54 The verbs are simple, “I go” and “I return”; but Job clearly means before he dies. A translation of “depart” comes closer to communicating this. The second verb may be given a potential imperfect translation to capture the point. The offered more of an interpretive paraphrase: “before I go to the place of no return.”
56 The word סֵדֶר (seder, “order”) occurs only here in the Bible. G. R. Driver found a new meaning in Arabic sadira, “dazzled by the glare” (“Problems in the Hebrew text of Job,” 3 [1955]: 76–77); this would mean “without a ray of light.” This is accepted by those who see chaos out of place in this line. But the word “order” is well-attested in later Hebrew (see J. Carmignac, “Précisions aportées au vocabulaire d’hébreu biblique par La guerre des fils de lumière contre les fils de ténèbres,” 5 [1955]: 345–65).
57 The Hebrew word literally means “it shines”; the feminine verb implies a subject like “the light” (but see §144.c).
58 The verse multiplies images for the darkness in death. Several commentators omit “as darkness, deep darkness” (כְּמוֹ אֹפֶל צַלְמָוֶת, kémo ’ofel tsalmavet) as glosses on the rare word עֵיפָתָה (’efatah, “darkness”) drawn from v. 21 (see also ). The verse literally reads: “[to the] land of darkness, like the deep darkness of the shadow of death, without any order, and the light is like the darkness.”

Cross references

In other versions

before I go—and I shall not return—

to the land of darkness and deep shadow,

the land of gloom like thick darkness,

like deep shadow without any order,

where light is as thick darkness.”

before I go to the place of no return,

to the land of gloom and utter darkness,

to the land of deepest night,

of utter darkness and disorder,

where even the light is like darkness.”

before I go to a land of darkness and gloom,

never to return.

It is a land of blackness like the deepest darkness,

gloomy and chaotic,

where even the light is like the darkness.”

before I leave—never to return—

for the land of darkness and utter gloom.

It is a land as dark as midnight,

a land of gloom and confusion,

where even the light is dark as midnight.’ ”

Before I go—and I will not return—

to the land of darkness and deep shadow,

to the land of darkness,

like the darkness of a deep shadow and chaos,

so that it shines forth like darkness.’ ”

Before I go whence I shall not return,

Even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

A land of darkness, as darkness itself;

And of the shadow of death, without any order,

And where the light is as darkness.

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