Nothing True, Part 6

Posted on April 3, 2024 by admin

Eliphaz continued his criticism of Job’s lament:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 4:10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 4:10 (NET)	Job 4:10 (NETS)	Job 4:10 (English Elpenor)
The roaring (שַֽׁאֲגַ֣ת) of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken.	There is the roaring (šᵊ’āḡâ, שאגת) of the lion and the growling of the young lion, but the teeth of the young lions are broken.	The strength (σθένος) of the lion and the voice of the lioness and the pride of dragons was extinguished;	The strength (σθένος) of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the exulting cry of serpents are quenched.

The only way I know how to understand that there was “nothing true” in Eliphaz’s argument is to compare it to other Scriptures. I’ll spend some time here on שַֽׁאֲגַ֣ת (šᵊ’āḡâ) (see table below).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:24 (Tanakh/KJV) Table	Job 3:24 (NET)	Job 3:24 (NETS) Table	Job 3:24 (English Elpenor)
For my sighing (אַנְחָתִ֣י) cometh before I eat, and my roarings (שַֽׁאֲגֹתָֽי) are poured out like the waters.	For my sighing (‘ănāḥâ, אנחתי) comes in place of my food, and my groanings (šᵊ’āḡâ, שאגתי) flow forth like water.	For sighing (στεναγμός) comes before my food, and I cry, gripped (συνεχόμενος) by fear (φόβῳ).	For my groaning (στεναγμός) comes before my food, and I weep being beset (συνεχόμενος) with terror (φόβῳ).

Here, in the Masoretic text it becomes clear that Eliphaz used essentially the same word, שַֽׁאֲגַ֣ת (šᵊ’āḡâ), for the roaring of the lion that Job used for his own roarings or groanings: שַֽׁאֲגֹתָֽי (šᵊ’āḡâ). Though the Septuagint doesn’t necessarily corroborate שַֽׁאֲגֹתָֽי (šᵊ’āḡâ) here, Job was in pretty good company.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 22:1 (Tanakh/KJV) Table	Psalm 22:1 (NET)	Psalm 21:1, 2 (NETS) Table	Psalm 21:1, 2 (English Elpenor)
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring (שַֽׁאֲגָתִֽי)?	For the music director, according to the tune “Morning Doe”; a psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? I groan (šᵊ’āḡâ, שאגתי) in prayer, but help seems far away.	Regarding completion. Over the support at dawn. A Psalm. Pertaining to Dauid. God, my God, attend to me; why did you forsake me? Far away from my deliverance are the words of my transgressions (τῶν παραπτωμάτων μου).	[For the end, concerning the morning aid, a Psalm of David.] O God, my God, attend to me: why hast thou forsaken me? the account of my transgressions (τῶν παραπτωμάτων μου) is far from my salvation.

Here, in the Masoretic text David used שַֽׁאֲגָתִֽי (šᵊ’āḡâ), my roaring (Tanakh, KJV) and I groan (NET). Again, the translators of the Septuagint had a different interpretation: τῶν παραπτωμάτων μου, of my transgressions (BLB, Elpenor). In another essay I suggested this difference as a reason for Jesus’ preference for the Hebrew or Aramaic when praying this Psalm (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 32:3 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 32:3 (NET)	Psalm 31:3 (NETS)	Psalm 31:3 (English Elpenor)
When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring (בְּ֜שַֽׁאֲגָתִ֗י) all the day long.	When I refused to confess my sin, my whole body wasted away, while I groaned in pain (šᵊ’āḡâ, בשאגתי) all day long.	Because I kept silence, my bones grew old from my crying (τοῦ κράζειν με) all day long.	Because I kept silence, my bones waxed old, from my crying (τοῦ κράζειν με) all the day.

Here in another psalm of David, בְּ֜שַֽׁאֲגָתִ֗י (šᵊ’āḡâ), through my roaring (Tanakh, KJV) and while I groaned in pain (NET), was translated τοῦ κράζειν με in the Septuagint, from my crying (BLB, Elpenor). The verb κράζειν is an infinitive form of κράζω: “to cry out, call out, call aloud; to bray (sound of a donkey); to croak.” I doubt it implies tears as much as complaint.

The NET translators’ understanding, that keeping silence is a refusal to confess sin, is intriguing. The roaring of the lion…[is] broken¹ would seem then to use Job’s own word שַֽׁאֲגֹתָֽי (šᵊ’āḡâ)² against him, Eliphaz’s implication being that God was “breaking” Job’s refusal to confess his sin through intense suffering. The Hebrew word translated are broken (Tanakh, KJV, NET) was נִתָּֽעוּ (nāṯaʿ), used only here in the Masoretic text. It was translated ἐσβέσθη, a singular form of σβέννυμι in the Septuagint.

I typed “is נתעו singular or plural” into the search bar in Microsoft Bing and got “The Hebrew word נתעו is plural” as a response, but ἐσβέσθη gave me pause. Is נִתָּֽעוּ (nāṯaʿ) plural because the word translated the teeth (וְשִׁנֵּ֖י) in the Masoretic text is plural, or because the roaring…and the voice…and the teeth…are broken? Clearly, the rabbis who translated the Septuagint understood the final clause of Job 4:10 as a reference to γαυρίαμα, a singular noun: “arrogance, pride, exultation, boasting; something that awakens a sense of pride.”

