
food (bot h real and sym b olic) sign ifies his d isg ust with th e sla ve do cs, Lv 25:39-40.
life itself. To h is well-nouris hed frie nds th is is incom - c , ' W hen will it be d ay ?' G reek ; ' W he n s ha ll I
pre he nsible . a rise?' H ebr. 'Risen' foll owin g G ree k. 'How slo wly
17
c. By rebe llio n ag a inst Pro vidence . 'The Ho ly O ne' e ven te e co mes !' ca r r.
here mean s Ya hweh. cf. Is 6:3 +; H g 3:3. d. Lit. ' melts' carr.
d . ' G r ud ge' co r r. e. Accepti ng t he h uman lo t of suffering a nd de ath.
18 e . Kindness [ 0 o ther s is the sig n of sound re ligion . Jo b b rea ks mome nt ar ily in to prayer as k ing for a few
f . ' wa te rs' a nd ' they s well' , corr. moments o f peace be for e he dies .
f. Th e a u tho r seems 10 acce pt th e co mm o n view
19 g , 'T he ir tru st ' Syr. , Ta rg , ' them ' cor r. here and In 10:21 : 14:7·22 : 16:22. ef. 2 S 12:23 :
h. 'So ' a nd ' me' , corr. Ps 88: 10, erc., th at re turn fr om Sheo l is imp ossible.
i. Sinning ei ther inadver tently or through Isner- cr. N b 16:33 + .
 7=10 J OB 73 6 737 JOB 9:9
Ps 103: 16 He never comes home again, 10 13 Such is the fate of all who forget God ; Ps 37;1-2
Pr 10:28
and his house knows him no more. so perishes the hope of the godless man.
10:1 No wonder then if I cannot keep silence; 11 14 His trust is only a thread,
in the anguish of my spirit I must speak , his assu rance a spider's web. 27:18
lament in the bitterness of my soul. 15 Let him lean on his house; it will not stand firm; M I7:26-27

3:8 +:9: 13: Am I the Sea, or the Wild Sea Beast, g 12

cling to it, it will not hold.
38:11 16 Like some lush plant in the sunlight,
sr 43:23 that you should keep me under watch and guard?
Am9:3 he sprouted his ea rly shoots over the garden;
Rv 2 1:1 If I say, ' My bed will comfort me, 13
17 but his roots were twined in a heap of stones , ~
my couch will soothe my pain' ,
he drew his life« amo ng the rocks.
you frighten me with dreams 14
18 Snatch him from his bed,
and terrify me with visions.
6:9 Stra ngling- I would welcome rat her, IS and it denies it ever saw him.
Tb 3:6 I') Now he rots ' on the roadsi de,
and death itself, than these my sufferings.'
I waste away, my life is not unending ; 16 and from that soil spring ot hers.
Ps 39:5; Believe me, God neither spurns a stainless man,
144:4 leave me then, for my days a re but a breath. " nor lends his aid to the evil.
Ps8:5; 144 ;3 What is ma n! that you should make so much of him , 17
subject ing him to your scrutiny,
' I Once aga in! your cheeks will fill with laughter,
Ps 17:3 : 7 3; that morn ing after morni ng you should exami ne him 18
from your lips will break a cry of joy .
14 ; 139 21 Your enem ies shall be covered with shame, Ps6:1 1
and at every insta nt test him? Pr 14:11
9:18 Will you never ta ke your eyes off me 19 and the tent of the wicked folk sha ll vanish.'
Ps 39;13
long eno ugh for me to swallow my spit tle? God's justice is above all law
6;4; 35:3 Suppose I have sinned, what have I don e to you!
you tireless watcher of mank ind?
20
9 Jo b spok e next. He said:
38-42
Why do you choose me as your tar get? Indeed, I know it is as you say: Ps 143:1-2
Why sho uld I be a burd en to you?' how can ma n be in the right against Go d ?
Can you not tolerate my sin, 21 If an y were so rash as to cha llenge him for reasons,
nor overloo k my fault? one in a thousand would be more than they could answer.
It will not be long before I lie in earth ; His heart is wise, and his strength is great :
then you will look for me, but I shall be no more. m who then ca n successfully defy him ?
Ps 46:2
He moves the mount ain s, tho ugh they do not know it; Is 13: 10.13
The unswerving course of God's justice he throws them do wn when he is angry. J I 2: 10 : 4:

8 Bildad of Shuah spoke next. He said: He shakes the ea rth , a nd moves it from its place,
ma king all its pillars tre mble."
15- 16

Is there no end to these words of yours, The sun, at his com mand , for bears to rise, Ps 19:5-7
to your long-winded blustering? and on the stars he sets a seal. " Ba 3:34-35
34;10- 12 Can God deflect the course of right Ps 104:2
D'32;4 He and no other stretched out the skies," Is40:22 :42 :5
or Shaddai falsify ju stice? and tr amp led the Sea's ta ll waves.
If your son s sinned against him, 4
The Bea r, Ori on too, are of his maki ng, 36:31-32
1: 19 they have paid for their sins; the Pleiades and the Ma nsions of the South." Am 5:8
so you too, if so pure and honest, 6a
I . In the Ba byloni a n cosmogon ies T ia m a t ( the Sea) id ea o r G o d inscrut ab ly o bser vin g m an .
must now seek God, plead with Shadda i.a 5
en -o pera ted in the b irt h of t he gods and was then S a, C o r r. : He b r, ' If you seek God a nd plea d with
Without delay he will restore his favour to you, > 6b con quered and sub dued by on e o f their n umber. T he Sh ad d ai' .
tm uaina tlon of th e people. o r of poet s. seized o n th is b. Co r r.; H e br. ' he wi ll ro use h imself fo r you ' .
will see that the good man's house is rebuilt. 11m y: Ya hw eh became the co nq ue ro r who the n sci c . A nc es tra l trad lt ton is the fo unda tio n of t he
Your former state will seem to you as not hing c"hlltlN i n or der and ever a fter he ld the Sea a nd it s wisd om teach i ng, a nd ma ima ins that t he p unis hme n t
mo nsters in co ntrol . Cf. 3:8 + : 9:13: 26:12 : 40:25f : of th e wic ked is as certain a nd o bse r va b le as the la ws
beside your new prosperit y. I', 65:7: 74:13-14; 77: 16; 89:9- 10; 93:3-4 ; 104:'7,26; o f na tu re, VV. 11r.
lU7:29 : 148:7 ; Is 2'11: 5 1:9.
15;18 Question the generation that has passed,
D I4:32; 32:7 h. U nlike the Eev p tian when ' ti red o f li fe ', Job d oes d. ' he d rew hi s life' G r eek .
Ps 78:4
S i 8:9
meditate on the experience of its fathers. unt co ntemp la te su icide . Ap a rt fro m t he ca se of so ld iers c . T r a ns la t io n coni,
Iu c l('r ri ng death to d isho no ur, JR 9:54 ; 1 S 31:4 , the f , ' O nce agai n ' cc rr .
We sons of yesterda y know not hing ; () , I' , has o nly o ne s ui cide . th at o f Ah lth op he l. 9 a . T he ea r th rests o n ' p illars' wh ich Go d ' sh akes '
,~ 17:23 +.
00 6: 12
Ws2 :5
our life on ear th passes like a shado w. in tim e o f ea rt hq ua ke, 38:6; Ps 75:3 ; 104 :5 : 1 S 2:8 .
I. 'S u fferi ngs' co r r. Vv. 5 7 reca ll curr ent esc ha to foglca l imager y,
M

But they will teach you, they will tell you ,
and these are the words they will spea k from the heart, C
5 140; 16 ' Does pap yrus flourish, except in marshes?
Withou t water, can the rushes grow ?
Pluck them even at their freshest:
fastest of all plants they wither.
10 I. nl ue r tv ir on ica l, the a u th o r seems to ec ho ph rases cr. A m 8:9 + .
" " 111 Ps R. God's 'ca re' for m an he re beco m es relen tless b. Hidi ng the m a nd p re vent ing t he ir sh in ing .
ll ll lllny, T he a uthor o f Ps 139 find s in t h is a ca use for Ba 3:34 speaks of th e op pos ite pr ocess .
11 II ml , h ut Jo b sees hostili ty in it . Reac ting against a c . T he au t ho r goe s back fr o m pr esen t phenom ena
I r ,, "li ~l ic view o f re lig ion a nd o f si n . he gro pes fo r a to the d ays of crea tio n whe n G od ' tra m p led th e wave s
l Ji li l o f mercy . v , 21. of t he se a' . i.e . (cf. A m 4: 13 : M i 1:3) es tablish ed h is
12 k . Sin ca nnot h arm G od . co ntr o l o ver H , cf. 7: 12 + .
I. ' (0 yo u' Greek : ' to m yself' He b r, d . G ree k 'he who m ad e th e P leiade s a nd Venus
lit , T hes e last une xp ected word s rei nt rod uce th e and Arct ur us an d th e M a nsio ns of the South' : Vulg ,
 9: IO JOB 73 8 739 JOB 10: I 8
II
,J

~ 5 :9
His work s a re great , beyond all reckoning, 10
I shall let my embi ttered sou l speak out.
his marvels, pas t a ll counting. I shall say to G od, ' Do not condemn me,
23:8-9
Were he to pass me, I shoul d no t see him, II
but tell me the reaso n for your assault.
nor de tect his stealthy mo vemen t. Is it right for you to injure me,
W s 12:12
Dn4:32 Were he to snatc h a prize, who could pre vent him, 12
cheapening the work of you r own hands
or dare to say, 'W hat are you doing?' and ab ett ing the schemes of th e wicked?
26:1 2
God never goes back on his anger, 13 Have you got human eyes, I S 16:7
Ps 89:10 Jr 11:20 +
Rahab's minions still lie at his feet. e do you see as mankind sees?
9:32: 13:13[,
18f:23:1-7 How dare I plead my caus e, " then, 14 Is you r life mortal like man's, ~
or choose arguments against him?" do your years pass as men's days pass?
34:6 You, who inquire into my faults 14: 16
Suppose I am in the right, what use is my defence? 15 Lm 3:10
Fo r he whom I must sue is judge as well. and investigate my sins,
Rm 9 :20<!1
If he deigned to a nswer my citat ion , 16 you know very well that r am innocent, 33:9

co uld I be sure that he woul d listen to my voice? and that no one can rescue me from your hand . a
He, who for o ne hair " crus hes me, 17 Yo ur own hands shaped me, modelled me; 33:6
G n 2:7
who , for no rea son, wounds a nd wo unds aga in, and wo uld you now have seco nd thoughts, b and destroy me? D1 32:39
Ws 16: 15
7: 19 You modell ed me, remember, as clay is modelled,
leaving me not a moment to draw breath, 18 33:6
with so much bitterness he fills me. and would you reduce me now to dust?
Ws 12: 12 III D id you not pour me out like milk, Ps 139:13. 15
11" 49:1 lJ Sha ll I try fo rce? Look how strong he is! 19 W s 7:2
Or go to court'? But who will summo n him ?' and curdle me then like checse:«
T hough I thin k myse lf right, his- mouth ma y condemn me; 20 II clothe me with sk in and flesh,
th ough I cou nt myself inn ocent , it ma y decla re me a hypocrite. and weave me of bone and sinew?
But am I innoce nt after all? No t even I know that, 21 I' And the n you endowed me wit h life, G n 2:7

and, as for my life, I find it hate ful. watched eac h breath of mine with tender care .
It is all one, and th is I dare to say: II Yet , after all, yo u were dissembling ;"
00 9:2·3
" biding your tim e, r know,
innocen t a nd guilty, he destroys all a like.
When a sudden deadly scourge descends, 23
1,1 to ma rk if I should sin
he la ughs at the plight of the innocen t. an d to let no faul t of mine go uncensured.
Woe to me, if I am guilty;
When a count ry falls into a tyrant's hand, 24 " if I am innoc ent , I dare not lift my head,
it is he who blindfolds the ju dges. so wholly abject, so d runk with paine am 1.
12:9
Or if not he, who else?" It , And if I make a stand , " like a lion yo u hunt me down, Is 38:13
Ws 5:9
My days run hurrying by, 25 adding to the ta le of you r triumphs.
seeing no happiness in their flight, Yo u attack, and att ac k me again,
skimming along like a reed canoe, 26 with stroke on stro ke of your fury,
o r th e flight of an eagle after its pre y. relentl essly your fresh tr oops assail me. 9
If I resolve to st ifle my moan s, 27
cha nge co untena nce, and wear a smiling face, 1H 'Why did you bri ng me out of the womb? 3: 11-16
0 0 4:2
fea r co mes over me, at the thoug ht of all r suffer, 28
'Arc tu rus and Orion and the Hyades a nd t he Mansions O n ly G od can wa s h si n away, the sin ne r him self, th ough
for such, I know, is not your treatm en t of the innocent.' o f t he So u th' , That these are t he co nstellations referred powerless , find s relief in a n appeal to G od 's mer cy ,
And if I a m guilty, 29 I II is not ce rt a in . as in Ps 5 1. Job, wit h no sin o n h is conscience. feels
c. Ra ha b here is apparen tly an other name for powerless [0 0 b ut ca n no t sha re th e reli ef.
why sho uld I put myself to useless tro uble? tui meva l Chaos or else one of its monsters , cf . 7 : 12 + . n. ' in du ng' vers io ns: ' in t he pit ' Hebr .
14 :4 .1 7
Is I : I X No use to wash myself with snow , 30 r. Li t. 'a nswer hi m ' . The ver b frequ ent ly ha s a o . J ob will n ot ackn owl ed ge gu ilt whi ch he doe s
or bleach my ha nds pur e white ; > Io re us ic sense. not feel.
Ps 5 1:9
J r 2:22 K. G o d be ing at once judge and in terested part y,
for you will plunge me in d ung" 31 Ju h ca nno t conduct t he case by human r u les of p roc ed- 10 a. G od knows the hea rt a nd doe s not need to so un d
me . (T he lo nging for se lf-j usti fication by form of law Job's inn ocence by to r tu re. v, 4 , cf. vv , 6-7a . G o d , th e
until my very clo thes recoil from me. recur s in ot he r p assages of the dialogue .) Job ends by master of time, ha s no need o f immed ia te vengeance
9: 14
Nh 2J : Il.J Yes, I am ma n, and he is no t ; and so no arg ument, 32 1 111 11 b t i l1 ~ his ow n innocence, vv , 20-21. H e fas tens o n and ca n afford to be patien t . v, 5. cr. v, 7b .
<)06 : 10 th e a p pa ren t caprice, v , 24 , ra ther t han the infinite b. Lit. ' tu r n round a nd ' Greek . .
no suit between the two of us is poss ible. wisdo m (defended by Zophar, ch . II) of t he judgem en ts c , Pri mi tive medicine imag ined the forma tion o f
T here is no arbiter between us, 33 of God . the em b r yo as a co ngea lin g of the mother 's blood un der
to lay his ha nd on both, h. 'for o ne hair ' Syr .. 'pa ra.: 'in a tempest' Hebr . th e in flue nce of t he m a le element.
I. Li t ' Beh old him' co r r. 'h im ' versions; 'me' Hebr , d . Beh ind a ll thi s so licit ude stood a severe jud ge.
to stay his ro d fro m me, 34 L ' his' corr.: ' m y' Hebr. M an is resp on sible to Go d for all he does . Job's lament
13:21 k . W ith imp lici t fait h in an al l-embra cin g Pro- is that of fa llen man feelin g h is dependence o n an
or keep awa y his daun ting terro rs. vide nce. Job does no t hes itate to credit G od wit h insc r ut a b le will and u nab le freely to fulfil h is ow n
No net heless, I shall speak , not fearing him: 35 l es no nsi b tlity for all these scandals. na ture .
7: 11.15: 13: I. Elin haz and Bildad have counselled meekness, e. ' dru nk with pain' ca r r.
13 I do not sec myself like that at al l. 0 ~ :1 7 ; 8:5-6, bu t Job knows t ha t to pla y this p a r t will f . Lit. ' I lift m yself " Syr,

