HarperCollins Study Bible, page 202
And did not one fashion us in the womb?
16“If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,
or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17or have eaten my morsel alone,
and the orphan has not eaten from it—
18for from my youth I reared the orphanb like a father,
and from my mother’s womb I guided the widowc—
19if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
or a poor person without covering,
20whose loins have not blessed me,
and who was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21if I have raised my hand against the orphan,
because I saw I had supporters at the gate;
22then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
and let my arm be broken from its socket.
23For I was in terror of calamity from God,
and I could not have faced his majesty.
24“If I have made gold my trust,
or called fine gold my confidence;
25if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,
or because my hand had gotten much;
26if I have looked at the sund when it shone,
or the moon moving in splendor,
27and my heart has been secretly enticed,
and my mouth has kissed my hand;
28this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
for I should have been false to God above.
29“If I have rejoiced at the ruin of those who hated me,
or exulted when evil overtook them—
30I have not let my mouth sin
by asking for their lives with a curse—
31if those of my tent ever said,
‘O that we might be sated with his flesh!’a—
32the stranger has not lodged in the street;
I have opened my doors to the traveler—
33if I have concealed my transgressions as others do,b
by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34because I stood in great fear of the multitude,
and the contempt of families terrified me,
so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—
35O that I had one to hear me!
(Here is my signature! Let the Almightyc answer me!)
O that I had the indictment written by my adversary!
36Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
I would bind it on me like a crown;
37I would give him an account of all my steps;
like a prince I would approach him.
38“If my land has cried out against me,
and its furrows have wept together;
39if I have eaten its yield without payment,
and caused the death of its owners;
40let thorns grow instead of wheat,
and foul weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
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a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
b Heb him
c Heb her
d Heb the light
e Meaning of Heb uncertain
f Or as Adam did
g Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
31.1–40 This chapter has ten abbreviated oaths and three full ones.
31.1 This allusion to a virgin probably pertains to a specific one, the virgin goddess Anat of Canaanite mythology. Idolatry, not lust, is the offense.
31.5–40 Similar confessions of innocence are found in Egyptian liturgical texts. Unlike customary curse formulas, Job’s oath of innocence mentions the consequences of sinful action, thus abandoning the psychological effect of an unstated curse.
31.10 That the wife suffers for her husband’s crime accords with the ancient proprietary notion of marriage. In the Testament of Job (a work of the Second Temple period; see Introduction) his wife, named Sitis, works as a water carrier and even sells her hair to Satan to buy bread for herself and her ailing husband. The verb grind has sexual overtones (cf. the Samson narrative in rabbinic interpretation), as the parallel kneel over shows.
31.15 Biblical proverbs affirm this belief that rich and poor have a single maker (cf. Prov 22.2; 29.13).
31.27 My mouth has kissed my hand, lit. “my hand has kissed my mouth,” may allude to the Babylonian expression for a liturgical gesture of obeisance in which the hand touches the nose.
31.31 Sated with his flesh, perhaps an expression for homosexual abuse.
31.32 Hospitality to the resident alien was an important obligation in the ancient world.
31.35 Signature, lit. taw, the final letter in the Hebrew alphabet, signifying an identifying mark like our “X.” Literacy was not extensive in the ancient world.
31.36 The prophet Habakkuk speaks in 2.2 of displaying the anticipated vision in a way that it can be read rapidly, and Isa 22.22 refers to a key worn on Eliakim’s shoulder as a sign of authority.
31.40 The Hebrew word for ended is cognate with that for “integrity.” Despite this claim that Job will speak no more, he does so twice, in 40.3–5 and 42.1–6.
JOB 32
Elihu Rebukes Job’s Friends
1So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became angry. He was angry at Job because he justified himself rather than God; 3he was angry also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, though they had declared Job to be in the wrong.d 4Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job, because they were older than he. 5But when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouths of these three men, he became angry.
6Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite answered:
“I am young in years,
and you are aged;
therefore I was timid and afraid
to declare my opinion to you.
7I said, ‘Let days speak,
and many years teach wisdom.’
8But truly it is the spirit in a mortal,
the breath of the Almighty,c that makes for understanding.
9It is not the olde that are wise,
nor the aged that understand what is right.
10Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
let me also declare my opinion.’
11“See, I waited for your words,
I listened for your wise sayings,
while you searched out what to say.
12I gave you my attention,
but there was in fact no one that confuted Job,
no one among you that answered his words.
13Yet do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;
God may vanquish him, not a human.’
14He has not directed his words against me,
and I will not answer him with your speeches.
15“They are dismayed, they answer no more;
they have not a word to say.
16And am I to wait, because they do not speak,
because they stand there, and answer no more?
17I also will give my answer;
I also will declare my opinion.
18For I am full of words;
the spirit within me constrains me.
19My heart is indeed like wine that has no vent;
like new wineskins, it is ready to burst.
20I must speak, so that I may find relief;
I must open my lips and answer.
21I will not show partiality to any person
or use flattery toward anyone.
22For I do not know how to flatter—
or my Maker would soon put an end to me!
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a Another ancient tradition reads answer, and had put God in the wrong
b Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
c Gk Syr Vg: Heb many
32.2 Elihu has impeccable credentials; according to Gen 22.21 “Buz” was a son of Abraham’s brother Nahor. Furthermore, in Hebrew the name Barachel means “El blesses” or “bless El,” and Elihu means “He is my God” (cf. Isa 41.4, “I am He”).
32.14 Elihu actually quotes earlier speeches.
JOB 33
Elihu Rebukes Job
1“But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
2See, I open my mouth;
the tongue in my mouth speaks.