Still, if Eliphaz implied that Job suffered from his refusal to confess sin or his arrogance, he was wrong about the Lord and wrong about Job (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6). Does this qualify as nothing true³? I’ll keep going.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 5:29 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 5:29 (NET)	Isaiah 5:29 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:29 (English Elpenor)
Their roaring (שְׁאָגָ֥ה) shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.	Their roar (šᵊ’āḡâ, שאגה) is like a lion’s; they roar like young lions. They growl and seize their prey; they drag it away and no one can come to the rescue.	They rush (ὁρμῶσιν) like lions but stand by like a lion’s whelp, and he will seize and roar like a beast, and he will cast them out, and there will be no one who can rescue.	They rage (ὁρμῶσιν) as lions, and draw nigh as a lion’s whelps: and he shall seize, and roar as a wild beast, and he shall cast [them] forth, and there shall be none to deliver them.

Here is yet another Greek word ὁρμῶσιν for שְׁאָגָ֥ה (šᵊ’āḡâ), plus different pronouns. It will take a longer look to work this out.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 5:24, 25 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 5:24, 25 (NET)	Isaiah 5:24, 25 (NETS) Table	Isaiah 5:24, 25 (English Elpenor)
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.	Therefore, as flaming fire devours straw and dry grass disintegrates in the flames, so their root will rot, and their flower will blow away like dust. For they have rejected the law of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, they have spurned the commands of the Holy One of Israel.	Therefore, as stubble will be burned by a coal of fire and burned up by a weakened flame, so their root will be like fine dust and their blossom go up like dust; for they did not want the law of the Lord Sabaoth but have provoked the oracle of the Holy One of Israel.	Therefore as stubble shall be burnt by a coal of fire, and shall be consumed by a violent flame, their root shall be as chaff, and their flower shall go up as dust: for they rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, and insulted the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.	So the Lord is furious with his people; he lifts his hand and strikes them. The mountains shake, and corpses lie like manure in the middle of the streets. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again.	And the Lord Sabaoth was enraged with anger against his people, and he laid his hand on them and struck them; the mountains were provoked, and their carcasses became like dung in the middle of the road. In all these things his wrath has not turned away, but his hand is still high.	Therefore the Lord of hosts was greatly angered against his people, and he reached forth his hand upon them, and smote them: and the mountains were troubled, and their carcasses were as dung in the midst of the way: yet for all this his anger has not been turned away, but his hand is yet raised.

This is addressed, not to a man refusing to confess a secret sin but, to a nation that has cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.⁴ His first strike was against the mountains: and the mountains were troubled, and their carcasses were as dung in the midst of the way.⁵ This poetic description of relatively distant volcanic eruptions or nearer earthquakes⁶ and rock slides probably killed people, but the blocks and bombs, detritus and debris were mostly the size of dung, maybe manure piles.

In other words, the Lord made it difficult for the people to continue in their ways (Isaiah 1:2-20) through their streets. But everyone “knows” that volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and rock slides are “natural” phenomena that have “nothing to do with communication” from their Creator. So, Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again.⁷

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 5:26 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 5:26 (NET)	Isaiah 5:26 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:26 (English Elpenor)
And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss (וְשָׁ֥רַק) unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:	He lifts a signal flag for a distant nation, he whistles (šāraq, ושרק) for it to come from the far regions of the earth. Look, they come quickly and swiftly.	Therefore, he will raise a signal among the nations that are far away and whistle (συριεῖ) for them from the end of the earth. And behold, they are coming, quickly, swiftly!	Therefore shall he lift up a signal to the nations that are afar, and shall hiss (συριεῖ) for them from the end of the earth; and, behold, they are coming very quickly.

This is too provocative to pass by without comment. The translators of the NET and NETS couldn’t bring themselves to have the Lord hiss. Both וְשָׁ֥רַק (šāraq) and συριεῖ, a form of συρίζω, can be translated whistle (NETS) or he whistles (NET). To the reader of Job (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6) the word hiss in the poetic prophecy of Isaiah implies the means by which the Lord lifts a signal flag for a distant nation: He gave leave for Satan to do what he is ever eager to do to the Lord’s people. But at first glance, the Lord’s promise through Zechariah to gather his redeemed people seems to call this interpretation into question.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Zechariah 10:8 (Tanakh/KJV)	Zechariah 10:8 (NET)	Zechariah 10:8 (NETS)	Zechariah 10:8 (English Elpenor)
I will hiss (אֶשְׁרְקָ֥ה) for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.	I will signal (šāraq, אשרקה) for them and gather them, for I have already redeemed them; then they will become as numerous as they were before.	I will signal (σημανῶ) for them and receive them, for I shall redeem them, and they will be as numerous as they were.	I will make a sign (σημανῶ) to them, and gather them in; for I will redeem them, and they shall be multiplied according to their number before.

