Jó 21
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Jó 21:1-16
21:1 "Then Job answered" Job 21 is Job's major rebuttal in the second cycle of dialogue with his friends. See chart of the three cycles in chapter 20 Contextual Insights, A. 21:2 "Listen carefully" Job has used the IMPERATIVE of "listen" (BDB 1033, KB 1570) with the INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE of the same root before (i.e., which denotes intensity, cf. Job 13:27). He feels his three comforters are not listening to him! But they also think he is not listening to them (cf. Job 15:17). Sounds like a theological debate, doesn't it? ▣ "let this be your way of consolation" NKJV, NRSV, JPSOA, Peshitta "let this be your consolation" "that is all the comfort I ask from you" "lest this be your consolation for me" "let that be the comfort you offer me" The word "consolation" (BDB 637) is a rare word found only in the PLURAL. The issue is, "whose consolation" does this refer to: the three comforters (NASB) Job (TEV, NJB)? I think #2 fits the context best. Also notice that the Qal IMPERFECT of "to be" is translated as a JUSSIVE (i.e., "let. . ."). Notice that the LXX negates the phrase. 21:3 "Bear with me" This strophe starts off with several IMPERATIVES directed at the three comforters. listen carefully, Job 21:2 bear, Job 21:3 – Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 669, KB 724); a common VERB meaning "to lift a load" look, Job 21:5 – Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 815, KB 937); literally "to turn" be astonished, Job 21:5 – Hiphil IMPERATIVE (BDB 1030, KB 1563); this root is used often in Job in several senses put your hand over your mouth, Job 21:5 – Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 962, KB 1321); another very common VERB Job is expressing (in poetic imagery) his horror and surprise that God (Job 21:4) allows the wicked to prosper (Job 21:7) when "the two ways" demands their punishment in this world (i.e., Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28)! ▣ "you may mock" The "you" is SINGULAR, which many commentators have taken to refer to Zophar's angry speech in Job 20. 21:4 "be impatient" This is literally "my spirit is short." This idiom is used twice. here in the sense of impatience (NJB, "perturbed") Prov. 14:29, meaning quick tempered For "spirit" (BDB 924) see SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE. 21:5 "put your hand over your mouth" This is an ANE idiom of shock resulting in silence (cf. Job 29:9; 40:4; Mic. 7:16). The shocking statement in Job 21:4 has Job accusing God of allowing the wicked to prosper (cf. Job 21:7-16,17-26,27-34). 21:6 NASB, REB "horror" NKJV, Peshitta "trembling" NRSV, JPSOA "shuddering" "creeps" "pain seize" This rare FEMININE Hebrew root (BDB 814, KB 935) has three senses (NASB). shudder, tremble – Job 21:6 (VERB in Job 9:6) horror – Ps. 55:5; Isa. 21:4; Jer. 49:16; Ezek. 7:18 pagan image – 1 Kgs. 15:13; 2 Chr. 15:16 21:7 "Why do the wicked still live, Continue on, also become very powerful?" This is the theological question! This is a rebuttal to the theology of Job 18:5-21 and 20:5-11. The wicked do prosper; just look around! This has been a source of great conflict in the OT (cf. Ps. 58:1-5; Psalm 73; Jer. 12:1-2; Mal. 3:15). Why have the divine consequences of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 not happened? 21:8 "Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes" This is opposite of Job 18:19. Job is implying, in his own experience, his little ones (i.e., children) have not been protected but destroyed, but the wicked's children remain with them (Job 21:8). 21:9 "the rod of God" This is imagery of God's punishing power (cf. Job 9:34; 37:13). 