10 Since I have lost all taste for life,

I will give free rein to my complaints ;
nut change eit her his real self or God's attitude towa rds
h im.
m. Lit. 'with bor', a plant containing sodium,
g . 'Yo u att ack . . . a gain ' lit . ' Y ou renew your
att ack' Cen m itv') cor r.: 'You renew your witnesses'
He br. ' re lentlessly . . . m e' svr.: 'yo ur relays' Hebr,
 10 : 19 JOB
I should have perished then, unseen by any eye,
a being that had never been,
to be carri ed fro m womb to grave.
7:7 : 14:1 The days of my life are few enough:
turn your eyes away, leave me a little joy,"
16:22 : 38:17
Ps 23:4 : 39: before I go to the place of no retu rn ,
13; 49: 19
the land of murk and deep shadow,'
where dimne ss; and disorder hold sway,
Nb 16:33 + and light itself is like the dead of night.l''
Job must acknowledge God's wisdom
11 Zophar of N aamath spoke next. He said:
Is babb ling to go without an ans wer?
Is word iness in man a proo f of right?
Do you think your talki ng strikes men dumb,
will you jeer wit h no one to refu te yo u?
These were your words, 'My way of life" is faultless,
an d in your eyes I am free from blame' .
But if God had a mind to speak,
32:13
to open his lips and give you answer,
S14 :18
Rm 11:33
were he to show you the secrets of wisdo m
which put all cleverness to sha me -
you would know it is for sin he calls you to account."
Ps 139: 17
Can you claim to grasp the myste ry of God,
to understan d the per fection of Shaddai?
Ps 139:7 It is higher than the heavens:« what can you do ?
» Ep 3: 18
It is dee per than Sheol: what can you know?
Its length is lon ger than the ea rth,
its breadth is broader than the sea.
If he passes, who can stop him,
or make him yield once he has seized?"
For he detects the wort hlessness in man,
he sees iniquity and marks itc well.
And so the idio t grows wise,
39:5- 8
G n 16: 12 thus a young wild don key grow s ta me/
Co me, you mus t set your hear t right,
stretch out you r hand s to him.«
Reno unce the iniquity that stain s you r han ds,
let no injustice live within you r tents.
Then you may face the world in innocence,
unwavering an d free from fear.
Ps 58:7 Yo u will forget your sufferings,
remember them as waters that have passed away.
17:12 Yo ur life, more radiant tha n the no onday,
In 8:12+
will ma ke a dawn of dar kness.
Full of hope, you will live secure,
dwelling well and safely guarded."
No one will dare distu rb you,
and many a man will seek you r favou r.
But the wicked will look ro und with weary eyes,
and finding no escape,
the only hope they have is life's last breath.'
74° 74J JOB 12: 19
God' s wisdom is best seen in the dreadful works of his omnipotence
19
1 12 Job spoke next. He said:
20 Do ubtless, you are the voice of the people,"
a nd when you die, wisdo m will die with you!
21 I can reflect as dee ply as ever you can,
13:2
[ am no way inferior to you .
22 And who, for that matter, has not observed as much?
A man becomes " a laughing-stock to his friends Ps 38: 11
~
if he cries to God and expects an a nswer.
Th e blamel ess innocent incurs only mockery.
'A dd insult to injury,' think the pros pero us
'strike the man now that he is staggering !'
Ps 123:4
And yet, the tents of brigand s are left in peace,
a nd those who challeng e Go d live in safety,
and make a god of their two fists!
18:3
4
[f you would learn more, ask the catt le, G n 1:20
seek inform ati on from the birds of the air.
T he creeping things of earth will give you lessons,
and the fishes of the sea will tell you all.
9:2 4
T here is not one such creature but will know
this sta te of th ings is all of God's' own making.
Nh 16:22
In He holds in his power the soul of every living thin g, Ws 7: 16
D n 5:23
and the brea th of each man' s body ."
II T he car is a judge of speeches, is it not, ~ 34 : 3
just as the palate can tell one food from an othe r?
I ]. Wisdom is found in the old, 32:7~9
and discretion comes with great age.'
1.1 But in him there is wisdom, and power, too, Pr 8:14
Is 11:2
10 and decision no less than discretion. O n 2:20
1·1 What he destro ys, none can rebui ld; Ps 127:1
Is 22:22
1l whom he imprisons, none can release.
I~ Is there a dro ught ? He has checked the waters .
12 Do these play havoc with the eart h? He has let thcm loose .
It , In him is str ength, in him resourcefu lness,
13 beguiler and beguiled are both alike his slave.
17 He robs the country's counsellors of their wits,!
14 turns judges into fools.
IK His hands untie the belt of kings,
IS and bind a rope about their loins .«
1'1 He makes priests walk barefoot,
L k 1:52
16 and overt hrows the powers that are estab lished .
17 h. ' T he d a ys o f m y Iifc' co rr.: 'm y days and let h. Li t. 'w ell gua rded (co rr) yo u wi ll d we ll in sa fety ' .
h im re fra in ' l Ic br . ' (u rn . . away' lit. ' look aw ay fro m I. As i t is wit h Job whose o nly hope is de at h . 3:2 1:
rne' co r r.: ' let me a lone' H ebr. 6:9: 10:2 1.
18 i. S heo l. cf. N h 16:33 -1-.
i. Hebr . ' as dead of ni ght , deep shadow' ,
k . 'd ead o f n ight' : the sen se of the sa m e Hebr. ] 2 a . til. 'T r u ly }IO U are th e people' .
19 wor d in Ps 9 1:6. h . ' beco mes' vers ions (li t. ' he is' ) ; ' I a m ' Hebr .
I I a . ' My wa y of life' cor r.: ' M Y tea ching Hebr. c . ' G od ' seve n Hebr . MSS : ' Y a hweh ' Tex t. Rec.
b . 'he calls yo u 10 acco u n t' co rr. ; 'G o d makes yo u d. If. ~IS a ll crea t io n witnesses . G o d is t he ca use of
20 fo rge t' Hcbr . a ll thi ngs, vv. 7 ~ 1 0 . h is is the ult im ate res po ns ibi lity
c . ' h igh er t ha n th e hea ven s' Vu lg . for t he- p reva lence of Iniustlce , vv , 4-6.
d . T ext co r r. ; H eb r. ' If he passes a nd imp riso ns c . H u ma n wisd om , c u t a nd dr ied with reassuri ng
a nd ca lls a n ass e m bly . wh o ca n turn hi m ba ck '?' ma xim s. can no t co m pa re wi th Go d's wisdo m whic h is
e . ' it' co r r. : He br . ' no t'. dem on strat ed by m igh ty wor ks . v v, 1 4~ 1 6 . an d ba ffles
f. Lit. 'u co li o f a wild-d on key m a n'. 'g rows t he wises t o f m en . vv. 16-25.
tam e' coer . : ' is born' H e br. f . Om itti ng (h e first wo rd . cf. v, 19. ' He robs of
g . A tt it ude o f supplicat io n. cf. Ex 9:29 , 33 ; 1 K 8:38 ; th eir wits ' co rr. ' the co un try 's ' G ree k.
Is 1:15. c. 'belt ' and ' ro pe' corr.
 ~

JO B 742 743 JOB 14: 12

He str ikes the clevere st speakers dumb, 20 o r rather, I will speak and you sha ll ans wer me.
and robs old men of their discre tion. 23 H ow man y fault s a nd cri mes have [ co mmitted ?
He pours contempt on the nobl y bo rn, 21 What la w have I trans gressed, or in what have I offende d?
Why do yo u hide you r face" 33:10
and unties the girdl e of the stro ng. 24 Ps 4:6+ ; 44 :
and loo k on me as your enemy? 25: 88:15
He robs th e depths of their darkness, 22
Will yo u int imid at e a wind -blown leaf, Ps 83:14
brings deep shadow to the light. 25
H e build s a nat ion up, the n strikes it down, 23 will you chase th e dried-up chaff;
or makes a peopl e grow , a nd then des troys- it. 26 you list bitter accusations against me,
tax ing me with the faults of my youth, Ps 25:7
H e strips a country's leaders of their judgement, 24
~
aft er putti ng my feet in t he stoc ks, 33:11
an d leaves th em to wander in a trackless waste, 27
to grope about in unlit darkness, 25 watc hing my every step,
and tot ter like a man in liquor. and measuri ng my foo tprints;
2K while my life" is crumbling like rotten wood, Ps 39: 12;
I have seen all th is with my own eyes, 102:27
o r a mot h-eaten ga rmen t. Is 50:9 ; 51:8
hea rd with my ow n ear s, an d understood. 10:20
Man ," born of wom an,
Whate ver yo u know, [ know too ;
I am no way inferior to you.
14 has a sho rt life yet has his fill of sorrow.
P s 8:5 ; 37:
2 + : 39:5 :
90: 5 : 144 :3
006:12
He bloss om s, and he withers, lik e a flower; Ws 2:1
But my word s are intended for Shad dai; S i 40:1- 10;
fleeting as a shadow, t ransient. 4 1:1-4
[ mean to remonstrate with G od . Is 40:6-8
And is this wha t you deign to turn yo ur gaze on ,
As for you, you are on ly charlata ns, 4
him " that you would br ing befor e you to be ju dged?
physicians in you r own estim ation . 4: 17: 9:30:
W ho can br ing th e clean out of the uncl ean? 15:14 :25:4
I wish so meone woul d teach you to be qu iet Ps 51:7
No ma n alive !' Rm 7:14
- the only wisdom tha t becomes you!
Since man's days a re meas ured out,
Kindly listen to my accusation,
since his tal e of mo nths dep ends on you,
pay attentio n to th e plead ing of my lips,"
since you assign him bou nds he can not pass, Ps 39:5:
139: 16
W ill yo u plead G od 's defence with pre varic ation,
turn your eyes from him, leave him alo ne," Ps 39:13
his case in term s that ring false?
like a hi red drudge, to finish his day.
Will yo u be partial in his favour, 19:10
T here is always hop e for a tree: 2 S 14:14
and act as his ad vocat es? Is 6:13
when felled, it can sta rt its life agai n ;
Fo r you to meet his sc rutiny, would thi s be well?
Ga 6:7 its sho ots co ntinue to sp rout.
Ca n he be duped as men are duped?
Its roots ma y be decayed in th e ear th,
Ha rsh rebuke yo u wou ld receive from him 10
its stump withering in th e soil,
for your covert pa rtiality.
Is 6: 1-5
but let it scen t the wate r, and it buds.
Do es his maje sty not affright you, II
and puts out branches like a plan t new set.
dread of him no t fall o n you?
10 But man? He dies, and lifeless he remains ;
Your old maxim s are pr over bs of ash, 12 P s 102:26
man breat hes his last, and then where is he? 0 0 3:21
yo ur retorts, ret o rts of clay. Is 19:5: 51:6
9: 14: 10: 1 II T he waters of the seas may disappear,
Silence! No w I will do the talking, 13
all the rivers may run dry or d rain away;
whate ver may befall me.
12 but man, o nce in his rest ing place, will never rise aga in.
I put my flesh between my teeth , 14
I ta ke my life in my ha nds." h. 'destroys' co rr . : 'leads' Hebr ,
Let him kill me if he will; I have no other hope 15
13 a. Jo b returns (0 leea l procedure , cr, v , 18 and g , G od 'hi des his face' when he withho lds sig ns o f
9:J4 +. He himsel f e lects to cross-e xamine God, his benevo len t presence.
than to ju sti fy my co nd uct in his eyes.' spurning the so-catted sages who presume to plead his h. 'my life' corr .: 'he' Hebr.
P h 1: 19 cause . 14 a . T his e le~y o n human misery is linked with the
T his very bo ld ness gives pro mise of my release, 16
Gn 3:8 b. Omitt ing the first two words. Prove rbial ex- nreccdin e passage by v, 28 : Job, cf. 7: l f, sees h is ow n
since no god less ma n would dare a ppear before him. pressi on s mea ning La aa mble for life. to stake all , s uffcr in~ as the state of eve ry man a nd thence draws
cU g 12:3 : 1 S 19:5 : iK :21. his ar gum en t: why God sho uld use his st rength aga inst
Listen ca refully to my wor ds, 17 c. Job is not o ut to win back his happiness bu t to such a mea n crea ture is incom prehensible .
vindicate his inno cence befo re ma n and. in particular. b. 'him ' corr . : 'me' Hebr.
a nd lend you r ears to what I have to say . befo re God. c. Lit. 'N o t o ne'. Tarn. adds 'but Go d' : VUhL
9:14 +
You sha ll see, I will proceed by d ue fo rm of law," IK d. Job sees this as a lega l action betwe en him sel f 'Is it no t you, the o nly o ne?' Job acknowledges man's
and Go d . On th is occ as io n he forge ts that there is no essential vile ness bu t pleads it as an exc use . T he em-
persuaded, as [ am, that I a m guiltless. independ ent judge. 9:3 2-33 ; he no lon ger sees God as phasis is laid o n the ph ysical (and therefore ritual)
Who com es against me with a n accus at io n?' 19 a iu d ge but o nly as an opponent . unclean ness wh ich man co nt ract s from the mom ent of
e. Job turns aga inst Go d the legal accusation which his co ncept ion , cf . Lv 15:19f. and birth. cr. Lv 12:2f,
Let him co me! I a m read y to be silenced a nd to die. Yahweh, Is 1:18 : Ho 2:4; M i 6: 1-2, and his servant. since he is born of wo ma n. Jb 14: I . c f. Ps 51:5. But this
But gra nt me these two favo urs. " 20 Is 50:8, have a lready hurled at his people . T he seco nd ritual uncleanness invol ves a co rrespo nding mor al
line, li t. 'fo r now I shall be s ilent and d ie' may be wea kness, a tendency to sin. and Christian interpret-
if not, I sha ll not da re to co nfro nt you . uno rher legal fo rmula. T he ma n who ch allenges his atio n has see n is this passage at least an allusion to
9:34 : 23 :6
Take yo ur han d away , wh ich lies so hea vy o n me, 21 ref utatio ns is alrea dy prepared to be pro ved wro ng and what was later recog nised as 'original si n' passe d on
take the consequences. Su re o f hi s case, Job acce pts this . from paren t to c hild. Cf. Rm 5:12 + .
no lo nger ma ke me cower from yo ur terro r. I, The first: to face Go d as an eq ua l and to be left d. 'leave him alone' o ne H ebr, MS; 'let him rest"
The n arraign me, a nd I will reply; free: the secon d: to speak first in the debate. Tex t. Rec.
"
 14:13 JO B
The heavens will wea r away' before he wakes,
befo re he rises from his sleep'!
Ps 30:5
Is 26:20 If on ly you would hide me in Sheol,
Am 9:2
and shelter me the re until your an ger is past, g
fixing a certain day for ca lling me to mind-
III 7:1
for once a man is dead can he come back to life?-
day after day of my service I would wait
for my relief to come.
II Then you would call , and I should answer,
II 10:6
you would want to see the work of your hands once more.
Now you count every step I ta ke,
but then you would cease to spy on my sins ;
you would seal up my crime in a bag,
9:30
an d whiten my fault over .
But no ! Soon or late the moun tain falls,"
the .rock moves from its place,
water wea rs away the sto nes,
the cloud burst ! erodes the soil;
'I just so do you destroy man's hope.
Yo u cru sh him once fo r all, an d he is gone ;
you mar him, an d then you bid him go .
I: ,I 21:21
Let his sons achieve ho nou r, he does not kn ow of it,
humiliation, he gives it not a though t.
He feels no pai n for anything but his own bod y,
II makes no lam ent, save for his own life.'
B. SECOND SERIES OF SPEECHES
J ob' s own words condemn him
15 Eliphaz of Tema n spoke next. He said:
Do es a wise man answer wit h airy reasoni ngs,
or feed himself on an east wind?
Does he defend himself with empty tal k
and ineffectua l wordi ness?
25:6
Yo u do worse: you flout piety,
you repudiat e meditation in God's presence.
A guilty conscience pro mpts your wor ds,
yo u adopt the lan guage of the cunning.
Your own mo ut h co ndemns yo u, and not I ;
your own lips bear witness against you. "
SI 49: 16.
Are you the first-bo rn of the hum an race,
Pr 8:25
bro ught into the worl d before the hills?"
Is 40: 13
Jr 23:18 Have yo u been a listen er at God's council,
R m 11:34
or esta blished a mo no poly of wisdom?
Wh at knowl edge have you that we have no t,
wha t und erstan ding that is not ours to o?
32:7
A grey-haired man, and an ancient, are of our number ;
these have seen mo re summers than you r father.
Do you scorn the com fort that God gives,
and the moderation we have used in speaki ng?
See how passion carries you away !
How evil you look,
744 745 J OB 15:3°
13 when you thus loose your anger on Go d
and utter speeches such as these!
4:17- 18; 14:
14 How can any man be clean? 4+
13 Born of woman, can he ever be good?' 51 17:31-32
15 In his own H oly One s G od puts no tru st,
and the heave ns themselves are not, in his eyes, clean.
14 16 Then how much less this hateful, corrupt t hing,
34:7
mankind, that drinks iniquity like water!
15 17 Listen to me, I have a lesson for you : K'
I will tell you of my own experi ence,
16
IX and of the teaching of the sages,
thos e fait hful guardians of the tradition of their fathers, 8:8-10
D , 32:7-8
17
19 to whom alone the land was given,
with never a foreigner to mix with them .
Ws 17:3f
20 The life of the wicked is unceasing tor men t,
18 the year s allotted to the tyrant are numbered.
21 The dan ger signa l ever echoes in his ear , 18:11: 20:25
19 in the midst of peace the marauder swoops on him.
22 He has no hope of fleeing fro m the darkness,
20 2.\
bu t knows that he is destined for the sword,
ma rked down as meat for the vultu re.
He knows that his rui n is at han d ."
21 T he hour of darkness makes him terrified ;
distress and angui sh close in on him,
as tho ugh some king were mo untin g an attack .
22
15 He raised his hand aga inst God, Ps 75:5
he vent ured to defy Shaddai .
2ft Blindly he bor e down on him
from behind his massive shield .
Ps 73:7
His face had grown full and fat ,
and his thighs too heavy with flesh.
He had taken possession of ruined towns
2
'H
and made his dwelling in deserted hou ses.
But all his careful building' will go onc e more to ruin ;
not for him incr ease of wealth, his riches will not last,
no longe r will he cast his shadow over the land'!
ICI A flame will wither up his tend er buds ;
4 the wind will carry off his blossom . g
e. ' wil l wea r away ' cor r. wit h SYf . a nd Vu IK. da ys of its ear th ly life .
C. T he eschat o lo gical imag ery , by indetl ni te lv po s t- 15 a . Job 's ton gu e betr a ys him : his protes ta tio ns o f
noning t he: po ssi bility o f aw ak en in g, is here used to inn ocence revea l a nxiety to co ncea l guilt.
s tress m a n 's di sa p pea ra nce wit ho u t hope o f re turn . b. T he firs t Quest ion co n tr asts J ob wi th th e first
T he expecta tion of a resurrec tion a t the end of tim e is mem be r o f th e h uman race, a be ing who mi gh t h ave
llDparen tly not ye t with in the sco pe o f the a ut ho r. been ab le to cla im grea t wisd o m . T he seco nd goe s so
d. 19:25 + . far a s to co ntra st h im with Wi sd o m he rself. br ou gh t
g . T his is not a referen ce to a ret urn fro m Shea ! fo rth befor e th e h ills were ma de, P r 8;25 , and eve r
after dea th . d . 7:9 +. tho u gh the h yp othetical situat io n afterwa rd s a m em be r Of G o d' s co u ncil , P r 8:22·3 1 ;
suggests th e possibility. It is simply t ha t Job is redu ced cf. I b 28:23-27 : Ws 8:3-4.
to im ag inin g the o ne pl ace of refu ge that is no t th is
ear th , hea ven be ing reserved to God, cf. Ps 115:16.
If Jo b cou ld hid e som ewhere u nt il Go d's fur y is ex- e, Elin h az resumes his ea r lier them e . 4:17 , and that
9 ha ust ed , he mi gh t o nce m o re look on a G od (If mercy. of J ob , 14:4 , b ut gives it a nother di re cti on . M an 's
The id ea is develop ed in vv , 14-1 7: we see Job awa lung in trin si c un cle anness is n ot now co n sid ere d as the
his 'relief' wh ile G od, n o lo nger a ngr y, lon gs to see reas o n for his frai lt y . 4:17-19 , o r as a n excuse fo r
10 Jo b agai n; ever y poss ible fa u lt ha s be en fo r given and un a void able u-an saresston . 14:1·4 . bu t as the r oo t
therefore a ll Ques tio n of sin is fo r go tt en . fro m whic h a rca t sins grow (' in iq u ity' in th e vocabula ry
h. Lit. ' Th e mounta in fa llin g fa ll s' versi ons . of El ip ha z) .
II I. 'clo ud b urst ' ca rr . d . 'des tined ' , ' marked down' corr. ' vu lt ure', ' ru in' ,
I. ' life ' corr. (lit. 'it' , feminine) : ' him ' H ebr. In Greek.
Sheo l, th erefo re, there is a cer ta in conscious ness o f th e c. Co r r.; IiI. 'w ha t he has pr ep ar ed for h imself' ;
12 !ielf ; cr, N b 16:33 + . The a u tho r wishes to sa y either 'w hic h a re de s t ined to ' Hebr.
th at the sha de h as no t ho ug ht a nd n o concern except r. 's ha do w' Greek .
for itse lf. or else t ha t it lo o ks back wit h lon gin g to t he g. A t th e beginn ing the tex t h as ' he will n o t escape
 15:3 I JOB
20:6 -7
But he sho uld not trust in his great stature, h
if he would no t trust in vain.
H is boug hs will wither befo re the ir time,'
and his branches never agai n be gree n.
Like a vine he will let his unri pe clust ers fall ,
like an olive shed his blossom.
Ah yes, the sinner's brood is barren,
20 :26
and fire consumes the tents of the venal.
5:6 -7
Ps 7:15
P r 22:8
Is 59:4
Conceive mischie f, a nd you breed disaster,
and carry in yourself deceitfuln ess.'
Ga 6:8
The injustice of man and the justice of God
16 Jo b spoke next. He said:
How often have I heard all this before!
Wha t so rry co mfo rters yo u are!
Is there never to be an end of airy words ?
Wha t a plague your need to have the last word is!
21:4
I too co uld ta lk like you ,
were your so ul in the plight of mine.
I too co uld overwhel m" yo u with sermons,
I cou ld shake my head " over you,
an d speak words of encouragement,
unt il my lips grew t ired ."
But, while I am speaking, my suffering rema ins ;
and when I am not , do I suffer any the less?"
And now ill-will dri ves me to distraction,
30: 12 "
and a whole host molest s me, '
rising. like so me witness for the prosecution,
to utte r slander! to my very face.
18:4
In tearing fury it pursues me,
with gnash ing teeth .
My enemies whe t their eyes on me,
and o pen gaping jaws.
T heir insults st rike like sla ps in the face,
and all set o n me toge ther.
Yes, God has ha nded me over to the god less,«
and cas t me int o the hands of the wicked .
30: 16
Lm 3:1 1 lived at peac e, un til he sha ttered me,
taking me by the nec k to dash me to pieces.
He has made me a tar get for his a rchery,
6:4
shoot ing his ar rows a t me from every side.
Pitiless, thro ugh th e loi ns he pierces me,
and scatters my ga ll on the gro und.
Breach after breach he dr ives through me,
bearing down on me like a warrior.
I have sewn sackclot h over my skin
and rubbed my bro w in the d ust.
My face is red with tears,
and a veil of shadow han gs on my eyelids.
33:9
Th is no twithsta ndi ng, my hands are free of violence,
and my prayer is un defiled .
Ps 9:12
S i 35: 17 Cover not my bloo d, 0 earth, n
He b 11:4
Rv6: 10;8:3-4 afford my cry no place to rest.
He ncefo rth I have a witness in heaven ,
19:25 +
my defe nde r is there in the height.
74 6 747 JOB 1 7=1 5
31 20 My own lamen t is my advocate with God,'
while my tears flow before him.
32 21 Let this plea d for me as I stand before God,
as a man will plead for his fellows.
33 22 For the yea rs of my life are num bered,
10:2
and I shall soon take t he road of no return .'
34
Ps 143:4
My breath grows wea k,
35 17 an d the gravediggers are gather ing for me. a
I am the butt of mockers,
00 12:1-7
~
and all my waking hours I brood on their spitefulness.
Yo u yourself must take my own guarantee,
since no one cares to clap his han d on mine ."
For you have sh ut their hearts to reas on,
and not a hand is lifted .'
Lm 3:18
Like a man who invites his friends to share h is property
while th e eyes of his own so ns languish,
30:9
I ha ve become a byword" amo ng the people,
4
an d a creature on whose face to sp it.
My eyes grow dim with grief,
Is 52:15
an d my limbs wear away like a shadow. '
At this, honest men are shocked, "
and the guiltless ma n rails aga inst the god less;
just men grow mor e settle d in their ways,
t hose who se han ds are clean add strength to strengt h.
In Come, then , all of you : set on me once mo re!
I shall no t find a single sage amo ng you .
\\ My days have passed , far other wise than I had planned, "
and every fibre of my heart is broken.
5:17-2 6 ;
12 Nig ht, they say , makes room for day; 11:17
In 8: 12+
an d light is near at ha nd to chase- th e darkness.
Ps 88:18
1.1 All I loo k forward to is dwelling in Sheol ,
10 and making my bed in th e dark.
\ ·1 I tell the tomb, 'Y ou are my father' ,
Si 10:11
and call the worm my moth er an d my sister.
19:10
I I
\~ Where then is my hope?
Who can see any happiness for me?'
12
Iro m da rk ness' , cr. v. 22a. ' will ca rry off ' cor r, ' his I, ' MY own .. . advo ca te' corr .: ' My frie nds scorn
hlmlsom ' G reek . me ' Hebr.: ' Let m y pr ayer go up to God' Greek.
h. 's ta ture' corr. ' be fo re hi m" Greek .
I. 'His boughs' taken from precedin g verse and I. Possibly J ob ho pes fo r vind ica t io n before hi s
13 death and want s God to hea r hi m because ti me is
rrnn alnted th en in acco rd an ce with G reek . ' wither '
ver alons. r unn ing out. Or possi b ly he gives u p hope o f thi s an d
16 It. ' overwhelm' corr. sim ply awa its de a th .
b. The gesture can mean sympat hy or else contempt 17 a. V. co rr. Heb r. ' my brea th is exhausted, my
14 or mockery. days are ex ting uis hed , the gra ve is (ready) for me'.
c . Lit. 'a nd ceas e (cor r.) to mo ve my tip s'. b . G est ure of leRal pr o cedure. cf. Pr 6:1 ; 17: 18;
d . Jo b. un like his co mfo r te rs wh os e int erest in his 22:26: Si 29: 14· 20 . by whic h th e gua ra n tor we n t sure ty
15 cusc is co nfined to wo rds. co nti nues to suffer whet her for [he debt o r to de fer d istraint and offere d ba il. His
he snea ks or is silen t. This is his excuse for wha t he says, frie nds being unh el pfu l, Jo b, a p pa ren tly, asks Go d
cf'. 6:26 . a ga ins t Eliphaz, cf 15:5-6 . hi mse lf to be h is guarantor,
16 e . Tex t carr. c. Le. ' to help mc', Li ne corr.
f. 's la nder ' cor r.: 'my leann ess' Hebr, d. ' a byword' versions.
17 K . ' unjust' cor r.: 'ch ild ' Hebr. c. 'wear away' co rr . ; Heb r. ' a ll'.
h. Blood . if no t covered with ea r th . crie s to heaven L Bibli ca l expr ess ion for t he emotion of those wh o
lor ven gea nce, G o 4: 10; 37:26 ; I s 26:21; Ez k 24:8. Jo b. wit ness d ivine p uni sh men t infli cted on the guil ty. So it
18 mot tufly wo unded (v , 120 . wishes 10 leave be hind a is with Job's fri ends: see ing his su fferi ngs th ey expat ia te
11Ifllin w ap peal for vindi cati o n: on earth, h is b lood; in con ve nt io na l term s o n the just ice of G od . Jo b derides
wll h God . the so und of h is Drayer. Th is las t. personified . t his read y-made wisd om and fo rma l p iety.
19 \,:1. I'!II 7Y; I I: R8:2: 102: 1; Lm 3:44 , will be h is wimes s g. Li t. ' fro m my p lans' co rr. , cr . G reek .
•" ll! lu i vocate with God . In 19:25 f, Job's champion is h. ' to c hase' carr.
elml himself. I, ' my happines s' Greek; ' mY hope' Heb r.
 17:16 JOB 748 749 J OB 19:2 4
Will these come dow n with me to Sheol, 16 it is still tr ue, tho ugh you think you have the upper hand of me
or sink wit h me int o the d ust?' a nd feel that you have proved my guilt,
t hat God, you mu st know, is my oppressor,
Anger is powerless against the course of justice and his is the net that closes round me. "
18 Bildad of Shuah spoke next. He said: If I protest against such violence, th er e is no reply;
if I appeal again st it, judgement is never given.
Lm 3:7-9
H ab 1:2