The rabbis who translated the Hebrew text into Greek chose σημανῶ (a form of σημαίνω) here, rather than a form of συρίζω which might be understood as hiss. It appears that they focused on ends in Isaiah 5:26—נֵ֚ס (nēs), an ensign (Tanakh, KJV) or a signal flag (NET); σύσσημον, a signal (Septuagint)⁸—rather than means.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 5:27-30 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 5:27-30 (NET)	Isaiah 5:27-30 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:27-30 (English Elpenor)
None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:	None tire or stumble, they don’t stop to nap or sleep. They don’t loosen their belts or unstrap their sandals to rest.	They will not hunger nor grow weary nor slumber nor sleep, nor will they loosen their girdles from their waist, nor will the thongs of their sandals be broken;	They shall not hunger nor be weary, neither shall they slumber nor sleep; neither shall they loose their girdles from their loins, neither shall their shoe-latchets be broken.
Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:	Their arrows are sharpened, and all their bows are prepared. The hooves of their horses are hard as flint, and their chariot wheels are like a windstorm.	their arrows are sharp, and their bows bent; their horses’ hoofs were reckoned as solid rock, the wheels of their chariots as a tempest.	Whose arrows are sharp, and their bows bent; their horses’ hoofs are counted as solid rock: their chariot-wheels are as a storm.
Their roaring (שְׁאָגָ֥ה) shall be like a lion, they shall roar (יִשְׁאַ֨ג) like young lions: yea, they shall roar (וְיִנְהֹם֙), and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.	Their roar (šᵊ’āḡâ, שאגה) is like a lion’s; they roar (šā’aḡ, ישאג) like young lions. They growl (nāham, וינהם) and seize their prey; they drag it away and no one can come to the rescue.	They rush (ὁρμῶσιν) like lions but stand by (παρέστηκαν) like a lion’s whelp, and he will seize and roar (βοήσει) like a beast, and he will cast them out, and there will be no one who can rescue.	They rage (ὁρμῶσιν) as lions, and draw nigh (παρέστηκαν) as a lion’s whelps: and he shall seize, and roar (βοήσει) as a wild beast, and he shall cast [them] forth, and there shall be none to deliver them.
And in that day they shall roar (וְיִנְהֹ֥ם) against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.	At that time they will growl (nāham, וינהם) over their prey, it will sound like sea waves crashing against rocks. One will look out over the land and see the darkness of disaster, clouds will turn the light into darkness.	And he will roar (βοήσει) because of them on that day, like the sound of a surging sea. And they will look to the land, and behold, harsh darkness in their dismay.	And he shall roar (βοήσει) on account of them in that day, as the sound of the swelling sea; and they shall look to the land, and, behold, [there shall be] thick darkness in their perplexity.

In the Masoretic text this sounds like the Babylonian conquest of Judah and Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1-21). In the Septuagint it seems like a reference to the Assyrians failed attempt (2 Kings 19:35-37) to take Jerusalem after they captured the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 17). So, while that might qualify as The roaring of the lion [e.g., the Assyrian army]…[is] broken⁹ (if Eliphaz actually meant to say that the roaring is broken), it would still refer to an army rather than an individual. Ezekiel, however, referred to an individual.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Ezekiel 19:7-9 (Tanakh/KJV)	Ezekiel 19:7-9 (NET)	Ezekiel 19:7-9 (NETS)	Ezekiel 19:7-9 (English Elpenor)
And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring (שַֽׁאֲגָתֽוֹ).	He broke down their strongholds and devastated their cities. The land and everything in it was frightened at the sound of his roaring (šᵊ’āḡâ, שאגתו).	And he would feed in his rashness and devastated their cities, and he annihilated the land and its fullness, with a voice of his roaring (ὠρύματος αὐτοῦ).	And he prowled in his boldness and laid waste their cities, and made the land desolate, and the fullness of it, by the voice of his roaring (ὠρυώματος αὐτοῦ).
Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit.	The nations—the surrounding regions—attacked him. They threw their net over him; he was caught in their pit.	And they gave nations against him from countries all around. And they spread their nets upon him, and he was caught in their destruction.	Then the nations set upon him from the countries round about, and they spread their nets upon him: he was taken in their pit.
And they put him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.	They put him in a collar with hooks; they brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him to prison so that his voice would not be heard any longer on the mountains of Israel.	And they put him in a muzzle and in a cage. He came to the king of Babylon, and he brought him into custody so that his voice might not be heard on the mountains of Israel.	And they put him in chains and in a cage, [and] he came to the king of Babylon; and he cast him into prison, that his voice should not be heard on the mountains of Israel.

This reference to Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:20-25:7) comes closest to what I hear Eliphaz threatening Job, but he did not accuse Job of this: And he prowled in his boldness and laid waste their cities, and made the land desolate, and the fullness of it, by the voice of his roaring.¹⁰ If someone were to argue that Ezekiel figuratively addressed all of the disobedient kings of Israel as well as their people in the person of one king of Judah, I wouldn’t raise any objections. The final occurrence of שַֽׁאֲגַ֣ת (šᵊ’āḡâ) in the Masoretic text follows.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Zechariah 11:3 (Tanakh/KJV)	Zechariah 11:3 (NET)	Zechariah 11:3 (NETS)	Zechariah 11:3 (English Elpenor)
There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring (שַֽׁאֲגַ֣ת) of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.	Listen to the howling of shepherds, because their magnificence has been destroyed. Listen to the roaring (šᵊ’āḡâ, שאגת) of young lions, because the thickets of the Jordan have been devastated.	There is a sound of shepherds mourning, because their greatness has suffered misery! There is a sound of lions roaring (ὠρυομένων), because the pride of the Jordan has suffered misery.	[There is] a voice of the shepherds mourning; for their greatness is brought low: a voice of roaring (ὠρυομένων) lions; for the pride of Jordan is brought down.