21:10-13 The wicked have extraordinary fertility and prosperity in their possessions. Job 21:10 has several words used with new meanings. Remember, this is ancient ANE poetry and parallelism. There is often imagery or connotations that do not fit our modern lexicons that are limited in the amount of ancient Semitic writings (or carvings). "ox mates" – BDB 716, KB 778, Piel PERFECT, which usually means "pass over," "pass by," or "pass through" "without fail" – BDB 171, KB 199, Hiphil IMPERFECT, which usually means "abhor," "be loathsome" "cow calves" – BDB 812, KB 930, Piel IMPERFECT, which usually means "bring into security," "cause to escape" Word meaning in Semitic poetry is determined by context parallelism other cognate roots 21:13 "And suddenly they go down to Sheol" This seems to refer to a sudden death instead of a long, lingering, agonizing death (like Job's). For "Sheol" see SPECIAL TOPIC: SHEOL, I. B. 21:14-15 This expresses the arrogance of the wicked. Notice how they talk to God in arrogance. They trivialize His presence! They even deny His existence! The key thought is Job 21:15b. What advantage is there in knowing, serving, obeying God? "The two ways" theology is obviously ineffective! 21:15 "the Almighty" This is a common title for Deity in Job, Shaddai. SPECIAL TOPIC: SHADDAI. ▣ "And what would we gain if we entreat Him" Knowing and serving God brought true peace, happiness, and prosperity (i.e., profit, BDB 418, KB 420, Hiphil IMPERFECT). This phrase can be a question (NJB) or it is the very charge that Satan made of Job (Job. 1:9-12). 21:16 This is a very difficult verse in the Hebrew text because of the PRONOMINAL ANTECEDENT. there is a God who is active in this world (Job 21:17-26) keep these kinds of men far away from me (cf. Job 22:18) It is a summary of Job's theology.
Jó 21:17-26
21:17-26 This strophe may be Job's affirmation that "the two ways" does work! It may be an expansion of Job 21:16a! The problem comes when "the two ways" does not affect Job's situation (suffering in innocence) "the two ways" does not affect all of the wicked; some do prosper throughout life, as well as their families It is possible that the "how often" (BDB 553, i.e., a hypothetical structure) is meant to be understood with each line of poetry. Job is stating the mystery of life and the simplistic explanation of life that "the two ways" offers! 21:17 "How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, Or does their calamity fall on them" This is another rebuttal to Job 18:5-6 and 20:5. 21:17c This line could refer to God's scattering (i.e., destruction) of the wicked's seed (children, i.e., in contrast to Job 21:8 and link to 21:19). "pain" (BDB 286) can refer to child birth "apportion" (BDB 323, KB 322) in the Piel can mean "scatter" 21:18 This verse does not seem to fit with the question (i.e., potential action: "how often," BDB 553) of Job 21:17. Job 21:18 is not introduced as a question in the MT but many translations make it one (NASB, NRSV, TEV, NJB, REB). The JPSOA makes both Job 21:17 and 18 statements, not questions. This strophe (Job 21:17-26) seems to affirm the prosperity of the wicked, not their destruction. 21:19 Notice the little phrase "you say" is added by the NASB, NKJV, NRSV, TEV, JPSOA to the Hebrew text. This is because it seems to be a quote from one of the three friends that is not recorded (or a summary of their theological thought). The theological statement that God punishes the children of a wicked man is based on Exod. 20:5-6; 34:7; Deut. 5:9. However, other parts of the Scripture react to this (cf. Deut. 24:16; Jer. 31:29-34; Ezekiel 18). Most translations see Job 21:19b-20 as a series of JUSSIVES (let. . .). However, the form in the MT is IMPERFECT. If Job is addressing a quote from the three comforters, these lines become prayers/curses. 21:20a The MT has a NOUN (BDB 475), used only here. The parallelism demands a word for "ruin" or "destruction." This involves the changing of one CONSONANT. MT – כידו (BDB 475) emendation – פידו (BDB 810, i.e., "pass away," "be exhausted") possibly similar Arabic root to #1, meaning "warfare" (NET Bible, p. 811, #26) 21:20b "The Almighty" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ALMIGHTY (Shaddai). 21:21b NASB, NRSV, NJB "cut off" "is cut in half" "runs out" "are numbered" "has been cut off" The MT has a VERB (BDB 346, KB 344, Pual PERFECT) that means "cut in half" (NKJV). The NET Bible (p. 811, #29) mentions that this Hebrew root may be related to Akkadian root – "to cut in two" Arabic root – "to cut off" It is surely imagery of the end of a long, prosperous life, not one that is cut short (cf. Job 21:7-16,23-24). 