3My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
4The spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almightya gives me life.
5Answer me, if you can;
set your words in order before me; take your stand.
6See, before God I am as you are;
I too was formed from a piece of clay.
7No fear of me need terrify you;
my pressure will not be heavy on you.
8“Surely, you have spoken in my hearing,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
9You say, ‘I am clean, without transgression;
I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me.
10Look, he finds occasions against me,
he counts me as his enemy;
11he puts my feet in the stocks,
and watches all my paths.’
12“But in this you are not right. I will answer you:
God is greater than any mortal.
13Why do you contend against him,
saying, ‘He will answer none of myb words’?
14For God speaks in one way,
and in two, though people do not perceive it.
15In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on mortals,
while they slumber on their beds,
16then he opens their ears,
and terrifies them with warnings,
17that he may turn them aside from their deeds,
and keep them from pride,
18to spare their souls from the Pit,
their lives from traversing the River.
19They are also chastened with pain upon their beds,
and with continual strife in their bones,
20so that their lives loathe bread,
and their appetites dainty food.
21Their flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen;
and their bones, once invisible, now stick out.
22Their souls draw near the Pit,
and their lives to those who bring death.
23Then, if there should be for one of them an angel,
a mediator, one of a thousand,
one who declares a person upright,
24and he is gracious to that person, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the Pit;
I have found a ransom;
25let his flesh become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’
26then he prays to God, and is accepted by him,
he comes into his presence with joy,
and Godc repays him for his righteousness.
27That person sings to others and says,
‘I sinned, and perverted what was right,
and it was not paid back to me.
28He has redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,
and my life shall see the light.’
29“God indeed does all these things,
twice, three times, with mortals,
30to bring back their souls from the Pit,
so that they may see the light of life.a
31Pay heed, Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32If you have anything to say, answer me;
speak, for I desire to justify you.
33If not, listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
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a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
b Compare Gk: Heb his
c Heb he
d Syr: Heb to be lighted with the light of life
33.1 Only Elihu addresses Job by name.
33.23 Do these images of a kind intercessor suggest a patron deity who pleaded one’s case before the great God? An intercessory angel appears in 1 Enoch 9.3; 15.2 and the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, e.g., T. Levi 3.5–10.
JOB 34
Elihu Proclaims God’s Justice
1Then Elihu continued and said:
2“Hear my words, you wise men,
and give ear to me, you who know;
3for the ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.
4Let us choose what is right;
let us determine among ourselves what is good.
5For Job has said, ‘I am innocent,
and God has taken away my right;
6in spite of being right I am counted a liar;
my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7Who is there like Job,
who drinks up scoffing like water,
8who goes in company with evildoers
and walks with the wicked?
9For he has said, ‘It profits one nothing
to take delight in God.’
10“Therefore, hear me, you who have sense,
far be it from God that he should do wickedness,
and from the Almightyb that he should do wrong.
11For according to their deeds he will repay them,
and according to their ways he will make it befall them.
12Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
and the Almightyb will not pervert justice.
13Who gave him charge over the earth
and who laid on himc the whole world?
14If he should take back his spiritd to himself,
and gather to himself his breath,
15all flesh would perish together,
and all mortals return to dust.
16“If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17Shall one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn one who is righteous and mighty,
18who says to a king, ‘You scoundrel!’
and to princes, ‘You wicked men!’
19who shows no partiality to nobles,
nor regards the rich more than the poor,
for they are all the work of his hands?
20In a moment they die;
at midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.
21“For his eyes are upon the ways of mortals,
and he sees all their steps.
22There is no gloom or deep darkness
where evildoers may hide themselves.
23For he has not appointed a timee for anyone
to go before God in judgment.
24He shatters the mighty without investigation,
and sets others in their place.
25Thus, knowing their works,
he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26He strikes them for their wickedness
while others look on,
27because they turned aside from following him,
and had no regard for any of his ways,
28so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and he heard the cry of the afflicted—
29When he is quiet, who can condemn?
When he hides his face, who can behold him,
whether it be a nation or an individual?—
30so that the godless should not reign,
or those who ensnare the people.
31“For has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured punishment; I will not offend any more;
32teach me what I do not see;
if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
33Will he then pay back to suit you,
because you reject it?
For you must choose, and not I;
therefore declare what you know.a
34Those who have sense will say to me,
and the wise who hear me will say,
35‘Job speaks without knowledge,
his words are without insight.’
36Would that Job were tried to the limit,
because his answers are those of the wicked.
37For he adds rebellion to his sin;
he claps his hands among us,
and multiplies his words against God.”
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a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
b Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
c Heb lacks on him
d Heb his heart his spirit
e Cn: Heb yet
f Meaning of Heb of verses 29-33 uncertain
34.1–9 The word mishpat (right) occurs here three times.
34.2 Elihu uses a teacher’s opening summons to get listeners to pay attention.
34.11 Despite Job’s effective refutation of the retributive scheme, it persists in Elihu’s thought.
34.14–15 An echo of Gen 2.7; 3.19.
JOB 35
Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness
1Elihu continued and said:
2“Do you think this to be just?
You say, ‘I am in the right before God.’
3If you ask, ‘What advantage have I?
How am I better off than if I had sinned?’
4I will answer you
and your friends with you.
5Look at the heavens and see;
observe the clouds, which are higher than you.
6If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7If you are righteous, what do you give to him;
or what does he receive from your hand?
8Your wickedness affects others like you,
and your righteousness, other human beings.
9“Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out;