Whether Zechariah referred to the howling of princes whose land was devastated or the roar of actual lions in a depopulated region matters very little to my understanding of Eliphaz’s accusation. Though his words and images conjure the flavor and aroma of Scriptures, Eliphaz flung them at Job with no knowledge of the actual situation. There was nothing true in his accusations despite his evocative words: nothing true about God and nothing true of Job. And my religious mind was fooled in the past because it lacked the patience to pursue his arguments in detail.

I’ll continue with this in another essay. A table of the various translations of forms of שְׁאָגָה follows.

Translations of Forms of שְׁאָגָה (šᵊ’āḡâ)
Reference	Hebrew	KJV / NET	BLB / Elpenor	NETS / English Elpenor
Job 3:24	שַֽׁאֲגֹתָֽי	my roarings / my groanings	συνεχόμενος φόβῳ	gripped by fear / being beset with terror
Job 4:10	שַֽׁאֲגַ֣ת	The roaring / There is the roaring	σθένος	The strength
Psalm 22:1	שַֽׁאֲגָתִֽי	of my roaring / I groan	τῶν παραπτωμάτων μου	of my transgressions / my transgressions
Psalm 32:3	בְּ֜שַֽׁאֲגָתִ֗י	through my roaring / while I groaned in pain	τοῦ κράζειν με	from my crying
Isaiah 5:29	שְׁאָגָ֥ה	Their roaring / Their roar	ὁρμῶσιν	They rush / They rage
Ezekiel 19:7	שַֽׁאֲגָתֽוֹ	of his roaring	ὠρύματος αὐτοῦ / ὠρυώματος αὐτοῦ	of his roaring
Zechariah 11:3	שַֽׁאֲגַ֣ת	of the roaring / to the roaring	ὠρυομένων	of…roaring / of roaring

Tables comparing Job 4:10; Psalm 32:3; Isaiah 5:29; 5:24; 5:25; 5:26; Zechariah 10:8; Isaiah 5:27; 5:28; 5:30; Ezekiel 19:7; 19:8; 19:9 and Zechariah 11:3 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 4:10; Psalm 32:3 (31:3); Isaiah 5:29; 5:24; 5:25; 5:26; Zechariah 10:8; Isaiah 5:27; 5:28; 5:30; Ezekiel 19:7; 19:8; 19:9 and Zechariah 11:3 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Job 4:10 (Tanakh)	Job 4:10 (KJV)	Job 4:10 (NET)
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken.	The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.	There is the roaring of the lion and the growling of the young lion, but the teeth of the young lions are broken.

Job 4:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 4:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σθένος λέοντος φωνὴ δὲ λεαίνης γαυρίαμα δὲ δρακόντων ἐσβέσθη	σθένος λέοντος, φωνὴ δὲ λεαίνης, γαυρίαμα δὲ δρακόντων ἐσβέσθη
Job 4:10 (NETS)	Job 4:10 (English Elpenor)
The strength of the lion and the voice of the lioness and the pride of dragons was extinguished;	The strength of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the exulting cry of serpents are quenched.

Psalm 32:3 (Tanakh)	Psalm 32:3 (KJV)	Psalm 32:3 (NET)
When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.	When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.	When I refused to confess my sin, my whole body wasted away, while I groaned in pain all day long.

Psalm 32:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 31:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἐσίγησα ἐπαλαιώθη τὰ ὀστᾶ μου ἀπὸ τοῦ κράζειν με ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν	ὅτι ἐσίγησα, ἐπαλαιώθη τὰ ὀστᾶ μου ἀπὸ τοῦ κράζειν με ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν
Psalm 31:3 (NETS)	Psalm 31:3 (English Elpenor)
Because I kept silence, my bones grew old from my crying all day long.	Because I kept silence, my bones waxed old, from my crying all the day.

Isaiah 5:29 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:29 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:29 (NET)
Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.	Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.	Their roar is like a lion’s; they roar like young lions. They growl and seize their prey; they drag it away and no one can come to the rescue.

Isaiah 5:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁρμῶσιν ὡς λέοντες καὶ παρέστηκαν ὡς σκύμνος λέοντος καὶ ἐπιλήμψεται καὶ βοήσει ὡς θηρίου καὶ ἐκβαλεῖ καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ῥυόμενος αὐτούς	ὁρμῶσιν ὡς λέοντες καὶ παρέστηκαν ὡς σκύμνοι λέοντος· καὶ ἐπιλήψεται καὶ βοήσει ὡς θηρίον καὶ ἐκβαλεῖ, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ρυόμενος αὐτούς
Isaiah 5:29 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:29 (English Elpenor)
They rush like lions but stand by like a lion’s whelp, and he will seize and roar like a beast, and he will cast them out, and there will be no one who can rescue.	They rage as lions, and draw nigh as a lion’s whelps: and he shall seize, and roar as a wild beast, and he shall cast [them] forth, and there shall be none to deliver them.