21:22 This verse seems so unconnected to the previous context that NKJV starts a new paragraph. Several translations make it the concluding statement of Job 21:17-22. The central thought is "who can teach God that His actions toward humans is not consistent. He is the One who controls and guides the heavenly council" (cf. Job 1-2; 1 Kgs. 22:19-23; and possibly Gen. 1:26, "Us"). Neither Job, nor his three friends, can speak for, or explain, God's actions toward humans. There are some obvious "generalities" (i.e., the two ways), but there are also glaring exceptions. the wicked prosper the innocent suffer some live long and happy lives, while others live short and miserable lives (Job. 21:21-26) There is mystery with God. The book of Job comes to this conclusion, but offers no explanations. 21:23b The MT has a ADJECTIVE (BDB 1010), found only here. Most translations assume an emendation to "at ease" (BDB 983). שׁלאנן – only here שׁאנן – "at ease," "secure" 21:24a "His sides are filled with fat" NKJV, JPSOA, ASV "His pails are full of milk" "His loins full of fat" "thighs padded with fat" "loins full of vigor" "His body is full of fat" The NKJV reflects the MT, while NASB reflects the LXX. Job 21:24 is an explanation and extension of Job 21:23 (cf. REB). in strength (i.e., vigor) wholly at ease satisfied with life Note that Job 21:23-24 is in contrast to the person described in Job 21:25. But one fate/outcome waits for both—the grave! The word "sides" (NASB), "pails" (MT, BDB 742) occurs only here. The ancient versions assumed it refers to some part of the body (AB, p. 146). In context, possibly "breasts" (i.e., imagery of a full life), because of the use of "milk" (BDB 316, NKJV). The same consonants for "milk" also mean "fat" with different vowels (NASB, NRSV, NJB). 21:24b "the marrow of his bones is moist" This is biblical imagery for health and prosperity (cf. Pro. 3:8). 21:25 Job is making the assertion that some people have good lives and some bad lives, but this reality is unrelated to "the two ways." There is mystery in the destinies of different individuals, unrelated to their faith or godliness. This is what causes theological problems for Job's three friends (Job 21:27)! Job's life has experienced both options without divine explanation. 21:26 "they lie down in the dust And worms cover them" Life is unexplainable; death is the great certainty and leveler for all humans (cf. Eccl. 2:14-16; 3:19-20; 8:14; 9:2,11). The term "dust" (BDB 779) is often used as a euphemism of the grave (cf. Job 7:21; 17:16; 20:11; 21:26; Ps. 22:15,29; 30:9; Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2). This follows the imagery of the dead being in the ground. Gen. 3:19 – from dust back to dust Exod. 15:12; Num. 16:30,32,34; 26:10; Deut. 11:6; Ps. 106:17 – people swallowed up Prov. 1:12 – imagery for Sheol
Jó 21:27-34
21:27-31 Job now addresses his three comforters. They have described how God treats the righteous and the wicked. He claims to be innocent but look where he lives (i.e., ash heap). They assume he must be a sinner. Everyone knows about "the two ways" (i.e., "the wayfaring men," those who have been many places and seen life, i.e., "common knowledge"). God punishes the wicked, not the righteous! 21:31 This verse is hard to interpret. Andersen, in the OT Tyndale Commentary (p. 201), suggests that the INTERROGATIVE (BDB 566) be interpreted as "no one," instead of "who." This is followed by NEB, TEV, LB. 21:32-34 But wait! Look what often happens to the wicked. fancy funeral guarded tomb beautiful burial big, long funeral procession If this is so, the three friends' theology is bad (i.e., vain, BDB 210)! They cannot offer any faithful (BDB 591, lit. "faithlessness"; see Robert B. Girdlestone, Synonyms of the OT, p. 82) counsel. They have no word from God. 21:32 Another good example of a word being used in an unusual sense is the word translated "grave" (BDB 155 II), which usually means "a stack of grain" (BDB 155 I) in Job 5:26, where it is parallel to "grave" (BDB 868). Words have meaning only in context! Job has so many unique and rare words, but often they are used in parallel lines of poetry.