Will you never learn to check such words ? Lm 3:7

H e has built a wall across my path wh ich I ca nno t pas s,
Do you think we sha ll be slow to speak?«
12:7-8 and covere d my wa y with dark ness.
Why do you regard us as beasts, 29: 14
look on us as dumb animals?"
He has stol en my honour aw ay , ~
16:9-10 an d tak en th e crown from my hea d.
Tear yourself to pieces if you will, 4 14:7f : 17:15
10 O n every sid e he brea ks t hro ugh my defences, a nd I succu m b.
but the wo rld, for all yo ur ra ge, will not turn to desert,
As a ma n a shr ub , so he uproots my ho pe.
the rocks will not shift from their places, 33:10
21:17 II H is anger flares again st me,
In 8: 12 1- The wicked ma n's light mu st certainly be put out,
a nd he co unts me as his enemy.
I r 25: 10 his b rillian t flame cease to shine.
In his tent the light is dimmed ,
12 H is troop s ha ve come in for ce,
A m 2:9
th ey ha ve mou nted their attack aga inst me,
the lamp that shone on him is snuffed.
Ps 18:36 laid siege to my tent.
Pr 29:6 H is vigorous str ide grows cramped,
P r 4:12 his own cu nning brings him down. 1.\ My br others stand a loof fro m me,' Ps 31: 11: 38:
11 ; 69: 8 ;
22:10 F or into the net his own feet carry him, and my relations tak e ca re to avoid me. 88:8. 18
Ps 35:7 -8:
140:5 he walks among the snar es. 1·1 My kindred and my friend s ha ve all go ne away ,
A spr ing grips hi m by the heel, and th e guests in my house" have fo rgo tten me.
a trap sna ps shut, a nd he is ca ught. 15 T he serv ing ma ids look on me as a fore igner ,
Hi dden in the earth is a noose to snare him, 10 a str a nger, never seen before.
pitfalls lie across his pat h. M y servant docs not answ er when I ca ll him ,
15:2 1 I"
Ws 17: 1(). 14 Terro rs att ack him on every side, II I am red uced to entreating h im.
a nd fo llow beh ind him step for step. 17 To my wife my br eath is unbea rabl e,
H unger becomes his compa ni on ,« 12 for my own brothers' I am a t hing corrupt.
by his side D isas te r sta nds . IH Eve n t he children too k down on me,
D isease de vo urs his flesh ," 13 ever rea dy with a j ibe when I ap pear.
Deat h's F irst- Born e gnaws his lim bs. I <J All my dea rest friends recoi l fro m me in ho rror: Ps41:9
Si 6:8
20: 25
Ps 52:5 He is to rn fro m th e shelter of his tent , 14 th ose I loved best have turned aga inst me. In 13:18
and dragged be fore the K ing of Te rrors . 20 Benea th m y skin , my flesh begi ns to ro t, 33:2 1
D t 29:22
Ps 11:6 The Lilith! ma kes her hom e un der his ro of, 15 a nd my bon es st ick out like teeth."
Is 34:9 ,14
wh ile peopl e scatter brimstone on his hold ing. 21 Pity me , pity me, you , my friends,
H is roots grow withered below, 16 for th e hand of God has st ruck me.
and his br anches a re blasted above. Why do you houn d me down like G od ,
Pr 30: 14
Ps 9:5:34: 16 22
Pr 10:7 H is mem or y fad es from the la nd, 17 will you never have eno ugh of my flesh? Ps 27:2
Ws 2:4
his name is forgotten in his homeland.
16:1 8-21 +
D riven fro m light int o da rkness, 18 23 Ah, wou ld that these wor ds o f mine were writt en down,
he is an exile fro m the ea rth, inscri bed on some monum en t
Ps21 : 10:3 7:
28: 109: 13 without issue or posterity a mo ng his own peo ple, 19 24 with iron ch isel a nd engrav ing to ol, "
none to live on where he has lived. cut int o the ro ck for ever.
H is tragic end appals the West, 20
and fills the East with terro r.
A fate like his awaits every sinful ho use, l. 'w ith me' cor r. fo llowing Greek . 's in k ' G reek : pr odu ces. or is symbo lic of, ster ility and is p ossibly
21 (in thi s p<1SSaRe) a pr eca u tio n ag ains t infectio n .
' res!' Heb r.
the home of every man who kn ows no t God. 18 a. (Will) ' YO U' (s ing ular) G ree k ; Hebr . h as p lura l. 19 a . A fau lt excuse d by suffe ri ng , cr. 6:24 +. Greek
Seco nd line co r r.; He br. 'Co nside r. an d then we sha ll adds ' by sneak ing wor ds th a t are u nbcfi t tin g, wo rds
Faith at its height in desertio n by God and man speak' . e rro neou s and unt imely' .

19 Jo b spo ke next. He said:

b. W it h three Hebr. MSS ; Text. Rec.: 'as uncle an ' ,
c . Line eorr. ; Hebr. ' his s trengt h is fam ished',
d. Line corr. : Hebr. 'it consu mes part s of his sk in' .
Will yo u never sto p tormenti ng me ,
c . I.c . th e wor st disease of a ll. pro bab ly t he p lag ue .
a nd sha ttering me with speeches? r. 'Lil ith ' cor r. : He b r. ' ( YO U wil l dw ell in h is te nt)
Ten tim es, no less, you hav e insul ted me , whic h is h is no lo nge r ' , T he 'King of Terro rs', a
figur e from orie nt a l and Gr eek m vt hc lo gv (Ne rgal .
ill-tr eating me without a trace of sha me. Pl u to . ctc. ). see ms he re to ha ve infer na l sp iri ts ( F ur ies)
Sup po se th a t I have gon e astray , at co mm and to pla gue t he wicked m an even du rtn g
his lifet ime , d. 15:20 . Li li th , anot her figure o f pop ula r
suppose I a m even yet in error:" legend , is a fem a le d em on , cf. Is 34: 14 . Brimstone
b. God , not Job's sins. ca sts th e net , cf. 18:8.
c . ' sta nd aloof fro m me ' corr.: 'he has kept my
b ro thers a l u distance ' Hcb r,
d , ' th e gu est s in my house' taken from be gin ni ng
of v, 15 .
c . Lit. ' the so ns of m y (i.e. ow n m o t her 's) wo mb ' .
r. V. co rr. H cb r. ' my bo nes cling to my sk in and to
m y flesh. and I esca pe b y t he sk in o f m y tee th' .
g, Line corr .
 19:2 5 JOB 75 1 JO B 21:7
75°
16:19 22 His abundance at its fulI, want seizes him , 21:17
"This I know: that my Avenger- lives, 25
and he, the Last, will ta ke his stan d! on ear th . misery descends on him in all its force.
After my awaking, he will set me close to him, 26
23 On him God looses alI his burn ing wrath,
and from my flesh I shall look on God. hurling against his flesh a hail of ar rows. g
24 No use to run away from the iron armoury, D t 32:41-42
He whom I sha ll see will take my part: 27
for the bow of bronze will shoot him through. Ws 5:17-23
these eyes will gaze on him and find him not aloof.
25 Out through his back an arrow sticks, 27:20
My heart with in me sinks...
Yo u, the n, that mutter, 'H ow shaII we track him down , 2X
from his gaII a shining point. 15:21 ; 18:14
P s 88:15- 16
what pretext sha ll we find against him?' An arsenal of terrors falIs on him,"
! I
26 and all that is dark lies in ambush for him.
!e
may well fear the sword on your own account. 29
1:16: 15:34 :
Ps 58: II
The re is an anger stirred to flame by evil deeds; A fire! unlit by man devours him, 21:17
you will learn that there is indeed a judgement. and consumes what is left in his tent.
27 Th e heavens lay bare his iniquity,
27: 13-23 The course of justice admits of no exception the earth takes its stand against him .
20 Zo phar of Naamath spoke next. He said:
28 A flood sweeps his house away!
and carries it off in the Day of Wrath.
Is 24:18

-27:13
To this my thoughts are eager to reply: 29 Such is the fate God alIots to the wicked,
Rv 21:8
no wonder if I am possessed by impatience. such his inheritance assigned by God.
I found these admonitions little to my taste,
Facts give the lie
24:4
Ps 37: 73
but my spir it wh ispers to me how to answer them .
Do you not know, that since time began
and man was set on th e earth,
21 Job spoke next. He said:
Je 12:1·5