Isaiah 5:24 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:24 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:24 (NET)
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.	Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.	Therefore, as flaming fire devours straw and dry grass disintegrates in the flames, so their root will rot, and their flower will blow away like dust. For they have rejected the law of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, they have spurned the commands of the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 5:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διὰ τοῦτο ὃν τρόπον καυθήσεται καλάμη ὑπὸ ἄνθρακος πυρὸς καὶ συγκαυθήσεται ὑπὸ φλογὸς ἀνειμένης ἡ ῥίζα αὐτῶν ὡς χνοῦς ἔσται καὶ τὸ ἄνθος αὐτῶν ὡς κονιορτὸς ἀναβήσεται οὐ γὰρ ἠθέλησαν τὸν νόμον κυρίου σαβαωθ ἀλλὰ τὸ λόγιον τοῦ ἁγίου Ισραηλ παρώξυναν	διὰ τοῦτο ὃν τρόπον καυθήσεται καλάμη ὑπὸ ἄνθρακος πυρὸς καὶ συγκαυθήσεται ὑπὸ φλογὸς ἀνειμένης, ἡ ῥίζα αὐτῶν ὡς χνοῦς ἔσται καὶ τὸ ἄνθος αὐτῶν ὡς κονιορτὸς ἀναβήσεται· οὐ γὰρ ἠθέλησαν τὸν νόμον Κυρίου σαβαώθ, ἀλλὰ τὸ λόγιον τοῦ ἁγίου ᾿Ισραὴλ παρώξυναν
Isaiah 5:24 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:24 (English Elpenor)
Therefore, as stubble will be burned by a coal of fire and burned up by a weakened flame, so their root will be like fine dust and their blossom go up like dust; for they did not want the law of the Lord Sabaoth but have provoked the oracle of the Holy One of Israel.	Therefore as stubble shall be burnt by a coal of fire, and shall be consumed by a violent flame, their root shall be as chaff, and their flower shall go up as dust: for they rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, and insulted the word of the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 5:25 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:25 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:25 (NET)
Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.	Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.	So the Lord is furious with his people; he lifts his hand and strikes them. The mountains shake, and corpses lie like manure in the middle of the streets. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again.

Isaiah 5:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ κύριος σαβαωθ ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπέβαλεν τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτούς καὶ παρωξύνθη τὰ ὄρη καὶ ἐγενήθη τὰ θνησιμαῖα αὐτῶν ὡς κοπρία ἐν μέσῳ ὁδοῦ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις οὐκ ἀπεστράφη ὁ θυμός ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι ἡ χεὶρ ὑψηλή	καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ Κύριος σαβαὼθ ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπέβαλε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτούς, καὶ παρωξύνθη τὰ ὄρη, καὶ ἐγενήθη τὰ θνησιμαῖα αὐτῶν ὡς κοπρία ἐν μέσῳ ὁδοῦ. καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις οὐκ ἀπεστράφη ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ ἔτι χεὶρ ὑψηλή
Isaiah 5:25 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:25 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord Sabaoth was enraged with anger against his people, and he laid his hand on them and struck them; the mountains were provoked, and their carcasses became like dung in the middle of the road. In all these things his wrath has not turned away, but his hand is still high.	Therefore the Lord of hosts was greatly angered against his people, and he reached forth his hand upon them, and smote them: and the mountains were troubled, and their carcasses were as dung in the midst of the way: yet for all this his anger has not been turned away, but his hand is yet raised.

Isaiah 5:26 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:26 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:26 (NET)
And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:	And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:	He lifts a signal flag for a distant nation, he whistles for it to come from the far regions of the earth. Look, they come quickly and swiftly.

Isaiah 5:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοιγαροῦν ἀρεῖ σύσσημον ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν τοῖς μακρὰν καὶ συριεῖ αὐτοῖς ἀπ᾽ ἄκρου τῆς γῆς καὶ ἰδοὺ ταχὺ κούφως ἔρχονται	τοιγαροῦν ἀρεῖ σύσσημον ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι τοῖς μακρὰν καὶ συριεῖ αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾿ ἄκρου τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἰδοὺ ταχὺ κούφως ἔρχονται
Isaiah 5:26 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:26 (English Elpenor)
Therefore, he will raise a signal among the nations that are far away and whistle for them from the end of the earth. And behold, they are coming, quickly, swiftly!	Therefore shall he lift up a signal to the nations that are afar, and shall hiss for them from the end of the earth; and, behold, they are coming very quickly.

Zechariah 10:8 (Tanakh)	Zechariah 10:8 (KJV)	Zechariah 10:8 (NET)
I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.	I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.	I will signal for them and gather them, for I have already redeemed them; then they will become as numerous as they were before.

Zechariah 10:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Zechariah 10:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σημανῶ αὐτοῖς καὶ εἰσδέξομαι αὐτούς διότι λυτρώσομαι αὐτούς καὶ πληθυνθήσονται καθότι ἦσαν πολλοί	σημανῶ αὐτοῖς καὶ εἰσδέξομαι αὐτούς, διότι λυτρώσομαι αὐτούς, καὶ πληθυνθήσονται καθότι ἦσαν πολλοί
Zechariah 10:8 (NETS)	Zechariah 10:8 (English Elpenor)
I will signal for them and receive them, for I shall redeem them, and they will be as numerous as they were.	I will make a sign to them, and gather them in; for I will redeem them, and they shall be multiplied according to their number before.

Isaiah 5:27 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:27 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:27 (NET)
None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:	None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:	None tire or stumble, they don’t stop to nap or sleep. They don’t loosen their belts or unstrap their sandals to rest.

