Job 16:2–5

Footnotes

1. 1 The expression uses the Piel participle in construct: מְנַחֲמֵי עָמָל (ménahame ’amal, “comforters of trouble”), i.e., comforters who increase trouble instead of relieving it. D. W. Thomas translates this “breathers out of trouble” (“A Note on the Hebrew Root naham,” 44 [1932/33]: 192).
2. 2 Disjunctive questions are introduced with the sign of the interrogative; the second part is introduced with אוֹ (’o, see §150.g).
3. 3 In v. 3 the second person singular is employed rather than the plural as in vv. 2 and 4. The singular might be an indication that the words of v. 3 were directed at Eliphaz specifically.
4. 4 Heb “words of wind.”
5. 5 The Hiphil of מָרַץ (marats) does not occur anywhere else. The word means “to compel; to force” (see 6:25).
6. 6 The seems to have gone a different way: “What, is there any reason in vain words, or what will hinder you from answering?”
7. 7 For the use of the cohortative in the apodosis of conditional sentences, see §109.f.
8. 8 The conjunction לוּ (lu) is used to introduce the optative, a condition that is incapable of fulfillment (see §159.l).
9. 9 This verb אַחְבִּירָה (’akhbirah) is usually connected to חָבַר (khavar, “to bind”). There are several suggestions for this word. J. J. Finkelstein proposed a second root, a homonym, meaning “to make a sound,” and so here “to harangue” (“Hebrew habar and Semitic HBR,” 75 [1956]: 328–31; see also O. Loretz, “HBR in Job 16:4,” 23 [1961]: 293–94, who renders it “I could make noisy speeches”). Other suggestions have been for new meanings based on cognate studies, such as “to make beautiful” (i.e., make polished speeches).
10. 10 The action is a sign of mockery (see Ps 22:7[8]; Isa 37:22; Matt 27:39).
11. 11 “But” has been added in the translation to strengthen the contrast.
12. 12 The Piel of אָמַץ (’amats) means “to strengthen, fortify.”
13. 13 Heb “my mouth.”
14. 14 The verb יַחְשֹׂךְ (yakhsokh) means “to restrain; to withhold.” There is no object, so many make it first person subject, “I will not restrain.” The and the have a different person—“I would not restrain.” G. R. Driver, arguing that the verb is intransitive here, made it “the solace of my lips would not [added] be withheld” (see 34 [1933]: 380). D. J. A. Clines says that what is definitive is the use of the verb in the next line, where it clearly means “soothed, assuaged.”