Listen, only listen to my word s;

the triumph of the wicked has always been brief, this is the con solatio n you can ofTer me.
and the sinner's gladness has never lasted long? Let me have my say;
15:31
Ps 37:35 To wering to the sky he may have been, you ma y jeer when I have spoken.
with head touching the clouds ;:' D o you think I bear a grudge against man ?
but he vanishes, like a phanto m, once for all, Have I no reason to be out of pati ence? 6:3,26; 16:
4-6
while those who saw him now ask, ' Where is he?' Hear what I have to say, and you wiII be du mbfounded,
Ps 73:20
Like a d ream that leaves no trace he takes his flight, will place your hands over your mouths. a 29:9 ; 40:4
Ws 5: 14
Is 29:8 like a vision in the night he flies away. I myself am appalIed at the very thought,
The eye that looked on him will never see him more, and my flesh begins to shudder.
his house nevermore sets eyes on him. Ps 37
27:16-17 Why do the wicked still live on,
H is sons must recoup his victims , 10 Jr 12:1-2
and his children b pay back his riches . their power increasing with the ir age?
With the vigour of youth his bones were filled, 11
h . Vv. 25-27 fo llow Hebr., correcting v. 26 (H ebe . mo mc n tartlv defi es mortal hori zon s in hi s de sperat e
now it lies in the dust with him . corrup t) . The vers ions disagree. Greek "l know tha t need for just ice: it p repares u s for the exp licit re vela -
Pr 20:17
S14O:30 Evil was sweet to his mout h, 12 he wh o will deliver me is eternal , (is) on eart h (in order tion of bodily resurrection , ef. 2 M 7 :9 +.
10) rest ore (anastesa t) my skin that s u ffers th is. It is [, ' will ta ke h is sta nd': legal phrase, u sed oft en of
he hid it beneath his tongue ; w itness o r o f judge, 31:14 ; D t 19:1 6; Is 2: 19,2 1; Ps 12:5.
t he Lo rd who has performed for me wha t J myself
unwilIing to let it go, 13 k no w , what m y own eye has seen and no o ther.' g yro ' the Last ' recalls Is 44 :6 ; 48: 12.
he let it linger o n his palate . ' I kn ow (hat my redeemer is li ving a nd that in the end 20 a . T he Bib le of ten alludes to the monstrous pride
he will a ppear o n earth. And the se things enco m pass of ear ly man, cf. Ezk 28 :2, 17; Is 14:13-)4 ; G n 1l :4 .
27: 17
Such food goes bad in his belIy, 14 bo th my s ki n and my flesh. If m y eyes see G o d t hey This tr adi tion , whi ch ha s a mytho logical colouring, is
will see the li ght.' Vulg , ' I know th at my redeemer in li ne with the G n 3 tradition which makes pride the
working inside him like the poison of a viper. cause of man' s fal l.
lives a nd th at at the la st da y I s ha ll rise from the ea r th
Now he must bring up alI the wealth that he has swallowed, 15 a nd be clo thed in m y ski n again ; a nd in m y flesh I sha ll b. ' h is c hild ren' co rr.; ' his hands ' H e br,
God ma kes him disgorge it. sec my G od: I myself shall see h im and no othe r' . c. Lit. '(str ea ms) o f oil' corr .
I , The wo rd z oel, a p p ro xim a tely transla ted d. ' glad fac e' , 'h is ga in s' : corr.
He sucked ' poiso n of vipers' : 16 'av enger ' , is a te chnical term of Israelite law, c. ' hu ts ' co rr. : ' he ha s a ba ndo ned' Heb r.
D I 32:32-33
and the tongue of the adder kills him. d . N b 35:19 +. It is o fte n used of God, the s avio ur o f r. The te xt o f vv , 20-21 is a p pa re n tly di sordered ;
his people and a venger o f the op pressed . T he ea r ly th e order d itTers in G ree k . 'hi s h oardin g w ill not save
004: 3
He will know no more of streams that run with oil,« 17 j ewis h ra b bis applied the te rm to the Messiah , and this h im ' corr.
29:6
or the torrents of honey and cream . n robablv ind uced Jerome to transla te here ' m y
Ps 109:11 Redeemer'. Job. sla ndered and condemned by his
Go ne that glad face at the sight of his gains," 18 Irf cnds. await s a De fender who this lime CeL 16:18-21 - i-) g, The Hebr. has at th e beginning 'While he filled
those com for ta ble looks when bus iness was thriving. I.. God h imself. Job s t ill believes his happiness to be h is bell y'. o m itt ed by G ree k. ' ar r ows' corr. T he sam e
Ps 109:1 6 III..t for ever and h is death to be at hand : when Go d metaphor s a rc used. to des cribe the co llec tive punish-
Since he once destr oyed the huts ' of poor men, 19 un de rt akes t o aveng e his ca use, it will be after his death . m en t of Israel o r of th e paean s.
h . 'O UI t h ro u gh his ba ck ' Syr, ' an a rrow' follow-
and stole oth er's houses when he should have built his own , No netheless Job hopes to wi tness t h is an d to 'see ' his
vtndi ca tlon . In 14: 10-14 he ha d en visa ged th e p ossibilit y ing G reek . 'a rsena l' iiI. ' store', tak en from v. 26a.
/since his ava rice co uld never be satisfied , 20 Il l" II temporary sheller in Sheo l, a nd here it would seem I. T he darkn ess o f Sheol . o ne of the plagues of
now his hoarding will not save him; th a t he is countin g o n a bri ef return to earthly life to Egyp t , Ex 10:21-2 2.
lice his vind icat ion acco m p lished ; in th is he is prompted I. Li ghtning .
since there was noth ing ever escaped his greed, 21 h y h is fait h in a G od who can b ri ng me n ba ck from k, As in the De luge . Te xt co rr.
now his pros perity will not last. Sh co l, cf. 1 S 2:6 ; 1 K 17: 17-24 ; Ezk 37 . Job's faith th us 21 a . Sin ce to s peak would be useless o r un wise .
 I M1 3:15
2 1:8 JO B

They see the ir posterity ensured,

75 2 753 JOB 22:2 0

18- 19
and their offspring grow" before their eyes. C . T HI R D SE R IE S OF S PEEC HES
Th e peace of their houses has nothing to fear,
t he rod that God wields is not for th em. God punishes only to vindicate justice
No misha p wit h their bulls at breeding-t ime,
nor miscarriage with their co ws at calving.
10
I 22 Eliphaz of Ternan spoke next. He said :
They let their infants frisk like lambs, II Can a man be of any use to God,
II their childre n da nce like deer .r when even the wise man 's wisdom is of use on ly to himself?
35:7
Is 5:12 T hey sing to the tambourine an d the lyr e, 12 D oes Shaddai derive any benefit from your integrity , ~
Lk 17:7-10
Am6:5 and rejoice to the sound of the flute . or profit from your blameless conduct?
Ps 73:3 They end the ir lives in happiness 13 Would he punis h you to r your piety,
and go down" in peace to Sheo!. and hale yo u off to j udgement?
29: 11- 17.31
22:17
No, ra ther for your man ifold wicked nesses,
Yet these were the ones who said to God, ' G o away! 14
P s 9 5: 10:
I 39:2()
fo r you r unending iniquities!
Jr 2:3 1 We do no t choose to learn your ways. You ha ve exacted" needless pledges from your brothers,
29:11
Ex 22:25-26
M I 3:14 -15 What is the point of our serving Shaddai? 15 ul24: 12-t3
and men go naked now through your despoiling;
What profi t should we get from praying to him?' you have grudged water to the thirsty ma n,
Is it not true, they held their fortune in the ir own two ha nds, 16
and refuse d bread to the hung ry ;
Is 58:7
Ezk 18:7
and in th eir counsels, left no room for God?' you have narrowed the lands of the poor man down to nothing>
Mt 25:42f
18:5 : 20:22 . Do we often see a wicked man's light put out, 17
26 -28 to set your crony in his place,
or disaster o vertaking him, 31:16-20
sent widows away empty-handed Ex 22:2 1
or all his goods destroyed! by the wrath of God?
Ps 58:9
and cru shed the ar ms of orphans .
How often do we see him harassed like a straw before the wind, 18
1(' No wonder, then, if snares are all around you, 18:8-1 1: 19:6
Ps 1:4 or swept off like chaff before a gale?
or sud den terrors ma ke you afraid.
God, you say, reserves the man's punishment for his children. ' 19
II Light has turned to darkness- and it blinds you, Is 58:10-11
No! Let him bear the penalty himself, and suffer under it! Ps 69: 1-2
Ps 75:8
and a flood of water overwhelms you .
Let him see his ruin- with his own eyes, 20
Is 40:26-27
and himself dr ink the anger of Shaddai. D oes not God live at the height of heaven ,
14:21-22 When he has gone, how can the for tunes of his House affect him, 21 and seed the zenith of the sta rs?
35:13
0 09:5-6 when the number of his months is cut off? II Beca use he is far above, you said, 'What does God know? Ps 10:3.12 :
Is 40: 13 7 3:11
But who can give lessons in wisdom to God, 22 Can he peer th rough t he shadowed darkness?" Is 29'\5
to him wh o is judge of those on high ? It T he clouds, to him, are an impenetrable veil, 26:10
Si 24:5
And aga in;' one man dies in the fulness of his strength, 23 and he prowls on the rim of the heavens . Jr 23:23-24
in all possible happiness and ease, And will you still follow the anc ient trail
with his thighs all heavy with fat;' 24 trodden by the wicked?
and the marrow of his bo nes und ried . Those men who were bo rne off befo re their time,
An other dies with bitterness in his heart, 25 with rivers swamping thei r founda tions,
2 1:14
never having tasted hap piness. becaus e they said to God, 'G o away !"
009:2-3 Toge ther now they lie in the dust 26 What can Shaddai do to us?'
III I
with worms for covering . Yet he himself ha d filled their houses with good thing s,
while these wicked men shut him out of their co unsels.
I know well what is in your mind, 27 Ps 58:10:
At the sight of their rui n, good men rejoice, 107:42
the spiteful thoughts you entertain about me.
and the innocent deri de them:
'What has become of the great lord's ho use,' you say 28
'See how their grea tnes s' is bro ught to not hing!
'where is the tent where the wicked lived ?'
See how thei r wealth has peris hed in the flames!'
Have you never asked those that have travelled, 29
or have you misunder stood the tale they told, h . ' IH OW' corr. numbers'. probably a glo ss.
Pr 11:4 'The wicked man is spared for the day of disaster, 10 u, ' 11 11. <: deer' co ni. ad d iti on .
II, 'Ul l do wn' co rr. 22 a . T he lis t of fa u lts wit f which Elinhaz fa lsely
Am5:18+ and carried off in the da y of wrath'?
Rm 2:3-6 II I I" ' lind t he cou nse l o f the wicked is fa r from taxes Jo b is notable for its insistence on sins aga inst
But who is there then to accuse him to his face for his deeds , 31 "Ill" ' t il .. ' her e cor rec ted to 'h im ' i.e . God . Justice and char ity towards ot hers. even by o miss io n.
I I II ' hl!l Rood s des tr oyed' corr. : He br. ' does he Th is recall s th e teach in g of the prophets, cr. Job's
and pay him back for what he ha s do ne, I, . lI n" t he wic ked? ": or ' d oes he d is tri bute port ions? ' a p olo gia . 29:1 1~17,3 l.
when he is on his way to his buri al, 32 II. I'\lI o hl a nd respec tab le th eory. Ex 34:7 ; Dt 5:9. b . C o rr. following Greek.
I.....' 1I111t1iflcll. Ol24:16; J r 31:29; Ezk 18. Cf. I n 9: 1-3. c. C or r. following Greek .
when men are watching at his grave. h ,I1.1, Il lll tl l l m lC!I its ina deq uacy: the sinner will neither d. ' a nd see' corr; ; ' See l' He b.
The clods of the valley are laid gentl y on him, 33 "' I" lll 11111 t ee t th e punishment . cf. 14:2 1-22. c. Job has not said this. b ut Eliphaz is drawi ng
II ' hi' lulu ' corr . concl us ions from his words, among them this blas -
and a whole procession walks behind him.v I A nu l hrr s hoc k in g consideration: death strikes phemo us co nclusio n: if God is no t concerned , it is
So what sense is there in you r empty consolation? 34 !tilth . 1t1l11ll1ICly . because he does not know.
I ' t ll l,d ll ' , ' nu ' : versions. r. Lit. 'depa r t from us '; ' u s' versions.
What no nsense are your answers! .. 111l" rext adds 'and in fron t of h im countless g . "greatness' versi ons.
 22:2 1 JO B 754 JOB
755 24:1 7
5:17f
Well then! Make peace with him, be reconciled,
and all your happi ness will be restored to you ."
Welcome the teac hing from his lips,
21
124 Why ha s not Shaddai his own store of times,
and why do his faithful never see his Days?>
0127:17
22 The wicked move boundary-marks away ,
and keep his wor ds close to your heart. they carry off flock and shep herd. b
If you return , humbled, i to Shaddai 23 Some drive away the orphan's donkey,
and dr ive all inju stice from your tents, and take the widow 's ox for a security. 0124: 17
Mr6:19
if you reckon gold as dust 24 Beggars, now, avo id the roads, 20:2-8 :
30:2
and Ophir as t he pebb les of th e torrent;' and all the poor of the land must go into hiding. DI 15:11
Ps 4 :7: 16:
then you will find Shaddai wor th ba rs of gold
5- 6 : 84 :10
Is 58:14
25 Like wild donkeys in the desert, they go out, ~
or silver piled in hea ps. driven by the hunger of their children,
27 :10
T hen Shaddai will be all your delight, 26 to seek food on the barren steppes. c
and you will lift your face to God. Th ey must do the harvesting in the scoundrel's field,
You will pray, and he will hea r ; 27 they must do the picki ng in the vineyards of the wicked .s
you will have good reason to fulfil your vows. III They go about naked, lacking clothes, r» 24:12·13
Whatever yo u und ert ake will go well, 28 an d starving while they ca rry th e sheaves.
and light will shine on your path; 11 They have no stones for pressing oil,'
P s 18:27
Is 2:11 ·1 7 for he th at casts do wn th e boa sti ng of th e braggart- 29 they tread the winepresses, yet th ey ar e parched with th irst.
L k 1:52· 53
I P 5:5 is he that saves the man of dow ncast eyes. T hey spend the night naked, lack ing clot hes,
If a ma n is inn ocent, he will bri ng him freedom, 30 with no cover ing against the cold.
and freedo m fo r you if your hands ar e kept uns tained. Mountain ra instorms cut them th rough ,
God is far off, and evil is victorious shelterless, they hug the rocks .