Isaiah 5:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ πεινάσουσιν οὐδὲ κοπιάσουσιν οὐδὲ νυστάξουσιν οὐδὲ κοιμηθήσονται οὐδὲ λύσουσιν τὰς ζώνας αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ὀσφύος αὐτῶν οὐδὲ μὴ ῥαγῶσιν οἱ ἱμάντες τῶν ὑποδημάτων αὐτῶν	οὐ πεινάσουσιν οὐδὲ κοπιάσουσιν οὐδὲ νυστάξουσιν οὐδὲ κοιμηθήσονται, οὐδὲ λύσουσι τὰς ζώνας αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ὀσφύος αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ μὴ ραγῶσιν οἱ ἱμάντες τῶν ὑποδημάτων αὐτῶν
Isaiah 5:27 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:27 (English Elpenor)
They will not hunger nor grow wewary nor slumber nor sleep, nor will they loosen their girdles from their waist, nor will the thongs of their sandals be broken;	They shall not hunger nor be weary, neither shall they slumber nor sleep; neither shall they loose their girdles from their loins, neither shall their shoe-latchets be broken.

Isaiah 5:28 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:28 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:28 (NET)
Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:	Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:	Their arrows are sharpened, and all their bows are prepared. The hooves of their horses are hard as flint, and their chariot wheels are like a windstorm.

Isaiah 5:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὧν τὰ βέλη ὀξεῖά ἐστιν καὶ τὰ τόξα αὐτῶν ἐντεταμένα οἱ πόδες τῶν ἵππων αὐτῶν ὡς στερεὰ πέτρα ἐλογίσθησαν οἱ τροχοὶ τῶν ἁρμάτων αὐτῶν ὡς καταιγίς	ὧν τὰ βέλη ὀξέα ἐστὶ καὶ τὰ τόξα αὐτῶν ἐντεταμένα, οἱ πόδες τῶν ἵππων αὐτῶν ὡς στερεὰ πέτρα ἐλογίσθησαν, οἱ τροχοὶ τῶν ἁρμάτων αὐτῶν ὡς καταιγίς
Isaiah 5:28 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:28 (English Elpenor)
their arrows are sharp, and their bows bent; their horses’ hoofs were reckoned as solid rock, the wheels of their chariots as a tempest.	Whose arrows are sharp, and their bows bent; their horses’ hoofs are counted as solid rock: their chariot-wheels are as a storm.

Isaiah 5:30 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:30 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:30 (NET)
And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.	And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.	At that time they will growl over their prey, it will sound like sea waves crashing against rocks. One will look out over the land and see the darkness of disaster, clouds will turn the light into darkness.

Isaiah 5:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ βοήσει δι᾽ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ὡς φωνὴ θαλάσσης κυμαινούσης καὶ ἐμβλέψονται εἰς τὴν γῆν καὶ ἰδοὺ σκότος σκληρὸν ἐν τῇ ἀπορίᾳ αὐτῶν	καὶ βοήσει δι᾿ αὐτοὺς τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ὡς φωνὴ θαλάσσης κυμαινούσης· καὶ ἐμβλέψονται εἰς τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἰδοὺ σκότος σκληρὸν ἐν τῇ ἀπορίᾳ αὐτῶν
Isaiah 5:30 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:30 (English Elpenor)
And he will roar because of them on that day, like the sound of a surging sea. And they will look to the land, and behold, harsh darkness in their dismay.	And he shall roar on account of them in that day, as the sound of the swelling sea; and they shall look to the land, and, behold, [there shall be] thick darkness in their perplexity.

Ezekiel 19:7 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 19:7 (KJV)	Ezekiel 19:7 (NET)
And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring.	And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring.	He broke down their strongholds and devastated their cities. The land and everything in it was frightened at the sound of his roaring.

Ezekiel 19:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 19:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνέμετο τῷ θράσει αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς πόλεις αὐτῶν ἐξηρήμωσεν καὶ ἠφάνισεν γῆν καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς ἀπὸ φωνῆς ὠρύματος αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἐνέμετο τῷ θράσει αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς πόλεις αὐτῶν ἐξηρήμωσε καὶ ἠφάνισε γῆν καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς ἀπὸ φωνῆς ὠρυώματος αὐτοῦ
Ezekiel 19:7 (NETS)	Ezekiel 19:7 (English Elpenor)
And he would feed in his rashness and devastated their cities, and he annihilated the land and its fullness, with a voice of his roaring.	And he prowled in his boldness and laid waste their cities, and made the land desolate, and the fullness of it, by the voice of his roaring.

Ezekiel 19:8 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 19:8 (KJV)	Ezekiel 19:8 (NET)
Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit.	Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit.	The nations—the surrounding regions—attacked him. They threw their net over him; he was caught in their pit.

Ezekiel 19:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 19:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔδωκαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἔθνη ἐκ χωρῶν κυκλόθεν καὶ ἐξεπέτασαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν δίκτυα αὐτῶν ἐν διαφθορᾷ αὐτῶν συνελήμφθη	καὶ ἔδωκαν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ἔθνη ἐκ χωρῶν κυκλόθεν καὶ ἐξεπέτασαν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν δίκτυα αὐτῶν, ἐν διαφθορᾷ αὐτῶν συνελήφθη
Ezekiel 19:8 (NETS)	Ezekiel 19:8 (English Elpenor)
And they gave nations against him from countries all around. And they spread their nets upon him, and he was caught in their destruction.	Then the nations set upon him from the countries round about, and they spread their nets upon him: he was taken in their pit.

