Jó 36
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Jó 36:1-16
36:2 "Wait for me a little while" This is a Piel IMPERATIVE (BDB 509, KB 506). The Hebrew root normally means "to surround" but in Syrian it means "to wait." ▣ "I will show you" This is a Piel IMPERFECT (BDB 296, KB 295) used in a COHORTATIVE sense. This verse is a literary way for Elihu to express his desire that Job hear him (cf. Job 33:1b; 34:2,10,16; 37:14). Elihu is arrogantly asserting he, and he alone, really has true wisdom (cf. Job 36:4b; 33:3-4) and is speaking for God! 36:3a This may be idiomatic for Elihu gathering information about God from a variety of places God Himself (see same word used in Ps. 139:2) Therefore, it becomes an assertion of his complete and full knowledge of God. 36:3b Elihu asserts that he can substantiate that God is just and fair, which Job has denied. ▣ "my Maker" The MT (BDB 821, KB 950, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE) asserts God as creator of human beings (i.e. Genesis 2). A synonymous title was used in Job 35:10 (BDB 793 I, KB 889, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE). 36:4a This implies that Job's words, also as well as his three comforters' words, are false! Only Elihu has true and complete knowledge of God (Job 36:4b). He claims a unique illumination in Job 33:3. 36:5-16 Here is a list of the actions of God. God is mighty, Job 36:5a God despises no one, Job 36:5a God is mighty in understanding (lit. heart), Job 36:5b God destroys the wicked, Job 36:6a; kings also, Job 36:12-16 God gives justice to the afflicted, Job 36:6b God does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous, Job 36:7a God places kings on their thrones, Job 36:7b God instructs kings, Job 36:10a God commands they repent of evil, Job 36:8-10 God blesses obedient, repentant kings, Job 36:11 Though Elihu uses "kings," he is obviously referring to Job as a tribal elder or community elder (cf. Job 36:17-23). 36:5b "understanding" This is literally "heart." NJB accepts an emendation and reads, "whose heart is pure." The UBS Text Project (p. 123) gives the NASB translation of the MT a "B" rating (some doubt). The theological essence of this line of poetry is that God acts on His purposes and is resolute in accomplishing them. 36:6a This is the theology of "the two ways" (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28; 30:15,19; Psalm 1). Job has disagreed with this (cf. Job 9:24; 21:7). As Job is an exception, so too, the prosperous wicked! 36:7 The interpretive issue becomes, "Are there two groups in Job 36:7 or just one?" the righteous kings "Kings" seems out of place unless it is an allusion to Job's tribal/area leadership imagery of the righteous being treated as a king 36:8-11 Elihu asserts that the purpose of suffering may be to help turn back to God a faithful follower who has sinned (Job 36:15). This is the stated purpose of the "cursing" passages in the Mosaic Covenant (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30). 36:8 The concept of being bound by God (cf. Job 36:13) is a Hebrew idiom for judgment (i.e., Ps. 107:10; 149:8). The opposite idiom is "to set free" (cf. Ps. 146:7; Isa. 42:7; 49:9; 61:1). 36:10 "He opens their ear to instruction" This is a Hebrew idiom. God initiates revelation (cf. Job 33:16; 36:15); mankind can only respond to God's initiation. This is covenant (see SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT). Literally, the VERB is "uncovers" (BDB 162, KB 191, Qal IMPERFECT with waw, cf. Zech. 7:11). This is similar to the idiom of "circumcise your ears" (i.e., Jer. 6:10; Acts 7:51). ▣ "return from evil" This VERB (BDB 996, KB 1427, Qal IMPERFECT) is one of several Hebrew terms which denotes a change of spiritual direction. See SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (OT). Notice in Job 36:10 how the sovereign God reveals His will but calls on a human person to respond. This is the intersection of election and free will. Both are biblical; both are true; both are necessary. SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT 36:11-12 "If they hear and serve" This is the essence of the VERB shema (cf. Deut. 6:4-6), "to hear, so as to do" (cf. James 1:22-25). Notice the traditional "two ways" emphasis—repent and be prosperous and live a long life. 36:12a NASB, NKJV, NRSV, JPSOA, NIV "perish by the sword" "cross the stream" "go down the canal" "cross the river of death" "pass over the river of death" "perish by destruction" The Hebrew VERB (BDB 716, KB 778) means "to pass over" or "to pass through." It has a wide semantic field. However, it is often used in connection with death involving water – Ps. 88:16-17; 124:3-4; Jonah 2:4; Isa. 54:9 death – Job 33:18; 34:20; Ps. 37:36 However, the word "sword" (BDB 1019, cf. Job 15:22) gives the NASB, NKJV, NRSV, JPSOA textual support for their translation, "perish." 36:13 When the godless do not call out to God ("binds" them), but when the faithful do (God "delivers" them, cf. Job 36:15). The VERB in v. 13b is "He binds them" (BDB 63, KB 75, Qal PERFECT). The VERB "delivers" (BDB 322 I, KB 321, Piel IMPERFECT) in Job 36:15 denotes God saving/delivering from affliction, Job 36:15; Ps. 119:153 from calamity, Ps. 18:18-19 from trouble, Ps. 34:6-7; 50:15; 81:7; 91:15 from death, Ps. 56:13; 116:8 36:14b "among cult prostitutes" "among the perverted persons" "in shame" "disgrace" "among the male prostitutes of the temple" "the depraved" "male prostitutes" "my messengers" (angels) "snatched by famine" "male cultic prostitutes" The MT has "temple prostitute" (male, cf. Deut. 23:17; 1 Kgs. 14:24; 15:12; 22:46; 2 Kgs. 23:7). The FEMININE form is used in Deut. 23:17; Hos. 4:14. It is used of harlotry in general in Gen. 38:21-22. Temple prostitutes are associated with fertility worship (i.e., imitation magic). Exactly how Job would have known of this is uncertain. SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE 36:15-16 This is the key thought in the dialogues (Job 4-37). God delivers the afflicted who turn to Him. The new thought is that "affliction" itself is a tool to help sinners turn back to God (cf. Heb. 12:5-13).