23 Job spoke next. He said:

Fatherless children are robbed of their lands,
and poor men have their cloak s seized as security,"
Pr 23:10
Ex 22:25-
26
My lament is still rebell ious, II Fro m the towns come the groans of th e dying"
that heavy hand of his" d rags groans from me. and the gasp of wounded men crying for help .
Rv 6:10-11
If o nly I knew how to reac h him, Yet God remains deaf to their a ppeal!"
o r how to travel to his d welling! I I Others of them ' hate the light , 38:15
9:14 + In 3:20
I shou ld set out my case to him , know nothing of its ways, ED 5:8-14
I T h 5:4- 8
my mout h wou ld not wa nt for arguments. avoid its paths.
II T hen I cou ld learn his defence, every word of it,
tak ing note of everyt hing he said to me.
I ·' When all is dark the mu rde rer leaves his bed
to kill the poor and needy. Ps 317~38i.9 :
13:2 1
Would he use all his stre ngth in this de bate with me? All night long prowls the thie f', '
No, he would have to give me a hearing. '> II , breaking into houses wh ile the darkness lasts .
He wou ld see he was contend ing with an hon est man, T he eye of th e adulterer watches for twilight, Pr 7:9-10
and I should surely win my case. C " 'No one will see me' he mutters
9:11
P s 139:7·1 0 If I go eastward, he is not there; as he masks his face.
or westwar d- still I cannot see him. 1ft II In the dayt ime they go into hiding,
If I seek him in the nor th , he is no t to be fou nd. 9 th ese folk who have no love for the light.
invisible st ill when I tu rn to the south.« For all of them, morning is thei r darkest hour,
33:9
Ps 17:3 : And yet he kno ws of every step I ta ke!' 10 because they know its terrors. k
139: 1-6
W s 3:6 Let him test me in the cruc ible: I shall co me out pure gold.
Jr 11:20 +
My footsteps have followed close in his, II h. ' will be resto red to yOU' corr. b. ' wicked ', 'and shep herd ' : G ree k , W ith wic ked
Ps 17:5 I. ' humbled' corr . tyran ts, vv, 2-4. Job co ntr asts th e op pressed po or.
I have walked in his way withou t swerving ;
I. re xt corr. vv. 5412, whose wretch ed ne ss cr ies to heaven.
I have kept every commandment of his lips, 12 II . I'ext corr. c. Text ccrr.
' hi!l' vers io ns ; ' m ine ' Hebr. d. 'sco und re l' corr. For vv , 7-9 see after 11.
cheris hing the words from his mouth! in my breast. " II .
h . 'atve hearing ' corr. c. Tex t corr:
Is 55: 10-11
But once he has decided," who can change his mind? 13 l~ . 'm y case' versions . f . ' la nds' (li t. ' field' ) co r r.; ' b reast ' Hebr . ' cloa ks'
Whatever he pla ns, he carries ou t. ,I. ' If I seek him ' cor r, ; ' If he works' Hebr. corr ,
"l tur n' versions ; ' he turns' Hebr. R. ' t he dying ' Syr.: 'men' He br.
N o doubt, t hen, but he will carr y out my sen tence, 14 • li t. 'my go in g and stopping' Svr .: ' the way with h. Tex t corr. H eb r. 'does not p u t (hi s att ention to )
like so many other decrees that he has ma de. lII ol' l l l'In . fo lly ' ,
I l be Law . [, T his a ttack on the enem ies of li ght (pos sib ly an
T hat is why I am full of fear before him , 15 • • ' Ill my breast ' versions . ind eoendent poem in serted here b y the a utho r) bri ngs
Ps 119:1 20 II \ lcd l1cd ' co rr. us bac k 10 th e opp resso rs: G o d allows them to wo rk
a nd the mo re I th ink , the greater grow s my d read of him. in t he dar k . ' light' h as he re a m o ral se nse also,
I . ' 1I I I m him ' , ' veils his presen ce fro m me ' cor r .
God has made my heart sink, 16 cf. J n8:J2 +.
Shaddai has filled me with fear. I II , A stor e o f ' times' from whi ch to leng then a j . 'W he n a ll is da rk' co rr.: 'When I! is light' Heb r.
1111111'. life .In U so provide opportuni ty for pu nis hin g ' p row ls' co rr.: 'and he is like ' Hebr .
For darkness hides me from him, 17 111111 , ' l liIVS ' i.e . fo r the punishment o f wicked ind iv- k . Li ne co rr. He br. 'because he is fam ilia r wi th
and the gloo m veils his presence from me. i Idll l,I_, 1lI 1l1 ltl ~ou s [0 the ' d ay of Y ah weh' wh ich is the the terr or s o f d eep d arkness' . Vv . 18-24 are p laced
11.. ,- III uni ver sal ret rib u ti on, cf. Am 5:1 8+. after 27:23 .
'II
24 :2 5 JOB 75 6
Is this not so? Who can prove me a liar
or show that my words ha ve no sub stance?
A hymn to God's omnipotence a
25 Bildad of Shuah spoke next. He said:
What sovereignty, what awe, is his
who keeps the peace in his heights! b
Can anyone number his armies,
or boast of having escaped his ambushes?«
4:17+: I S:
14+ Co uld any man ever think himself innocent, when confro nted by God?
Born of woman, ho w could he ever be clean ?
The very moo n lacks brightness,s
and the sta rs are unclean as he sees them.
What, then, of man , maggo t that he is,
the son of man , a worm?
28:22 : 31: 12
26 <The Shad es " trembl e beneath the earth ;
t he waters- an d their deni zens are afra id.
Before his eyes, Sheol is bar e,
P s 139:8.11-
12
Pr 15:11 Perdition" itself is uncovered .
Am 9:2 He it was who spread the N or th e above the void,
Jb 38:6 and po ised the eart h on nothingness.z
He fastens up the waters in his clouds-
th e mists do not tear apart under the ir weight.
He covers the face of the moon at the full,
his mist he spreads over it. 9
22:14
He has traced a ring- on th e surface of the waters,
G n 1:7. 14
at the boun dary between light and dark.
T he pillars of the heavens tremb le,
they are struck with wond er when he threatens them.:
7:12+
Wit h his po wer he cal med the Sea,
9:13 +
Is 51:9-10 with his wisdom struc k Ra hab do wn.
His breath made the heavens luminou s,
3:8+
Is 27:1 his hand transfixed the Fleeing Serpent.'
All this but skirts the ways he treads,
S143 :32
a whispered echo is all that we hear of him.
But who could comprehend the thu nder of his power?
Bildad 's words are empty
Job spoke next. He said: >
To one so weak, what a help you are ,
for the arm that is powerless, what a rescue r!
What excellent advice you give the unlearned,
never at a loss for a helpful suggestion!
But who are they aimed at, these speeches of you rs,
I K 22:24
and what spirit is this that comes out of you?
Job reaffirms his innocence while acknowledging God's power
3 ~:5, 6
27 And Job continued his solemn discourse. He said:
] swear by the living God who denies me justice,
by Shaddai who has turn ed my life sour,
that as long as a shred of life is left in me,
33:4
G n 2:7 and the breath of God breat hes in my nostrils,
my lips shall never spea k un truth,
nor any lie be found on my ton gue.
33:9
Far from ever admitting you to be in the righ t:
JO B
757 27: 2 1
25 I will maintain my innoce nce to my dying day .
] take my stand on my integrity, ] will not stir:
my consci ence gives me no cause to blush a for my life.
May my enemy meet a criminal's end ,
and my opponent suffer with the guilty.
F or what hope, after all, has the god less when he pra ys.
and raises his soul to God?"
Is G od likely to hear his cries
when disaste r descend s on him? ~
22:26
III Di d he mak e Sha dda i all his delight,
call ing on him at every turn?"
II N o: I am showing you how God's power works,
maki ng no secret of Shadda i's designs."
I) And if you all had understo od them for yourselves, Ps 62: 10
you woul d not have wasted your breath in empty words .
T he speech of Z opha r c- the accursed
~ 20: 29
I I Here is the fate that G od has in store! for the wicked,
and the inheritance with which Shaddai endows the man of violence.
1·1 A sword awaits his sons , however many they may be,
and their children after t hem 9 will go un fed.
Ps 78:64
1\ Plague- will bury those he leaves behind him.
and their widows will have no cha nce to mourn them .
Pr 13:22
1n He may collect silver like dust , Qo 2:26
Si 11: 18: 14:
and gather fine clothe s like clay . 4
20:10 ,14
10 Let him gather ! So me good man will wear them,
while his silver is sha red a mo ng the innocent.
8:14
11 I. He has bu ilt himself a spider's web; '
made himself a watc hman'S shack'!
12 I" He goes to bed a rich man, bu t neve r agai n:>
he wakes to find not a pen ny left.
20:25
13 Terrors att ack him in broad day light,'
and at night a whirlwind sweeps him off.
Ps 58:9
14 An east wind picks him up and dr ags him away,
snatching him up from his home stea d.
J1 II . T his speec h (p os sib ly no t intac t) a n tici pa tes -the I. Lev iat ha n, cf. 3:8 + and 7:12+ .
I I" q II o f Yahwe h . Some connect ion wit h the d ia lo gue k, Jo b's iro nical re joinder to Bildad who see ms to
1'11 111, howe ver, im p ossible: it ma y be ta ken as Bildad 's ha ve missed the poin t of th e di scu ssion .
" 'l' lv In Jo b 's in sin uation t ha t God is he lpl ess .
h, Peace be tween t he a ngels. cf. Is 24:2 1; 27 a , ' no cause to blush' co rr . ; 'd oes not rep roach'
II. Y Il ;"-1 2, and the stars, cr. Is 40 :26: S i 43: 10. He br.
2 c . ' his ambushes' Gr ee k : ' h is Ilgh t' He br. b . ' prays' corr.: Heb e. 'cuts o ff' or 'd raws o ut his
II , ' fucks brigh tness ' versio ns. pr ofits' . 'a nd ra ises to Go d' cor r. : 'and God takes
'I It , Fo r 26: 1-4 see after 26: 14 . App ar ently vv. 5· 14
11'11111" tba n th e con tin uance of Jo b' s spee ch beginni ng
ba ck ' Hebr.
c. Job rep eat s wh at Elinhaz has sa id ab out t he
I J'l , l ) co mplete the fra gment ary speech o f Bildad . pu nish ment o f th e wicked b ut refu ses t o a po ly it to
h, 1.11. ' the Rephaim", cf. D t 2:10 +: eit her the him self.
" , .. d, .. f. I's 88:10, or the weak an d Power less . d . J ob is appa ren tly say ing th at he ha s given a t rue
.;, T he wate rs of th e abyss , peopled in pop ula r and fac tu a l acco un t of G od's disconcerti ng a nd mys ter-
11111111 11111110 11 by the monster s subd ued a t t he crea tio n, iou s attit ude. Hi s friend s have sh ut th eir eyes to t he
I I 11 12 I· . ' are afraid' carr. pla in fac ts .
.1, III Hcbr . ' A bad don' , cf . Rv 9:1 1. syno nym for
'lt h....I' : orig ina lly the wo rd perhaps ind icated a deity
1,1 I lll ~ un der worl d .
c . T he fra gmentary speech in 27:t 3·23 can ha rd ly
be lo n g to Job: it rep eal s the arg um ent of one of his
friends . most pr obably th a t of Zo pha r.
v, 1lie N . quart er of th e firmament, o n which the f. "t hat G od has in sto re' corr. (li t. 'from G od' );
1" 110 I IYltll th o ug h t to rev o lve. ' wltb G o d ' He br.
f . I he ea rt h rest s o n pill a rs. 9:6, b ut wha t these g . Lit. ' the ir o ffspring' corr.; 'hi s o ffspr ing ' Hebr.
'nnd ti n I" beyo nd ma n's kno wledg e, 38:6. T he o nly h. Li t. 'Death' , but thi s wo rd so metimes me an s the
" ..... ' i ll th e Dible th at hin ts a t in finite spa ce. wor st o f diseases : here it is per son ified . Cf. 18:13 :
I , A l limes of ec lipse . ' the mo on a t the fu U' corr .: J r 15:2 : 43:11 : Rv 6:8.
11111111\ '" lI eh r. 'sp reads' corr . t. Lit , ' He b uil l his ho use as th e sp ide r' vers ions .
II ' uuced a ri ng ' ca rr . as the mot h' Heb r.
I I he high moun tai ns, whi ch suppor t the vault of i , T wo SYmbo ls o f im permanenc e .
1l~' I"" Il . ure roc ked by t h under, t he vo ice of Go d . Ps 29, k . Li t. ' he will nOI begi n again ' , with versions .
II I loy eur tbq uake, Ps 18:7. I. ' in broad day light' cor r .: 'like waters' Hebr.
 III
2 7 :2 2 J OB
III
Pitilessly he is turn ed into a tar get,
lill
l and forced to flee from the hands that menace him.
H is downfa ll is greeted with ap pla use,
and hissing meets him on every side .
24 Headlong/ he flees from th e daylight,
he shrinks from the road which runs on the hei ghts.
T he land s of his home a re under a curse,
for heat and drought dry up the wate rs
I I and scorch what is left of his corn. m
The womb that shaped him fo rgets him
and his name" is recalled no lo nger.
T hus wicked ness is blasted as a tree is struck .
He used to be hars h to t he barren , childless woman ,
and show no kindness to th e widow.
Ps 139:12
But he who lays mighty ho ld on tyran ts
rises up to take away that life wh ich seemed secur e.
He let him build his hopes on false security,
but kept his eyes on every step he took.
T he ma n had his time of glory , now he van ishes,
30:4
drooping like a mallow pluck ed 0 from its bed,
and withering like an ear of corn .
D. A HYMN IN PR AIS E OF WI S DOM
D. 30: II
I S 2:8 Wisdom is beyond man's reach-
W s 6:22
Silver has its mines,
S i 24
28 and gold a place for refinin g.
Iro n is extrac ted fro m the earth,
the smelted I' rocks yield co pper.
Man makes an end of da rkness
when he pierces to th e utte rmost dep th s
the black and lightle ss ro ck.
Mines th e lamp-fo lk dig
in places where ther e is no foothol d,
and hang suspended far from mankind.r
T hat earth from which bread come s
is ravage d undergrou nd by fire."
Do wn there, the rocks a re set with sa pphires,
full of spa ngles of gold.
Dow n the re is a path un known to birds of prey,
un seen by the eye of any vultur e ;
a pat h not trodden by t he lordl y beasts, e
where no lion ever walked.
Man attacks its flinty sides,
uptu rn ing mountains by thei r root s,
d riving tunnels! th rough the rocks,
on th e wat ch for anything precious.
He explo res th e sour ces of rivers, g
and br ings to daylight secrets that were hidd en.
0 0 7:24
But tell me, where does wisdom co me from ?"
Si 1:6
Ba 3: 15
Where is und erstanding to be foun d?
Ba 3:29-
31 T he road to it is still un known to ma n';
not to be found in the lan d of the living.
'It is not in me' says the Abyss ;
' Nor here' replies th e Sea.
758 JOB 29:4
759
Pr 18:11
It cannot be bought with solid gold,
22 II
not paid for with any weight of silver,
23 Hi nor be priced by th e standard of the gold of Ophir,
or of precious ony x or sapphire. Ws 7:9
18acb 17 No gold, no glass can match it in valu e,
nor for a fine gold vase can it be bartered.
IH Nor is there need to mention coral , nor cryst al ;
19 beside wisdom pearls ar e not wor th the fishing.
~
I" Topaz from Cush is worthless in comparison,
20 and gold , even refined, is valueless.
;,W But tell me, where does wisdom come from?
Where is understanding to be foun d?
21 It is outside the know ledge of every living thin g,
I I
hidden from the birds in the sky.
26:6 +
22 Perdition and Death can only say,
II
' We have heard reports of it'.
23 G od alone has traced its path
I I Pc 2:6: 8:27-
and found out where it lives. 30
Ba 3:32
24
'., (For he sees to the ends of the ea rth ,
an d obse rves all that lies under heaven .) 36:27-33
When he willed to give weight to the wind Ws 11:20
15 40 :12-14
and measu red out the waters with a gauge, Ps 135:7
when he ma de the laws and ru les for the ra in
and mapped a ro ute for thundercla ps to follow, Si 1:8-9 .19
then he had it in sight, and cast its worth,
assessed it, fatho med it.'
And he said to man,
'W isdom? It is fear of the Lord.
D .4:6
Pr 1:7 + ; 8:
13
Understanding?- avoidance of evil.'
E. CONCLUSION OF THE DIALOGU E
4 .loh's lament and final defence
II . !l is former happiness a
I ?9 And Job co ntinue d his solemn discourse. He said:
- Who will br ing back to me the mo nt hs that have gone,
and the days when God was my gua rd ian, P s 18:28
when his lam p sho ne over my head,
and his light was my guide in the darkness?
Shall I ever see my autumn days aga in 1:10
when God hedged ro und my tent; I'
2.j I. T h is sec tio n. 24:18-24 . is p laced her e on ly con-
th e tbeologv of th e Word . cr. Pr B:22~31 • .
h . ' s melt ed ' corr . : 'har d ' Hebr,
lecuu ullv . T he tex t is in a bad sta te a nd req u ires m an y
c. ' Mines', li t. ' ra vines' , ' lam p-fo lk' carr. (a ncient
l ll l recuo ns. ' fr om t he d aylight' ; Hebr. ' o n t he face
nam e for min ers") . ' ha na ' corr ,
10 III t he waters".
d . ' by fire' v utu.: ' as-if by fire' H cbr .
III. Text corr.
c . Lit. ' m e so ns of pride '. cf. 4 1:26 .
II . ' his name' co rr.
n. Text corr. The sail wo r t or mallow , lit. ' th e sa lt y r. Lit. ' Nil e ca nals' .
II g. T h a t ha ve the ir so u rce in t he ab yss un der th e
is a n ed ib le green pl an t fo und on the sho res of
11!l IlIl ' ,
ea rth . 'explo res' co rr . ' so ur ces' fo llow ing G reek .
Ihl' Dead Sea . V, 25 is a fter 24: 17.
h. 'w here do cs it co me fr om ?' W it h o ne He br. M S ;
2M I' , T he o riginal po si tion and sig nifica nce of th is
12
pnl"ln in me context o f t he dia logu e ar e obsc u re . Its Tex t. Rec. ' where is it fo und ?'
i. ' r oad to' G reek; ' pr ice of' He br .
11\("111.. Is a pre par at io n for th at o f the speech of Ya hwe h :
\ \' hHl olll is inacc essib le to m an (cf Ba 3:9-4:6. tho ugh
j . ' reckoned its wo rth' corr. 'assessed ' five Hebr.
13 lin e G od reveals it excl us ively to Isr ael) who m ust be
tuntc nt with ' the fea r of G od', v, 28, the o n ly ' wisd om ' MS S.
Ill!l l ah le to hi m . Wi sdom is sub lime, n o t subject t o
29 a . Po r tra it of th e successful life ; a va lua ble record
l'n" m h; law , but its m ist ress . W isd o m is an attribute of of the a ncie n t Israeli te view,
14 b , Trans la ted accord ing to versio ns .
n Ull. hUI th is literary perso ni fica tion paves the way fo r
 29:5 JOB 7 60 761 J OB 3°:24
Ps 127:3-5:
128:3 when Shaddai dwelt with me, and plucked mallow , and brushwood leaves, 24:24

and my children were arou nd me ; mak ing their meals off roots of broom.
20:17
when my feet were plunged in cream, 6 Out lawed from the society of men,
and streams of oil poured fro m the rocks? « who, as against thieves, raised hue and cry against them,
they made their dwellings on ravines' steep sides,
5:4+
When I went out to the gate of the city, in caves or clefts in the rock.
when I took my seat in the square, You could hear them wailing from th e bushes,
as soon as I appeared, the young men stepped aside, as they huddled together in the thistles.
Lv 19:32
while the older men rose to their feet. Their children are as worthless a bro od as they were, ~
21:5
Ws 8:10- 12 Men of note interrupted their speeches, nameless people, outcasts of society.d
and put the ir fingers on their lips ; And these are the ones that now sing ballads abou t me,
the voices of rulers were silenced, 10 and ma ke me the talk of the town! Ps 69:12
Lm 3:1.14
and their tongues stayed still in their mouths. I I> To them I am loathsome, they stand aloof from me,
dThey waited anxiously to hear me, 21 do not scruple to spit in my face.
and listened in silence to what I had to say. II Because he has unbent my bow and chastened me 29:20+
When I paused, there was no rejoinder, 22 they cast the bridle from their mouth. '
and my wo rds dropped on them, one by one. I! That brood of theirs rises to right of me, 16:7
Ps 109:6
Dt 32:2
They waited for me, as men wait for rain , 23 stones are their weapons," Zc 3:1
open-mouthed, as if to catch the year's last showers. and they take th reatening strides towards me.
.Pr 16:15
If I smiled at them, it was too good to be true , 24 II They have cut me off from all escape,
they watched my face for the least sign of favour. there is no one to check their attack. g
In a lordly style, I told them which cour se to take, 25 1·1 They move in, as though through a wide breach ,
and like a king amid his armies, and I am crushed- beneath the rubbl e.
I led them where I chose.' I' Terro rs turn to meet me,
22:6-9 my confidence is blown away; as if by the wind;
My praises echoed in every ear , 11
my hope of safety passes like a cloud.
and never an eye but smiled on me;
6:14
Ps72:1 2f because I freed the poor man when he called, 12 10 And now the life in me trickles away, 16:12-17
Is 11:4-5
and the orphan who had no one to help him. days of grief have gripped me.
When men were dying, I it was who had their blessing; 13 II At night-time, sickness! saps my bones,
if widows' hear ts rejoiced, that was my doing. I am gnawed by wounds that never sleep.
19:9
I had dressed myself in righteousness like a garment; 14 II With immense power it has caught me- by the clothes,
Ps 132:9 justice, for me, was cloak and turban.
Is 59:17 clutching at the collar of my coat.
S14:9 I was eyes for the blind, 15 1'/ It has throw n me into the mud
and feet for the lame. where I am no better than dust and ashes.
Pc 29:7 Who but I was father of the poor? 16
The strange r's case had a hea ring from me. I cry to you, and you give me no answer;
I used to break the fangs of wicked men, 17
I stand before you, but you take no notice.'
34:6
Pc 30:14 and snatch their prey from between their jaws. You have grown cruel in your dealings with me,
your hand lies on me, heavy and hostile.
So I thought to myself, 'I shall die in honour, 18 You carry me up to ride the wind, Ps 109:23
Ps 1:1-3 my days like a palm tree's for number.! tossing me about in a tempest.
My roots thrust out to the water , 19 I know it is to death that you are ta king me,
my leaves freshened by the falling dew at night. the comm on meeting place of all that lives.
My reput at ion will never fade, 20
30: 11 and the bow. in my hands will gain new strength: Yet have I ever laid a hand on the poor
when they cried out for ju stice in calarnity?:«
b. His present misery
And now I am the laughing-stock
30 of my juniors, the young people,
whose fathers I did not consider fit
r,
d,
I! .
MlI1h It' l l ' ,
Hebr. adds 'with me' .
vv. 21-25 are pla ced before v. 11.
Tex t corr. : Hebr . ' like on e who comforts the
... . Text corr.
e. ' my bow' aere, Svr. and Ta ra . (lit. ' my string');
' his st r-i ng" k etib , ' from thei r mouth ' co rr .
t, ' III hon our' (li t. 'wi th m y horn') corr. ' like a f . Lit. ' they sto ne me with weapons' ; corr.
to put with the dogs tha t looked after my flock.a II (,C ' ~ ' versio ns ; 'lik e sa nd ' Hebr,
1,.. ltlI g. Li t. ' they a ttack and no one repel s them' . Line
24:4r
The strength of their hands would have been useless to me, I . l he bow sym b o lises s tre ngt h, cf. G n 49: 24 . cor r.
III II , 1I('~R ars . social ou tcas ts, cr. 24:4f . Job ha s su nk h. Li t. II am roll ed' , follo wing Greek .
enfeebled as they were, b 1 ~ I" w th cl r le ve l. I. Lit. ' is d riven off ' , following G reek .
worn out by want and hunger. h, I II. ' their streng th had pe ris hed , all of it' . Li ne j. 'sickness' corr.
t l ll l k . ' ca ug h t me' G reek ; ' is disfi gur ed' Heb r ,
They used to gnaw the root s of desert plant s, 1' , ' 1111115' an addition . 'b rambles' conj ectural I. ' yOU take no noti ce' co rr. with v uta.
a nd brambles from abandoned ru ins ;> 11 • •" I"llulI . m. Text coer .
 3°:25 JOB 762 763 JOB 3 1:34
Have I not wept for all whose life is har d, 25
17 Or taken my share of bread alone ,
felt pity for the penniless? not giving a share to the orphan?
I hoped for ha ppiness, but sorrow came; 26
18 I, whom God has fostered father-like, from childhood,
I looked for light, but there was darkness. and guided> since I left my mother's womb,
My stomach seethes, is never still, 27
19 Have I ever seen a wretch in need of clothing,
for every da y brings further suffering. or a beggar going naked,
Sombre I go, yet no one comforts" me, 2H
20 without his hav ing cause to bless me from his heart,
and if I rise in the cou ncil, I rise to weep. as he felt the warmth of the fleece from my lambs?
I ) I have become the jackal's brot her 29
21 Have I raised my hand against the guiltless," !r
and the ost rich's companion . presuming on my credit at the gate?
Ps 119:H3
My skin has turn ed black on me, 30
22 If so, then let my shoulder fall from its socket,
Lm 3:4
my bones a re burn t with fever. my arm be shattered at the joint.
My harp is tuned to funeral wails, 31
23 God's terror would indeed descend on me ;«
my flute to the voice of mourners. how could I hold my ground before his majesty?
Ps 49:6: 52:7
Ps 26 24 Have I put all my trust in gold,» Pr 11:28
J ob' s apologia a from finest gold sought my security'! Si 31:5-10
Mt6:24
Have I ever gloated over my great wealth,
Ex 20: 14,17
015: 18,2 1
Si 9:5
31 I made a pact with my eyes,
not to linger on a ny virgin!'
No w, what shares does God deal out o n high,
25