Ezekiel 19:9 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 19:9 (KJV)	Ezekiel 19:9 (NET)
And they put him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.	And they put him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.	They put him in a collar with hooks; they brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him to prison so that his voice would not be heard any longer on the mountains of Israel.

Ezekiel 19:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 19:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτὸν ἐν κημῷ καὶ ἐν γαλεάγρᾳ ἦλθεν πρὸς βασιλέα Βαβυλῶνος καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς φυλακήν ὅπως μὴ ἀκουσθῇ ἡ φωνὴ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τοῦ Ισραηλ	καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτὸν ἐν κημῷ καὶ ἐν γαλεάγρᾳ, ἦλθε πρὸς βασιλέα Βαβυλῶνος, καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς φυλακήν, ὅπως μὴ ἀκουσθῇ ἡ φωνὴ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ
Ezekiel 19:9 (NETS)	Ezekiel 19:9 (English Elpenor)
And they put him in a muzzle and in a cage. He came to the king of Babylon, and he brought him into custody so that his voice might not be heard on the mountains of Israel.	And they put him in chains and in a cage, [and] he came to the king of Babylon; and he cast him into prison, that his voice should not be heard on the mountains of Israel.

Zechariah 11:3 (Tanakh)	Zechariah 11:3 (KJV)	Zechariah 11:3 (NET)
There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.	There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.	Listen to the howling of shepherds, because their magnificence has been destroyed. Listen to the roaring of young lions, because the thickets of the Jordan have been devastated.

Zechariah 11:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Zechariah 11:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
φωνὴ θρηνούντων ποιμένων ὅτι τεταλαιπώρηκεν ἡ μεγαλωσύνη αὐτῶν φωνὴ ὠρυομένων λεόντων ὅτι τεταλαιπώρηκεν τὸ φρύαγμα τοῦ Ιορδάνου	φωνὴ θρηνούντων ποιμένων, ὅτι τεταλαιπώρηκεν ἡ μεγαλωσύνη αὐτῶν· φωνὴ ὠρυομένων λεόντων, ὅτι τεταλαιπώρηκε τὸ φρύαγμα τοῦ ᾿Ιορδάνου
Zechariah 11:3 (NETS)	Zechariah 11:3 (English Elpenor)
There is a sound of shepherds mourning, because their greatness has suffered misery! There is a sound of lions roaring, because the pride of the Jordan has suffered misery.	[There is] a voice of the shepherds mourning; for their greatness is brought low: a voice of roaring lions; for the pride of Jordan is brought down.

¹ Job 4:10 (Tanakh, KJV)

² Job 3:24 Table

³ Job 42:7 (NETS) Table

⁴ Isaiah 5:24b (Tanakh, KJV)

⁵ Isaiah 5:25b (English Elpenor)

⁶ Amos 1:1 and Zechariah 14:5 mention an earthquake (see Barnes’ Notes on the Bible) in the time of King Uzziah of Judah (2 Chronicles 26).

⁷ Isaiah 5:25c (NET)

⁸ Isaiah 5:26a

⁹ Job 4:10 (Tanakh, KJV)

¹⁰ Ezekiel 19:7 (English Elpenor)

Nothing True, Part 5

Posted on November 21, 2023 by admin

Eliphaz continued his response to Job’s lament:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 4:9 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 4:9 (NET)	Job 4:9 (NETS)	Job 4:9 (English Elpenor)
By the blast (מִנִּשְׁמַ֣ת) of God they perish, and by the breath (וּמֵר֖וּחַ) of his nostrils are they consumed.	By the breath (nᵊšāmâ, מנשמת) of God they perish, and by the blast (rûaḥ, ומרוח) of his anger they are consumed.	By the command (ἀπὸ προστάγματος) of the Lord they will perish, and by the breath (ἀπὸ δὲ πνεύματος) of his anger they will disappear.	They shall perish by the command (ἀπὸ προστάγματος) of the Lord, and shall be utterly consumed by the breath (ἀπὸ δὲ πνεύματος) of his wrath.

In another essay I came to a draw, more or less, considering whether there was “nothing true” in Eliphaz’s argument. But here he spoke specifically about the Lord, and I admit what he said sounds similar to other descriptions in the Old Testament. So, I’ll pause here to consider some of those other descriptions, to see if I can understand why God was angered by Eliphaz’s words.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 30:33 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 30:33 (NET)	Isaiah 30:33 (NETS)	Isaiah 30:33 (English Elpenor)
For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath (נִשְׁמַ֚ת) of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.	For the burial place¹ is already prepared; it has been made deep and wide for the king. The firewood is piled high on it. The Lord’s breath (nᵊšāmâ, נשמת), like a stream flowing with brimstone, will ignite it.	for you will be deceived before those days; was it also for you to reign that it was made ready with a deep trench, wood piled, fire and wood in abundance? The wrath (ὁ θυμὸς) of the Lord is like a ravine burning with brimstone.	For thou shalt be required before [thy] time: has it been prepared for thee also to reign? nay, God has [prepared for thee] a deep trench, wood piled, fire and much wood: the wrath (ὁ θυμὸς) of the Lord [shall be] as a trench kindled with sulphur.