Jó 36:17-23
36:16-20 Notice the statements of scholars. The AB (p. 233) says, "These verses are so difficult that many critics omit them in despair." The UBS Handbook (p. 665) says "Job 36:16-21 are extremely difficult to interpret and as Rowley says, ‘scarcely any two interpreters are agreed as to their meanings.'" NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 786, says, "It is uncertain whether Job is being accused, warned, or encouraged. It is also unclear by what means the sufferer is being (NIV), or was (RSV), or will be (Dhorme, 544-45) enticed. . ." 36:16a "from the mouth of distress" What powerful personification imagery! 36:16b,c These two lines of poetry draw on two Hebrew idioms. "a broad place" – this is the opposite of a tight, restricted place (i.e., trouble, pain, doubt, fear, etc); it comes from penned up animals being released into pasture (i.e., freedom from restrictions). The NOUN (BDB 931) occurs only here. "table full of fatness" – this is imagery for wonderful, boundless food (opposite of hunger and need) 36:17 I am not sure the NASB paragraphing is accurate here. It seems the fullness of plenty in Job 36:16 is contrasted with the fullness of judgment. Elihu is accusing Job of improper use of his wealth, influence, and position (i.e., Job 36:19). The other option is a warning not to think too highly of your case (i.e., Job's legal case, cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 4, p. 305) against God or the "ransom" (Job 33:24, which refers to the work of the angelic advocate). 36:18 Job 36:18 could be an IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense (NASB, "let. . .") just another IMPERFECT (this chapter has many) The word NASB translates as "ransom" (BDB 49) can also mean "bribe" (i.e., 1 Sam. 12:3; Pro. 6:35; Amos 5:12). 36:19 The NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 441, says the phrase, "the forces of your strength," is impossible to translate. There have been numerous suggestions. They assert Job 36:19 is a "virtually unintelligible text." 36:20 This is another difficult verse; possibly evil doers seek the night for their evil acts. 36:21a This is a Niphal IMPERATIVE ("take heed," BDB 1036, KB 1581) followed by a negated Qal JUSSIVE ("do not turn," BDB 815, KB 937). 36:22-23 Again, Elihu lists God's characteristics (cf. Job 36:5-16). God is exalted in His power (i.e., men see it in creation, Job 36:25a) God is an unmatched teacher (i.e., true wisdom) God is sovereign, Job 36:23 This emphasis on the sovereign power of the creator God foreshadows God's response to Job in Job 38-41.
Jó 36:24-33
36:24-33 These verses describe God as creator with imagery from nature (esp. water; see SPECIAL TOPIC: WATERS). Water was seen as a blessing from God. The regular cycles of nature were seen in a divine activity (i.e., Divine Sustainer). The context of this strophe continues into the next chapter and introduces the words of God in Job 38-41. God is the sovereign Lord of all created things (animate and inanimate). 36:26a This is not an affirmation of the unknowability of God (i.e., Ecclesiastes) but a Hebrew idiom expressing that humans cannot fully comprehend the greatness of God (cf. Job 5:9; 11:7). 36:27b NASB, NKJV, NJB, JPSOA "the mist" TEV, Peshitta "drops of rain" "the flood" "into a cloud" The MT has the NOUN "mist" (BDB 15, KB 11) that occurs only twice in the OT, Gen. 2:6 and here. KB suggests several options. sea-foam (Targums) inundation of floods (Akkadian) subterranean stream of fresh water (i.e., Sumerian, cf. Gen. 2:6) celestial stream (Arabic) The word here seems to refer to atmospheric water (rain). The three sources of agricultural water were irrigation/annual flooding rain (mostly in storms) dew 36:28 "They drip upon man" There are several places where "adam" ("mankind," BDB 9 IV) can be parallel to "erets" (i.e., land, ground, cf. Pro. 30:14; Jer. 32:20; Zech. 13:5). This translation makes Job 36:28 make more sense (cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 263, 267). 36:30b NASB, NKJV, TEV "depths of the sea" NRSV, LXX "roots of the sea" "the tops of the mountains" JPSOA, Peshsitta "the bed of the sea" "the sea" The MT has the NOUN CONSTRUCT, "the roots (BDB 1057) of the sea" (BDB 410). The NJB fits the parallelism best, but "roots" may be another allusion to the ancient subterranean pillars (cf. Job 9:6; 28:9; 38:4,6; 1 Sam. 2:8; Ps. 75:3; 104:5) that support the earth amidst the cosmic chaotic waters (cf. Gen. 1:2; Ps. 24:2; 104:3). 36:31 "He judges peoples" This phrase reflects God's universal control (cf. Job 37:12c; Ps. 9:8; 96:10). The use of "El," the general name for deity in the ANE, reflects this connotation. He is God of all! The NJB, NAB, and REB translations emend "to judge" (BDB 192, KB 220, Qal imperfect) to "to nourish/supply" in order to make lines a and b more parallel (cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 1089; NET Bible, p. 839) 36:33 "noises" This (BDB 929) refers to the thunder of a rain storm (cf. Job 37:2).