26
or the riches that my hands have won ?
Or has the sight of the sun in its glory, Dt4:19
MI5:27-29 Ws lJ:2
Jr 8:2
what lots does Shaddai assign from heaven, or the glow of the moon as it walked the sky, Ezk 8:16
if no t disaster for the wicked, 27 stolen my heart, so that my han d
and calamities for the iniquitous? blew them a secret kiss?
Ps 139:2 That too would be a crimin al offence,
But surely he sees how I behave, 28
does he not cou nt all my steps? to have denied the supreme God.
Pr 24:17-18
Have I been a fellow traveller with falsehood , l 'l Have I taken pleasu re in my enemies' misfortun es, r M t 5:43-481'
or hastened my steps toward s deceit?' or made merry when disaster overtook them,
Pr II : ): 20;
10 If he weighs me o n honest scales, II) I who allowed my tongue to do no wron g,
being God, he ca nnot fail to see my innocence. by cursing them or vowing them to death?
If my feet have wande red from the rightful pat h, II The people of my tent, did they not say,
or if my eyes have led my heart astr ay, 'Is there a man he has not filled with meat?"
or if my han ds a re smirched with any stain," J2 No strange r ever had to sleep outside,
let anot her eat what I have sown, my door was always open to the traveller.'
Ps 32:5
and let my you ng shoo ts all be roo ted ou t. II Have I ever hidden my sins from men ,v
Pr 7 keeping my iniquity secret in my breas t?
If I ever lost my heart to a ny wom an,
or lurked at my neighbou r's door,' 14 Have I ever stood so in fear of common gossip,
let my wife grind corn that is not mine, 10
let her sleep between others' sheets. n. 'no one comforts' cor r.: ' without the sun' Heb r. I. From just ice to kindness, with gra titud e to G od
o ! 22:22-24 Jl as its motive.
Pr 6:32-35 Fo r I should have committed a sin of lust , II a . O .T. morality at its best . approachi ng the mer-
In 8:4-5 " illY of gospel t imes. The form of th is protestation of
a crime pun ishabl e by the law,! Innoce nce is that of a conditional imprecation aga inst
26:6 + m. 'guided (me) ' corr. : Hebr. 'I guided her' (m y
a nd sho uld have lit a fire burning till Perdition, 12 oneself required by law of the accused. Ex 22:9~1O :
mo ther).
N b 5:2G-22: 1 K 8:31-32 ,
which would have devo ured' all my har vesting, b. Job be gin s with t he most hidden sins . lu st
D . Threatening him with corrupt legal proceedings.
E x 2 1:2f fguilliess' corr. : 'o rpha n' Heb r.
Lv 25:39f If ever I have infringed the rights of slave 13 pandered to by th e eyes. cr. v. 7.
01 5:14- 15 o. Line corr. Hebr. ' for I feared calamity from
Jr 34:8f or maidservant in legal actions against me h - c. Fraud in barter or in the market. Job. appealing
G od',
to th e law of retaliation . asks that he himself be justly
what shall I do , when Go d stands up? 14 weighed .
p. G reed and arrogance of the rich who thin k the y
ca n do without Go d .
What shall I say, when he holds his assize? d. More sins Job has not coveted or stole n.
q . Lit . 'has my heart been secretly seduced , and my
Pr 17:5 :
22:22 The y, no less tha n I, were created in the womb 15 e. The sin of adultery. ha nd kissed my mouth? ' From the worship of mammon
Ws 16:7
by the one same Go d who shaped us all withi n our mothers. r. 'p unis hable by the law' Tau. and vuta. to the worship of the stars. In ancient time s th e kiss
ED 6:9
Co l 4: 1 11: . 'd evou red ' corr.; 'uprooted' H ebr, was a shm of adoration .
If my land calls down vengeance on my head' 3H h. Relations between master and servant have always r , Jo b is not speaking of retaliation, commonty
and every fur row runs with tea rs, t-een humanely regu lated by the Law . V. 15 base s th e practi sed a nd reg arded as common taw (though
r tafus of servants on the fact that aU men are God ' s cr. Ex 23:4-5: Lv 19:8 : Pr 20 :22: 25:21-22); be Is refu s-
if without payment I have eaten fruit grown on it 39 crea tures. St Paul observes that servant and master ing even to rejoice over an enemy's misfortune or to
or given those who toiled there cause to groan,' have the one Lord. call down curses on him .
I. Ano ther kind of injus tice: by robbing owners of s. H ospitality was the prince of virtues in the
let bramble s grow where once was Wheat, 40.
1.UH) of their rights and labourers of their wages. We a ncient East. vurs. translates very freely 'Who will
and foul weeds where ba rley th rived. > 1.lace vv , 38-40 here : the text put s them af ter Job's give us of his flesh that we may be sat isfied?'
"l'l)h)gia . t. ' to the rrevenee' co rr. : ' to the way' Hebr.
6: 14 : 22:9
Tb4 :7- I I, 16 Have I been insensi ble to poor men's needs ,' 16 I. ' who toiled there' corr. j 'its owne rs' Hebr. u, 'from men' corr . : Hebr . 'like men' , which woul d
Is 58 :7 k , Approximate translat ion. mea n ' as ordinary me n do' or ' as Ada m did' .
MI25:3 5-36 or let a widow's eyes grow dim?
 JOB 7 64 7 65 JOB 33: 1 5
3 1:35
19 I have a feeling in my heart like new wine seeking a vent, J,20:9
or so dreaded any family's cont empt, Mt9:17p
that I have been reduced to silence, not ventu ring out of doors?" and bursting a brand-new wineskin.'
20 Nothing will bring relief but speech,
Who can get me a heari ng from God?" 35 I will open my mouth and give my answer.
I have had my say, from A to Z;x now let Shaddai answer me. 21 I shall not show any parti ality towards anyone,
When my adversary has drafted his writ" against me nor heap on any fulsome flatteries.
I shall wear it on my shoulder, 36 22 I have no skill in flattery,
and bind it round my head like a royal turban. my creator would soon silence me otherwi se.
I will give him an account of every step of my life, 37
I! and go as bold ly as a prince to meet him. Job's presumption ~
End of the words of Job.s 40b
133 Now, Job, be kind enough to listen to my words,
and attend to all I have to say.
Now as I open my mouth,
III . THE SP E ECH E S O F E LIH U·
and my tongu e shap es words against my palate,
Elihu joins the discussion my heart shall utt er sayings full of wisdom, a
These three men said no more to Job, because he was convinced of his and my lips speak the honest truth.

Gn22:21
32 innocence. b , But another man was infuriated- Elihu son of Barachel the
Buzite, of the clan of Ra m. He fumed with rage against Jo b for think ing that
Refute me, if you can.
Prepare your groun d to opp ose me.
Jr 25:23 See, I am you r fellow man, not a god ; b
he was right and God was wro ng; -a nd he was equally angry with the three
friends for giving up the argu ment and thu s admitting that God could be unjust. c like you, I was fashioned out of clay. 10:8

Go d's breath it was that made me, 27:3

While they were speak ing," Elihu had held himself back, because they were older 4 G n 2:7
than he was; -but when he saw that the three men had not another wor d to say 5
the breathing of Shaddai tha t gave me life.
in answer, his anger bur st out. -Thus Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite spoke 6
Thus, no fear of me need distur b you, 13:21

my hand will not lie heavy over you.'

next. He said:
How could you say in my hearing-
Prologue for the sound of your words did not escape me-
Ps 119:100 I am still young, 'I am clean, and sinless, 10:7 : 16:17
and you are old, I am pure, free of all fault .d 23:10: 27:5
so I was shy, afraid, 10 Yet he is inventin g grievances' agai nst me,!
to tell you what I know. and imagining me his enemy. 13:24: 19:11
12:12: 15:10 I told myself, 'Ol d age should spea k, 7
Si "25:4-6 II He puts me in the stocks, 13:27
advancing years will utter wisdom'. he watches my every step' ?
Pr2:6 But now I know that it is a breath in man, 12 In saying so, I tell you, you are wrong:
the inspiration of Shaddai, th at gives discernment.' God does not fit man's measu re.
Ws4:8 Gr eat age does not give wisdom, 9 1.1 Why do you rail at him
nor longevity sound jud gement. for not replying to you, word for word?
And so I ask you for a heari ng ;" 10 I·, God speaks first in one way,
now it is my turn to tell what I know.
There was a time when I hoped for much from your speeches:
I gave you r reason ings a ready hearing,
11 11
and then in another, but no one notices.
He spea ks by dreams , and visions that come in the night, 4:12 -16
Gn 20:3: 4 1:
If
and watched you choose your words. Y. Vv. 33-34 refer not to an y spec ific sin but to an tradit ional wisdom of th e East. brou ght into Israel by Dn 4:2f
. Ultude that nreeuonos es gu ilt. J ob has never ha d to the sag es. insisted on th e prima cy of divine wisd o m .
I gave you a ll my attention, 12 hide from men ; he is prepared even t o be see n by Go d, cf. Pr 2 1:30. th e co nnect ion between wisdom and right-
VV. 35-37. eo usness , cf . Pr 1:7: 10:31; 15:33: Ps 119:99·100, and the
and I can say that no one gave Job the lie, w. Lit . ' O h th at I had o ne (' G od ' corr.) to hear me "
co nvictio n th at Go d is the giver of wisdom . Pr 2:6;
not one of you disproved his stat ements. x , Lit. ' Here is my tau: (last ieuer of the al p habe t) ,
16:33. Inspired wisd om was also known outside the
4:12f: 11:6 So do not dare to say that you have found wisdo m, 13 r, Th e scroll with the accusation writt en on it. Job . sc hoo ls o U th e sa ges. cf. Is 11:2; Gn 41:38 -39. In
co ntldent of refuting the charge. would wear it as a O n 5:11,12. 14. Wi sdom is the sphere of ope ra tio n of
or that your teaching is from God not man . o hlillac of ho nour. th e spirit . Th is is de veloped in Ws ( I :5· 7 : 7:22-23 ; 9:17)
I am not going to follow the same line of argument;' 14 e, Ed itorial note . Vv. 38-40 will be fo und befo re in prepar ation for th e new revela t io n of the Spir it in
v , 16 . the N .T .. cf . 1 Co 2:6-16 .
my reply to Job will be couched in different terms . 31 a. Elihu's intervent ion co mes unexpectedly. nor is r. Lit . 'Hear you me' versions; 'Hear thou m e' He br.
It referred to in the ep ilog ue . E lihu's arg ument , styl e I. 'yo ur teachin g' carr. E lihu exaggerates the
They have been nonplussed, baffled for an answer, 15 . lIll vocabulary are very different from those of th e claims of those he criticises .
words have failed them. tU. loKue. a nd certain passa ges an ticipate the SPeech h. Li t. ' It is not thus ('thus' corr .) I shall a rgue".
ur Ya hweh. T he speech of Eli hu. th erefore . see ms to
I have been waitin g. Since they are silent, 16 ""Ye been adde d to J b by anothe r a ut hor . I. Text cc rr .
and have abandoned all efforts to reply, b. No thi ng ca n shake Jo b's conviction ; fur the r 33 a. T ex t carr.
W lI l l ll are useless. b. ' no t a god ' corr . : 'for God' Hebr ,
now I will have my say, 17 c. T he text read s ' (declari ng) Job (in the wron g)' . c . Text corr. : cr. Greek .
my turn has come to say what I know . " acribal correctio n . d . Summa ry of several or J ob's pro testat io ns .
d. ' While the y were speaking' co rr . e. 'grievances' Syr.: 'enmities' Hebr.
For I am filled with words, 18 e, Elihu co ntr as ts 'chari sm a tic ' wisdo m. re vealed f . Interp re ti ng all Jo b' s complaints that God perse -
choked by the rush of them within me. hy the spiri t. wi th th e wisd om of experie nce. Th e cutes hi m wit ho ut cause.
III
3P6 JOB 766 767 JOB 34:25
when slumber comes on mankind, 7 Are there many men like Job,
and men are all asleep in bed. 15:1&
who drink scurrility> like water,
Then it is he whispers in the ear of man, 16 who keep company with evil-doers,
or may frighten him with fearful sights,' and march in step with the wicked?
to turn him away from evil-doing," 17 Did he not say it was useless
and make an end of his pride; for man to try to please God?
to save his soul from the pit 18
8:3-7
10 Listen then to me, like intelligent men.
and his life from the pathway to Sheo!.
D t 8:5+ So far is God removed from wickedness,
With suffering, too, he corrects man on his sick-bed,' 19
i ) Pr 3:12 and Shaddai from injustice, ~
when his bones keep trembling with palsy ; Ps 62:12
Ps 107:18
II that he requites a man for what he does, c Pr 24:12
when his whole self is revolted by food , 20 Si 16:14
treating each one as his way of life deserves. I' M . 16:27
and his appetite spurns dainties; I' Rm 2:6
19:20
12 God never does wrong, do not doubt that!
when his flesh rots as you watch it, 21 Rm3:5
Shaddai does not deflect the course of right.
and his bare! bones begin to show;
13 It is not as if someone else had given him the earth in trus t,«
when his soul is drawing near to the pit, 22
or confided the whole universe to his care.
a nd his life to the dwelling of the dead ." Gn2:7
36:10
14 Were he to recall his breath,
Then there is an Angel by his side, 23 Ps 1 04: 2~3 0
to draw his breathing back into himself,'
a Mediator, ' chosen out of thousands, Qo 3:20
15 things of flesh would perish all together,
to remind a man where his duty lies, Gn 3:19: 6:3
and man would return to dust.
to take pity on him and to say, 24
16 If you have any intelligence, listen to this,
' Release him from descent into the pit,
and lend your ear to what 1 have to say.
for I have found a ransom for his Iife":» Ws6:7
P s 103:5 17 Could an enemy of justice ever govern? Rm3:5
his flesh recovers the bloom" of its youth, 25
Would you dare condemn the Just One, the Almighty,
he lives again as he did when he was young. Is 40:2 3-24
18 who can te\lf kings that they are good for nothing,
He prays to God who has restored him to favour, 26
and treat noblemen like criminals,
and comes, in happiness, to see his face. Si 35:12
19 who shows no partiality to princes
He publishes" far and wide the news of his vindication,
and makes no distinction between the rich and the poor,
singing before his fellow men this hymn of praise, 27
all alike being made by his own hands?
' I sinned and left the path of right,
20 They die, they are gone in an instant,
but God has not punished me as my sin deserved." Ex 12:29
great though they are, they perish in the dead of night: Ws 18:14-16
He has spared my soul from going down into the pit, 28
it costs him no effort to remove a tyrant. v
and is a llowing my life to continue in the light.' Ps 33:14-15
21 His eyes, you see, keep watch on all men's ways, Jr 32:19
All this God does 29 H eb 4:13
and he observes their every step.
again and yet again for man ,
Ps 56:13 22 Not darkness, nor the deepest shadow,
rescuing his soul from the pit, 30
can hide the wrong-doer.
and letting the light of life shine bright on him.
23 He serves no writ- on men
Job, give me your attention, listen well; 31 summoning them to appear before God's court:
Dn 2:21
keep silence: 1 have more to say. 24 he smashes great men's power without enqu iry
Jf you have anything to say, refute me, 32 and sets up others in their places.
speak out , for I would gladly recognise your innocence. 25 He knows well enough what they are about,
If you have not , then listen: 33 and one fine night he throws them down for men to trample on .
keep silence, while I teach you wisdom. I . Tex t corr. n, ' bloo m' Oil . ' freshness') corr.
b. Lit. ' fr om his deeds ' vuta. and Tara. : 'from the o . 'publishes' corr.
The three Sages have failed to justify God deed' Hebr, 'make a n end' corr. ; ' hide' , 'cover' Hebr. P. T ext corr. follow ing Greek .

34 Elihu continued his speech. He said:

You men of wisdom, listen to my words:
lend me your ears, you learned men.
~ 12 : 1 1
The ear is a judge of speeches,
just as the palate can tell one food from another.
Let us discover together where justice lies,
and settle among us what is best.
27:2 Now Job has said, 'I am in the right ,
and God refuses to grant me justice.
9:15 : 30:21
T he judge who judges me is ill-disposed,
a nd though 1 have not sinned, my wounds are past all cure.v
I. God's message comes to man in revelation 34 a . Te xt co rr .
(vv. IS-18) or (v . 14) by ordeal such as Job's.
j . ' bare' corr . b. M isread ing Jo b's attitude, Elihu classifies him as
k. 'd welling of the dead' corr. o ne of the 'scornful men' att acked in wisdom literature.
I. Li t. ' an interpreter '. The A ngel ' interp rets' the cf. Pr 21:24.
meaning of suffering to the sick man, makes him c. C lassica l formulation of the doctrine of retrfbu-
realise his sinfu lness. v. 27. and intercedes for him with uon. In the N .T . this is usually referred to the Last Day .
G o d, v. 24 . C f. 5:1 + . Th is idea has roots in the a .T.: d. T he ar gume nt seems to be this: G od is not the
th e lust man's intercession. cr. 42:8 -t-, and his atonement vicegerent of th e universe ; he does not ad minister the
4 for o t hers . Is 53: 10; the angels as intermediaries of Jaws of someone else: they are the creation of his own
prophetic revelation (Ezekiel and Zechariah) and as omnipotence. Neither self -interest, therefo re , nor forc e .
man 's protec tors, Ps 91: I 1-13, conveying his pr ayers to can make him violate justice. Cf . Ws 11:20-26; 12: 11-18.
Go d , T b 12:12: cf. Rv 8:3f. Later, Jewish apocryphal e . ' d raw back' versio ns ; 'set' Hebr. qere , ' his
literature exemplifies chis doctrine . There is an easy heart ' is omitted a nd ' his breath' transposed.
tr ansition from th is Eo (he ' gua rd ian angel' , or media- f. Reading present participle with versio ns .
ting angel , of Christ ian revelation, cf. Tb 5:4 + ; Mt g . Li t. 'he rem oves ' ; text coer.
18:10; Ac 12:15. h. Lit. 'a stated time' (corr.) , t.e. to appe ar for
m . ' release him ' Svr., Yulg. ' fo r his life' added . judgeme nt .
I
34:2 6 JO B 768
j /He strikes the m do wn for their wickedness, 26
769 JOB 36:17
14 Yo u even claim, ' He does no t see me:
and makes them pr isoners for all to see.
my cau se is expo sed befo re him, and yet I wait and wai t'."
Or even, 'His ange r never punishes, 21
You may say, ' 'They have so turned from him, 27 15

and so ignored his ways, he does not seem to know of men's rebellion' .'
that the poo r have cried ou t to him against them 28 16 Hence when Job opens his mouth, it is for idle talk:
and th e wailing of th e humble has assailed his ea rs, his spate of wo rds comes out of ignora nce.
yet he is unmoved, and nothing ca n touch him; 29
5:17; 22:23 -
The real meaning of J ob's sufferings"
i I
W' II :23 ;
12:2
he hides his face and nobody can see him' .
But nonetheless he does take pity on nations an d on men, 1 36 Elihu went on speaking. He said:
30

~
freeing the god less man from th e meshes of dist ress. 30 Be patient with me a litt le longer while I explain,
If such a man says to G od , 31 for I have more to say on God's beha lf.
'I was led astray, I will sin no mo re. I will ra nge fa r afield for my arguments
If I did wro ng, tell me about it, 32 to pro ve my Mak er jus t.
if I have been unjust, I will be so no mo re' - 4 What I say co ntains no fallacies, I assure you,
in such a case, do you think he ought to punish hlrn,s 33 you see before you a n en lightened man .
you who reject his decisions? bGod doe s not spurn the b lameless man
Since it is you who make this choice, no t I, or let the sinner live o n in all his powe r.
let us all shar e your knowledge! H e accor ds justice to the poo r,
But this is what a ll sensible folk will say, 34 an d upholds th e good ma n's rights.
and an y wise man among my hearers, When he raises kings to thr ones, 2 C h 33:11-
13
'There is no wisdom in Jo b's speech, 35 if th ey grow pr oud of their unendin g sway, D n 4 :14
his words lack sense. then he fetters them wit h chai ns, p, 107: 10
Put him uns paringly to the proof 36 binding the m in the bond age of dis tress.
since his reto rts a re the sam e as those that the wicked mak e.' He show s them all tha t they have done,
F or to sin he adds rebe llion, 37 and all the sins of prid e they have committed.
calling justice into question in our mid st m 10 He whisp ers a message in their ears , 33:23
and heaping abuse on God.' urging th em to ame nd thems elves.
11 If they listen and do as he says,
God is not indifferent to what happens on earth
35 Elihu continued his speech . He said:
12
their days end in happi ness,
and their closing yea rs are full of ease .
If not , then a thunder bo lt destroys t hem,
D o you presume to ma inta in that you are in the right,
to insist on you r innocence before God, an d death co mes on th em unawares.
7:20
even to ask him, 'H ow does it affect you, 13 Yes the st ub born who cherish' a nger,
what harm has it don e you if I have sinned?' > and when he shackles them , do not ask for help:
Well then, thi s is how I will an swer you , 14 they die in th eir youth ,
4
an d you r friends as well. or lead a life despised by all."
15 The wretched, however, he saves by thei r very wretchedness,
Lo o k up at the sk ies, look at them well, and uses distress to open their eyes. '
a nd see how high th e clouds are above you . b 16 /For you, no less, he plans relief from so rrow.
If yo u sin, what do yo u ac hieve against him ? O nce you lived in luxury un bounded,
If you heap up cri mes, what is the inj ury you do him? with rich food piled high on your table.
22:3
Lk 17:10 If you are ju st, wha t do you give him, 17 But you did not execu te justice on the wicked,
what benefit does he receive at your han ds? you cheated orphaned child ren of th eir rights.
Your fellow men are the ones to suffer from yo ur crimes, I. T he very Corrupt text of vv , 26-33 is cor rec ted . c , E lih u a p pa ren tly thinks o f those who are victims
humanity is the gainer if you are good. J. Objection from experience; noto rious sinners are o f the m ali ce o f o the rs, v , 8. If God d oes no t he lp
allo wed to go u np uni she d . E lih u rep lies tha t th is is t hem it is because th ey hav e no t ru st in h im: p r ide ha s
When people groan ' un der the weight of oppression, me rcy temp er in g judgeme nt. Cf. W s 11:23 ; 12:2 . ha rde ned th eir he art s.
or cry out under the tyra nny of the mig hty, k . Job 's criticism of Go d' s met hods is bas ed on too
rigid an idea of d ist ri b u tive just ice wh ich . if it were
no one th inks to ask, 'Where is God, my make r, 10 acc u ra te, would ad mit of no exce ption an d would for bid d . T ext can .
who makes glad songs ring out at dead of night, God e ver t o p a rd o n . It wo uld foll o w th a t Job s ho u ld not e . ' m an 's rebellio n' Vu lg,
who makes us cleverer than the ea rth's wild beasts, a p p ly th is rig id idea to his ow n case: he should rat her 36 a , Ellp haz h as alread y s tat ed , 5:17, an d ela bora ted ,
11 be lieve that God is tes tin g hi m fr om a d iffer ent m o tiv e. 22:23-30 , the theme of th is speec h . The te xt is ob sc ure .
wiser than the birds in the sky?' Eli hu 's ow n conc lu s ion , h owe ver, is that Job ad ds and it is h a rd to decide wha t pr eci sel y is Eli h u 's own
Then they cry aloud, but he doe s not a nswer co ntumacy to s in. v. 37. co n tri bu tio n.
12 1. Te xt cor r. b. The tex t of vv , 5-8 is co r rec ted .
beca use of man 's ba se pr ide. m. Line corr. c. 'cheris h ' corr.
22: 13 3S a. Line corr . fo llow ing Greek and Vu lg . ; ' wha t d. Corr. (l i t. 'li ke that of te m ple pr ostitutes').
H ow idle to maintain th at Go d is deaf, 13
good does it do me (to be) without sin'?' Hebr. e. Lit. ' o pe n their ea r ': ma ke them un derst an d .
that Shaddai notices no th ing! b. Imply in g that God is st ill fu rther beyond ma n 's Cr. p, 40:6 : Is 50:5.
re ach. t. The very co rr up t text of vv. 16· 20 is corrected.
'II
36:18 JOB 77°
77 1 JOB 3 8: 1
In future beware of being led astray by riche s, 18
or co rru pted by fa t bribe s. II H e weighs the clouds down with moisture,
Prosec ute the ric h, not merely the penniless; 19 a nd the storm clouds radiate his lightning.
strong-armed men as well as those who are po werless . 12 H e him self guides their wheeling motion
Do not tr a mp le on those you do not know 20 dir ect ing all their seasonal changes: '
Ir to install your relat ions in their place. th ey carry out his orders to the letter
Avoid any tendency to wro ng-doing, 21 all over his inhabited world.
for such has been the true cause of your tr ials. 13 Whether for punishing earth's peoples
or for a work of mercy, he des patches them '!
)! SI42:15-43: A hymn to God's wisdom and omnipotences
33 14 Listen to all this Job: no backslidin g now! :r
Look, by reason of his power God is sup reme, 22 Meditate on G od 's wonders.
Ps95:3
what teacher can be co mpare d with hi m ? 15 Ca n you tell how G od controls them
Is40:13 Who ha s ever to ld him wh ich cour se to take, 23 or how his clouds make the lightning flash ?
R m 11 :33-34 Pr 8:28
or dared to say to him, ' You have done wrong'? 16 Ca n you tell how he ho lds the clouds in bal ance:
T urn your mi nd ra ther to pr aisin g his works, 24 a miracle of consum ma te skill ?
a theme that many men ha ve sung : 17 When your clothes are hot to your body
a sight that everyone can see, 25 a nd the earth lies still under the south wind,
18 ca n yo u help him to sprea d the vault of heaven , Go 1:6
that man may gaze o n from afar.
Ps 145:3 Yes , the greatness of God exceeds our knowledge, 26 or tem per that mirror of cast metal? «
the number of his years is past com puting. 19 Te ll me what to say to him:"
28:25 He it is who keeps the raind rops back, 27
dissolving the showers into mist, 20 Ca n my words carry weight with him ?
which otherwise the clouds wo uld spill 28 Do man's commands rea ch his ears?
in floods over all ma nkind. 21 Th ere a re times whe n t he light vanishes
p, 104:13r behind darkening clouds;
Thanks to them" he nourishes the nations 31
with generous gifts of food . then co mes the wind, sweeping them away ,
P'18:9-14 And who ! ca n fathom how he spreads the clouds,' 29 22 an d brigh tne ss' sp rea ds from the north .
G od is clothed in fea rful splendour: Ex 24:16 +
or why such crashes thunder from his ten t?
He spread s o ut th e mist, wrapping it about hi m, 30 23 he, Sha dda i, is far beyond ou r reach.
a nd covers th e tops of th e rnountains. v Supreme in pow er, in equity,
He gathers up' the lightning in h is hands. 32 excelling in justice, yet no op presso r-
ch oosing th e mar k it is to reach ; 24 no wonder that men fea r h im,
his thunder gives warn ing of its coming: 33 an d thoughtful men hold him in awe)
wrath overtakes in iqu ity.'"
Sl16:19
37
Ps 18:13.28
At this my own heart quakes,
and leaps from its place .
L isten, oh listen, to the blast of his voice
IV . TH E SPEECHES OF Y AH WEH

and the sound that blares from his mou th .
He hurls h is lightn ing below the span of heaven,
it str ikes to the very ends of the earth.
Ps 29:3-4 After it comes the roar of his vo ice,
the peal of God's majestic thunder.
He d oes not chec k his thunderbolts"
un til his vo ice resounds no more.
5:9 No doubt of it, but God reveals wonders, b
and does great deeds that we cannot understand.
When he says to the snow, 'Fall on th e earth'
o r tells the rain to pour d own in to rrents, C
P' 104:19-23 he bri ngs all men's strivi ngs to a standstill
so that each must acknowledge his ha nd at work.
All the beasts go back to th eir de ns,
taking shelter in the ir lairs.
T he storm wind comes fro m the Mansion of the South,
9:9 a nd the north winds ushe r in the co ld .«
God breathes, a nd the ice is th ere,
the su rface of the waters freeze s over.
FIRST SP EEC H
9:2
J ob must bow to the creator's wisdom
38
G o 1: 1
4 1 Then from the heart of the tempest a Ya hweh gave J ob his answer. Jr 10:12
He said :
g. A fte r his explana tion of the ways of G od. Elih u d. T he ' M a nsio n of th e So ut h' , cr. 9:9: lit. th e
pro ceed s to a eulo gy o n his power and wisdom . Same (ma nsio n' , o r sto rehouse (d. 38:22 : Ps 135:7) of the
pr oced ure in R m 11:33. h urr ica ne. which is a so ut herly wind. T he ' nort h winds ' ;
h. T he clouds. ' nourishes' corr. : 'j udges' Hebr. lit. ' the scauerers'.
i. 'A nd who' Svr .
I. T he stor m . T he clouds, God's 'te nt', ga ther as
the thu nder , 't he vo ice' of Ya hwe h, ro a rs ; they descend e. Te xt corr . (lit. 'hi s guidance makes them
and G od sho o ts the 'arr o w' of his light ni ng. Cf Ps 18: cha nge '); Hebr . 'a nd it (the lightning) t urns ro und and
9~ 1 4 ; 29; Ex 13:22 +; 19:16 +. ro und und er his guida nce' , T he rest of th e vers e is
k. ' the mist ' Ta rg. (lit. ' his smoke'); ' his light ' a lso co rrec ted .
Hebe . ' the to ps of the mountains ' corr.: ' th e ro ot s r. 'e art h's peo ples' , ' he desp at ch es them '; co rr .
of the sea ' He br. g. T he firma ment, the bra ze n summer sk y.
I. ' he gathe rs up ' cor r. : 'he covers' H ebr. h. Th e seco nd line, o bscure in th is co ntex t, reads
m. Tex t carr. ' we sha ll hol d no d iscussion by reason of darkness ' .
3 7 a . 'h is thunderbolts"- corr. : ' he doe s not chec k i , ' brightness' corr.
t hem ' Hebr. I. Lit. ' to him (is ow ed) th e reverence' G reek , Svr.:
10 b. Li ne ca rr. Hebr. ' G od thu nders wo nd rously ' he do es not sec' Hebr.
wit h his vo ice' . 38 a . Th e fa miliar description of th eophan y, e voki ng
c . 'po ur do wn in to rre nts' ca rr. (li t. ' be stro ng'); th e ove rw helming power of Go d, cf. Ps 18:7- 15 ; 50:3;
'his strength ' Hebr. N a 1:3 ; Ezk 1:4, cf. Ex 13:22 + ; 19:16+.
 3 8:2 JOB 772 773 JOB 39:6
42:3 Who is this obscuring my designs
Jd1 8:12 and gives birth to the frost of heaven,
Is 40: 13 with his empty-headed word s? 30 when the waters grow hard m as stone
Brace yourself like a fighter ;" and the surface of the deep congeals?
now it is my turn to ask questions an d yours to inform me.
Is 40:12 Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations? 31 Can you fasten the harness of the Pleiades, 9:9+
P s 19:1f
or untie Orion's band s? A m 5:8
Tell me, since you ar e so well-informed!
Zc 1:16 Who decided the d imensions of it, do you kno w? 32 Ca n you guide the morning star season by season
Or who stretched the measur ing line across it? and show the Bear and its cubs which way to go?"
I) 20: 7 +
Psfl 5:6 ;
What supports its pillars at thei r bases? 33 Have you grasped the celestial laws? ~
J 1l:{:2 2 Who laid its corn erstone Could you make their writ run on the earth?
Ezr 3: 10
Ps 19: I f :
when all the stars of the morning were singing with joy, 34 Can your voice carry as far as the clouds
14X:2-3
Ba 3:34
and the Sons of God in chorus were chanting praise? and make the pent-up waters do your bidding ? 0
zc 4:7 Who ' pent up the sea behind closed doors 35 Will lightn ing flashes come at your com mand Jd1 9:6
2 M 9:X
Ps 33:7
when it leapt tum ultuous out of the womb, and answer, 'Here we are'? Ba 3:35

when I wra pped it in a robe of mist 36 Who gave the ibis wisdom
a nd made black clo uds its swaddl ing ba nds; and endowed the cock with forek nowledge?>
when I marked the bounds it was not to cross 10 37 Whose skill details every cloud
and made it fast with a bolted gate? and tilts the flasks of heaven
7:12 + Come thus far, I said, and no farther : 11 38 until the soil cakes into a solid mass
Ps 65:7 ;
104:6-9 here your pro ud waves shall break." an d clods of eart h cohe re together?
Pr 8:29
Ps 57:8 Have you ever in your life given orders to the morning 12 39 Do you find a prey for the lioness" Ps 104 :2<f-22

or sent the dawn to its post, and satisfy the hunger of her whelps
telling it to grasp the ea rt h by its edges 13 40 when they cro uch in their dens
a nd shake the wicked out of it, and lurk in their lairs?
when it cha nges the earth' to sealing clay 14 41 Who ma kes provision for the raven
and dyes it as a ma n dyes clothes; when his sq uabs cry ou t to God Ps 147:9
24: 13-17 stea ling the light fro m wicked men! 15 and crane their necks in hunger? r
a nd breaki ng the arm raised to strik e?
Ha ve you journeyed all the way to the sources of the sea,'
or walked where the Abyss is deepest?
16
1
39 Do you know how mountain goats give birt h,«
or have you ever watched the hinds in labour?
H ow many months do they carry thei r you ng?
Have you been shown the gates of Death 17 At what time do they give birth?
10:21-22 or met the janitors of Shadowland?" They crouch to drop their young ,
Have you an inklin g of the extent of th e earth? IX and let their burdens fall in the open desert;"
Tell me all abo ut it if you have! 4 and when the calves have grown and gathered strength
Which is the way to the hom e of the light,' 19 they leave them, never to ret urn.
and where does darkness live?
Who gave the wild don key his freedom, 11:12
Yo u could then show them the way to the ir pro per places, 20
or put them on the pat hi to where they live! and untied the rope from his prou d neck?'
If you know a ll th is, yo u must have been born with them, 21 I have given him the desert as a home,
you must be very o ld by now! the salt plains as his own hab itat ,
Ps 147: 17
Si 43 :13 Have you ever visited the place where the snow is kept, 22
b. ' like a fighter' Syr., Tar a.: 'like a man ' He br. m. 'h ard ' coer.
or seen where the hail is stored up, So also in 40:7. Th e sit ua tion is rever sed : Ya hwe h n. ' the mo rn ing star', tr anslation conj . (V ulg ,
Ex 9: 18-2 6 now at tacks, and cha llenges J ob. 'L ucifer'). T hose constella tions men tioned a re thou ght
Jos 10:1 1 which I keep for times of stress, 23
c. A Question (wi th v ule.). to affec t the seasons, v, 33, and to produce the sto rm
for days of battle a nd war? d. 's ha ll break ' G reek, v ula. rai ns , vv. 34-35.
Is 2X:17; 30: e . Li t. 'It ( the earth) is ch an ged '. The 'clay' is fed o. 'do yo ur bidd ing' corr. : 'cove r you ' He br.
30 From which dir ection does the lightn ing fork 24
in colour . 'dye s it' corr. p. Two creatures credit ed with foresi ght: the ibis
when it scatters sparks- over the earth? f. N o t the light of d ay : n ight is th eir 'li ght', her ald s th e fiooclin g of the N ile, th e cock pro cla ims
Who ca rves a channel for the downpo ur, 25 cf,2 4:13f, the dawn .
K. T he springs fro m which, it was th oug ht , the seas q . Fro m inanim at e na ture to the ani ma l kingdom.
and hacks a way for the rolling thu nder, were supp lied . T he fiercest and wildest speci es. an d also the most
so that rain may fall on lands where no one lives, 26 h. 'th e j anitor~' G ree k; 'the gates ' Hebr . "Shadow- bizarr e, are selected . Go d provides for them all.
land' is Sheol , N b 16:33 +. On ' th e ga tes of Deat h ' , r , Lit. ' ra ise themselves up (corr. 'wander' Hebr.)
a nd the deserts void of huma n dwelling , a. Is 38: 10 ; Ps<l: 13; 107: 18 ; Ws 16: 13. fo r want of food ' .
giving dri nk to the lonely wastes 27 I. Thought of as a subs ta nce dis tin ct from sun or 39 a. Li ne ca rr. The wild goa ts an d the hinds are
mo on , cf. Gn 1:3. selected beca use their breeding goes unobserved and
a nd making grass spring where everything was dry?' J. ' put them on the pat h' ca rr . (lit. ' ta ke them back unca red for excep t by Go d : so too though the os tr ich.
Has the rain a father? 28 by the pa ths') ; 't hat you ma y discer n the pa ths' He br. v. 14. ca re lessly a bandons its eggs , God sees to it that
k. 'spa rks' corr. : 'eas t wind' Hebr , the breed does not become extinct .
Who begets the dewd rops? I, Lit. 'out of the dry ground' ca rr. Vv. 26· 27 b. 'to drop (their young)" corr. 'in the open
What womb brings for th the ice, 29 emphasise the ab undant generosity of God, or possib ly desert' tra nsposed from v, 4a .
his care for crea tur es other than man. c. Li t. 'loosed the bond s of the br ayer ' .
 39:7 JOB 774 JO B 4° :22
775
He scorns the turmoil of the town : 3
33 Job replied to Yahweh:
there are no shouts from a driver for him to listen for. 4
T he mountains a re the pastures that he ra nges 34 My words have been frivolous: what can I repl y?
in quest of an y type of green blade or lea f. I had better lay my finger on my lips.
5 Ps 62:11
35 I have spoken onc e I will not speak again;"
Is the wild ox willing to serve you more than once I will add nothing.
or spend a night beside your mange r?
If you tie a rope round his neck 10
will he harrow the furrows for you?" S ECO ND SPEECH ~
))
Ca n you rely on his massive strength 11
and leave him to do your heavy work? God is master of the forces of evil
Ca n you depend on him to come home 12 Ya hweh gave J ob his answer from the heart of the tempest. He said:
carrying your grain to your threshi ng-floo r?' Jd! 8:12
Brace yourself like a fighter,
/C an the wing of the ostrich ' be compared IJ now it is my turn to ask questi on s an d yours to inform me.
with the plumage of the stork or falcon? Do you really want to reverse my judgemen t,
She leaves her eggs on the ground 14 and put me in the wrong to put yourself in the right?
with on ly earth to warm them; Has your arm the strength of God's,
forgettin g that a foo t may tread on them 15 can your voice thunder as loud?
or a wild beast may crush them . 10
5
If so, assume your dignity, your stat e,
Lm 4:3
C ruel to her chicks as if they were not hers, 16 robe yourself in majesty and splend ou r.
little she cares if her labour goes for no thi ng. 11
6
Let the spate of your anger flow free;
God, you see, has made her unwise, 17 humiliate the haughty at a glanc e!
a nd given her no share of common sense . 12
;'
Cas t one look at the proud and bri ng them low,
Yet, if she bestirs herself to use her height, 18 strike down the wicked where t hey stan d .
13 Nb 16:31-34
she can make fools of horse and rider too . 8
Bur y the lot of them in the ground,
shut them , silent-faced, in the du ngeon ."
Arc you the one who makes the horse- so brave 19 14
9
I myself will be the first to acknowledge
and covers his neck with flowing hair? that your own right ha nd can ass ure your triumph.
Do yo u ma ke him lea p like a grassho pper? 20
His proud neighing spreads ter ror far and wide. Behemoth'
Exultantly he paws t he soil of t he valley, 21 15
10 Now th ink of Behemoth ;
and pra nces eage rly to meet the clash of arms. he eats gree nstuff like the ox.
He lau ghs at fear ; he is afra id of nothing, 22 16
11
But what strengt h he has in his loins,
he reco ils before no sword . wha t power in his sto mach muscles!
O n his back the qui ver ratt les, 23 17
11 His tail is as stiff as a cedar,
the 'flashing spea r a nd javelin. the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.
Quive ring with impatience, he eats up the miles ; 24 18
13 His vertebrae are bro nze tubing,
when the trumpet so unds, there is no holding him. his bon es as hard as ha mmered iron.
At eac h tr umpet blast he shouts 'H ur rah! ' 25 19
14 fHe is the masterpi ece ' of all God's work,
Gn 3:24
He scents the ba tt le fro m afar, but his Maker threatened him with the sword ,
hearing the thu nderi ng of chiefs, the shout ing. 20
15 for bidding him the mountain region s
Jr 8:7 where all the wild beasts have their playground.
Doe s the hawk tak e flight on your adv ice 26 21 So he lies beneath the lotus,
when he spreads his wings to travel south ?' 16
a.nd hides am ong the reeds in the swamps.
Does t he eagle soar at your command 27 22 The leaves of the lotus give him shad e,
to make her eyrie in the heights? 17
the willows by the stream shelter him .
She spends her nights amo ng the crags 28
with a n unclimbed peak as her redoubt d. Co ni. translat ion in accor dance with Greek.
e . Ito your thre shin g-flo or ' corr. c. 'speak again' corr.; 'a nswer ' Hebr.
from which she watc hes for prey, 29 f. T he who le sect io n on the ostrich. vv , 13-18. is d. Lit. 'make du mb (corr. : 'bi nd' Hebr.) t heir fac es
fixing it with her far-ra nging eye. absent fro m Greek. in th e hidden pla ce'. T he 'h idden p lace' is She ol ,
M1 24 :2Hp g. ' win g' corr. Remainder of verse follows Vulg , Nb 16:33 + . where th e Sha des are dumb.
She feeds! her you ng on bloo d: 30 h. Here the war horse. c. I n Heb r., apparent ly. the typ ica l ' beast ' or
wherever men fall dying, there she is. i. Migra tion. proof of the in stinctive wisdom ' bru te": but the nam e may co me fro m the Egyptian
infused by th e C rea tor. ( neti emu, t he ox of th e wate rs) . A description of the

40 Then Ya hweh tu rned to Job, and he said:« 1

Jd .8:. 2
Is Shadda i's oppo nent willing to give in?"
Has God's critic tho ught up an answer?
31
I. 'S he feeds' ca rr.
40 a . T his introd uc tory ver se is ab sen t from G ree k .
Jo b had wa nted de bate wi th G od. God con fr o nt s h im
hi ppopo tam us, typ ifyin g unt ameable brute force ; only
it s creator can mast er it.
f . VV. 19-20 are co rrected and their translation is
2
31 with t he myst ery of his wisdom. manifest in his work s. coni.
b. 'opponen t' carr. (lit. ' he who d isp utes ') . ' give g. Lit. ' the first- fruits ' i.e . 'first' in t he o rde r of
in' Yulg. : ' criticise (1) him ' Hebr. ad miration (somewhat iron ical) .
 4° :23 JOB 77 6 777 JOB 4 2: 7
23 18
Should the river overflow on him, why should he worry ? /8 17 Sword ma y str ike him, but can not pierce him ;
A Jo rda n could pour down his throat wit hout his car ing. no more can spear , javel in or lance .
24 19
So who is going to catch him by the eyes IY 18 Ir on means no more to hi m than straw,
or driv e a peg through his nostrils?" nor bronze th an rotten wood.
20
19 Th e arrow does not ma ke him run,
Leviathan- sling stones he treats as wisps of hay.
Is 27:1 25
Ezk 32:2 Leviathan, too! Ca n yo u ca tch him with a fish-ho ok ]0
21
20 A club strikes him like a reed,
or run a line ro und his tongue? he laughs at the whirring jave lin.
Ezk 19:4,9; 26
)I 29:4 Ca n you put a ri ng th rough his nose 2/
22
21 He has sha rp potsherds underneath, ~
or pierce his jaw with a hook? and mo ves acro ss the slime like a harrow.
27
Will he plead and plead with you , 22
23
22 He churns the depths int o a seething ca uld ron,
will he coax you with smooth words? he ma kes the sea fum e like a scent bu rner.
28
Will he strike a ba rgain with you 23
24
23 Behind him he leaves a glitt ering wa ke-
to become yo ur sla ve for life? a whit e fleece seems to float on the deeps.'
29
Will you make a pet of him, like a bird , 24
25
24 He has no equal on ear th,
keep him on a lead to amuse your ma ids? being created without fea r.
30
Is he to be sold by the fishing guild/ 25
26
25 He looks the haughtiest in the eye ;
and then retai led by merchants? of all th e sons of pride- he is th e king.
31
R iddle his hide wit h da rts? 26
Prod his head with a harpoon? Job's final answer
Yo u have only to lay a finger on him
never to forget the struggle or risk it again!
32
27 1 42 This was the answer Job gave to Yah weh:
1 1 know that you are all-powerful:
41 "Any hopes you might have would prove vain ,
for the mere sight of him would stagger you .
When roused , he grows ferocious ,
28
what yo u co nceive, you can per form.
1 am th e man who obscured you r designs 38:2

no one can face him in a fight. with my empty-headed wor ds."

Jdt 8:12
Rm 11:35
Who can attack him with impunity? 1 have been holding fort h on matters 1 cannot understand,
No one benea th all heaven. on marve ls beyond me an d my knowledge.
4 4 (Listen, 1 have mo re to say,
Next I will talk of his limbs " 3
now it is my turn to as k qu estion s a nd yours to inform me.) >
and describe his matchless strength.
1 knew you then only by hearsay ;
Who ca n un loos e the fron t of his coat
but no w, having seen yo u with my own eyes, "
or pierce the double armo ur of his breastplate?«
6 1 retract all 1 have said,
Who da re open the gates of his mouth? 5
and in dust and ashes 1 repent. d
Terror dwells in those rows of teeth!
H is back is like rows of shields,
sealed with a seal of stone," V. EPI LOGU E
touching each other so close
that not a breath could pass between; Yahweh rebukes the three Sages
sticki ng to one another 9
s
When Yahweh had said all this to Job, he turned to Eliphaz of Teman.
to make an indivis ible whole .
10 '1 burn with anger against you and your two friends' he said 'for not speaking
When he sneezes, light lea ps for th,' 9
his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn. b. 'Who is' added . 'a peg" translation conf.
II i. T he name . in its strict sense, indica tes a"mons ter
F ro m his mouth come fiery torches, }()
of primeval C haos. 3:8 +. bel ieved still to be livi ng in h. When he dive s the a ir bubbles rise; as he swims
sparks of fire fly out of it. the ocean . Here it is used of th e crocodile. tho ugh th e he leaves a gleam ing fu rrow .
R v 9: 17 12 description st ill bears traces of the primeval monster i. Th e 'sons of prid e' arc the wild beasts. cf. 28:8.
H is nostrils belch smoke 1/ which Ya hwe h subdued . cf. 7:12 + , a nd wh ich symbol - type of the powerful cre atures of the earth which G od
like a cauldron boiling on the fireJ ised a ll powe rs hostil e to God . The crocodile is itself a a lone can con tro l, 40:7-14.
His breath could kindle coals, 13 sym bol of Egypt in Ezk 29:3f; 32:2f. 42 a . ' I am the man who ', lit. 'Who is. t his who ' as
/2 j , Li t. ' part ners ' i. e. teams of fishermen . The sa le in 38:2. ' with words' add ed with G reek , Svr., and
so hot a flame issues from his mouth, wou ld indeed be p remature . 'merchan ts'. lit. 'Ca- cr. 38:2 .
Strength has made a home in his neck, 14 naanites', the mer chants of the East. b. Probably a gloss, cf. 33:31: 38:3.
J)
41 a . T he text ofvv. 1-3 is corrected. c. Not , stri ctly speaking. a vision . cf. Ex 33:20 + .
fear lea ps before him as he goes . b. ' N ext, 1 will talk of his limbs'; line corr. bu t a fre sh appreciation of the true nature of God .
When he stands up, the waves themselves take fright , 17 c. ' breas tplate' Greek; ' b ridle' Heb e. Previously Job's conception of God had been conven-
/6 d. ' H is back' Greek, v ute. : ' pride ' Hebr. 'sea led tional and seco nd hand, but now he experiences the
the billows of the sea retreat. o with a sea l of stone' cor r. fo llowing Greek . mystery fo r himself and bows down before t he AI-
Th e folds of his flesh stick together, 15 e. A shower of water drops, shi ning in the sun . mighty. His q uestions hav e not been answered but he
/4 f. Li t. ' like a heate d a nd boilin g cau ld ro n': ' bo iling' has come to understan d that God cannot be called to
firmly set in it, immovable. Syr .. vuia . ac count. and that his wisdom may give an unsuspected
His heart is as hard as rock 16 e. Verse tra nspose d here fo r t he sake of th e co ntext. mea ning to suc h realities as suffering a nd dea t h.
15 'waves' co rr.: 'go ds' Hebr, ' the billows' of the sea d. The common gesture of sorrow and repe n ta nce
unyielding as a millstone. co rr. : 'because of the crashing' Hebr. cr. 2:8.
fl
77 8
I 42 :8 J OB
truthfully about me as my servant Job has done. -So now find seven bullocks 8
and seven rams, and take them back with you to my servant Job and offer a
holocaust for yourselves, while Job, my servant, offers prayers for you. I will
listen to him with favour' and excuse your folly in not speaking of me properly
as my servant Job has done.' -E liphaz of Ternan, Bildad of Shuah and Zop har 9
of Naamath went away to do as Yahweh had ordered, and Yahweh listened to
Job with favour.
Yahweh restores Job's fortunes INTRODUCTION TO lr
I I I Ps 103;4
Yahweh restored Job' s fortun es, because he had prayed for his friends. 10

~
Jm 5:11
More than that, Yahweh gave him double what he had before. And all his
brot hers and all his sisters and all his friends of former times came to see him
and sat down at table with him. They showed him every sympathy, and
comforted him for all the evils Yahweh had inflicted on him. Each of them gave
him a silver coin,! and each a gold ring. Yahweh blessed Job's new fort une
0 12
even more than his first one. He came to own fourt een thousand sheep, six
tho usand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thou sand she-donkeys. He had
Ps 144:12
seven sons ' and three daug hters; - his first daughter he called 'Turtledove', the
second 'Cassia' and the third 'Mascara'. -Th roughout the land there were no
women as beautiful as the da ughters of Job. And their father gave them
inheritance rights like their brothe rs. h
After his trials, Job lived on until he was a hundre d and forty years old, and
Ps 128:6 saw his children and his children' s children up to the fourth generation . -Then
G o 25:8 ; 35:
29 Job died, an old man and full of days.'
0 II THE PSALMS
Lyric poetry in all its forms was popular in Israel from the earliest times ,
as it was among her neighbou rs in Egypt, Meso potamia and Canaan . Some
samples are to be fou nd in the historical books: the Song of Moses , Ex IS,
0 13
the Song of the Well, Nb 21:17-18, the victory song of Deborah, Jg 5, David's
14
15
elegy o n Saul and Jonathan, 2 S I etc., and many year s later th e panegyric of
Judas Maccabaeus, I M 3:3-9, and of his brother Simon, I M 14:4-15; in the
New Testament, the Magnificat, Bened ictu s an d Nunc Dimittis. In the prophetic
16 books many passages belong to the same type of literature. Ancient collections
17 onc e existed of which only th e name or a few scraps surviv e: th e Book of the
War s of Yahweh, Nb 21: 14, and th e Book of th e J ust, Jo s 10: 13; 2 S 1:18.
But th e bulk of th e religi ou s po etr y of Israe l is pres erved in the Psalter.

Designatio n
T he Psalter (Greek, Psalterion, th e string-instrument used for the accom-
paniment of th ese songs or psalms) is a collection of on e hund red and fifty
psalm s. From Ps 10 to Ps 148 th e numbering of th e Hebrew Bible (ado pted
here) is on e figure ahead of the Greek and th e Vulga te which join 9 and 10 an d
also 114 an d liS, but divide both 116 an d 147 into two.
T he Hebrew name for the Psalter is Tehillim, ' Hymns', but thi s designation
fits only a certain number of psalms. In th e 'inscriptions' at the head of most
of the psalms th e word 'hymn' is in fact used only once (Ps 145). The usual
inscription is mizmor, which implies musi cal acco mpaniment ; our word 'psalm'
is therefore apt. Some of these 'psalms' ar e also entitled 'songs' , and thi s
term, sta nding alone, is found in the inscription of every psalm in th e collection
known as th e 'S ongs of Ascents', 120-134. Other designations are less frequent
an d sometimes difficult to explain.

Literary forms
A more satisfying classification is obta ined by stu dy of th e variou s literary
typ es of which there are, broadly speaking, th ree: hymn, ent reaty, th anksgiving.
Th e classification is no t exhaustive since th ere are secondary fo rms which are
exceptional or composite ; nor does it always co rresp ond to a grouping of the
42 e. Tex t Carr . Job acts as intercessor like Abr a ha m . h. No rma lly da ughters inh erit o nly i f th er e a re no
Gn J 8:22-32 ; 20:7: Moses. Ex 32: 11+ : Sa mue l. 1 S 7:5 ; so ns, cr. Nb 27: 1- 11; Job m ust th er efo re be exception- psalms by subject-matter or purpose.
12:19: A mos . Am 7:2-6 : Jeremi ah . Jr 11:14; 37:3: ally rich .
2 M 15:14 . cr. Ezk 14: 14,20 . His painful ord ea l has i. T he G reek h as two ad d itio ns. T he firs t sho ws
apparently given powe r to his prayers. The o utli ne of that fro m a very early pe riod Jb was th o ught to co nta in I. Hymns (Ps 8, 19, 29, 33, 46-48, 76, 84, 87, 93, 96- 100, 103-106, 113, 114,
the serva nt (cr . Is 53:12) is in the ba ckg ro und. the the idea of resur rect ion ' It is writte n th at he will rise
sufferi ng of th e lat ter exp licitly atoning fo r ot hers . a ga in wit h those who m (he Lo rd will ra ise up ' . The 117, 122, 135, 136, 145-150). Their structure is fairly uniform. Eac h opens with
r. Heb r . oesl tah , ancie nt mo ne ta ry unit of un kn o wn seco nd tells us that Jo t lived ' in the land of Ausitis o n
an invitation to praise God. The body of the hymn ind icate s motiv es for praise ,
val ue. T he vers io ns render 'sn eec ' . the bo rd ers of Id umaea a nd A ra bia' : it iden tifies
8 . Targ , reads <fourtee n sons' . Aus it is with Jobab, G o 36:33. the wonders of God as shown in nature, particularly in his work of creation,