Here, in the Masoretic text God is imagined as a fire-breathing dragon, lighting the funeral pyre of the king of Assyria and, presumably, the army that oppressed (and punished) the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 15:17-18:12). Assyria then moved on to threaten the southern kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 18:13-19:37), angering God (2 Kings 19:34) with blasphemy. But Isaiah comforted Hezekiah king of Judah:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Kings 19:7 (Tanakh)	2 Kings 19:7 (NET)	4 Reigns 19:7 (NETS)	4 Kings 19:7 (English Elpenor)
Behold, I will put a spirit (ר֔וּחַ) in him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.’	Look, I will take control of his mind (rûaḥ, רוח); he will receive a report and return to his own land. I will cut him down with a sword in his own land.”’”	Behold, I myself am putting a spirit (πνεῦμα) in him, and he shall hear a message and return to his own land, and I will strike him down by a sword in his own land’.”	Behold, I send a blast (πνεῦμα) upon him, and he shall hear a report, and shall return to his own land; and I will overthrow him with the sword in his own land.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 37:7 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 37:7 (NET)	Isaiah 37:7 (NETS)	Isaiah 37:7 (English Elpenor)
Behold, I will send a blast (ר֔וּחַ) upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.	Look, I will take control of his mind (rûaḥ, רוח); he will receive a report and return to his own land. I will cut him down with a sword in his own land.”’”	Look, I will put a spirit (πνεῦμα) in him, and when he hears a report, he will return to his country, and he will fall by the dagger in his own land’.”	Behold, I [will] send a blast (πνεῦμα) upon him, and he shall hear a report, and return to his own country, and he shall fall by the sword in his own land.

Eliphaz spoke of more ordinary sinners who were not an immediate threat to the lives of those God intended to protect. Was Eliphaz justified appropriating such imagery of God for that purpose? Was he justified using such imagery against Job?

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 1:19 (Tanakh/KJV) Table	Job 1:19 (NET)	Job 1:19 (NETS) Table	Job 1:19 (English Elpenor)
And, behold, there came a great wind (ר֨וּחַ) from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.	and suddenly a great wind (rûaḥ, רוח) swept across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”	suddenly a great wind (πνεῦμα) came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and the house fell on your children, and they died, but I alone escaped, and I came to tell you.”	suddenly a great wind (πνεῦμα) came on from the desert, and caught the four corners of the house, and the house fell upon thy children, and they are dead; and I have escaped alone, and am come to tell thee.

It seems as if Eliphaz found an open wound in Job’s heart and ground his heel into it. Two verses follow from the song of David (2 Samuel 22, Psalm 18), the Lord’s anointed king and a soldier, praising God for rescuing him (and his men) in combat.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 22:16 (Tanakh) Table	2 Samuel 22:16 (NET)	2 Samuel 22:16 (NETS) Table	2 Samuel 22:16 (English Elpenor)
And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were laid bare by the rebuke of HaShem, at the blast (מִנִּשְׁמַ֖ת) of the breath (ר֥וּחַ) of His nostrils.	The depths of the sea were exposed; the inner regions of the world were uncovered by the Lord’s battle cry, by the powerful (nᵊšāmâ, מנשמת) breath (rûaḥ, רוח) from his nose.	And emissions of sea were seen, and foundations of the world were laid bare by the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast (ἀπὸ πνοῆς) of the breath (πνεύματος) of his anger.	And the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast (ἀπὸ πνοῆς) of the breath (πνεύματος) of his anger.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 18:15 (Tanakh/KJV) Table	Psalm 18:15 (NET)	Psalm 17:16 (NETS) Table	Psalm 17:16 (English Elpenor)
Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast (מִ֜נִּשְׁמַ֗ת) of the breath (ר֣וּחַ) of thy nostrils.	The depths of the sea were exposed; the inner regions of the world were uncovered by your battle cry, Lord, by the powerful (nᵊšāmâ, מנשמת) breath (rûaḥ, רוח) from your nose.	And the springs of the waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were uncovered at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast (ἀπὸ ἐμπνεύσεως) of the breath (πνεύματος) of your wrath.	And the springs of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were exposed, at thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blasting (ἀπὸ ἐμπνεύσεως) of the breath (πνεύματος) of thy wrath.

Here again, the violent imagery of God is used to praise Him for his rescue from dire and immediate threat, rather than to threaten ordinary sinners who were no immediate threat. What follows is from a song of Moses, celebrating God’s rescue from impending destruction when Israel crossed the Red Sea.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 15:8 -10 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:8 -10 (NET)	Exodus 15:8 -10 (NETS)	Exodus 15:8 -10 (English Elpenor)
And with the blast (וּבְר֤וּחַ) of Thy nostrils the waters were piled up–the floods stood upright as a heap; the deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.	By the blast (rûaḥ, וברוח) of your nostrils the waters were piled up, the flowing water stood upright like a heap, and the deep waters were solidified in the heart of the sea.	And through the breath (καὶ διὰ πνεύματος) of your wrath the water separated; the waters were congealed like a wall; the waves were congealed in the midst of the sea.	And by the breath (καὶ διὰ πνεύματος) of thine anger the water parted asunder; the waters were congealed as a wall, the waves were congealed in the midst of the sea.
The enemy said: ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’	The enemy said, ‘I will chase, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire will be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.’	The enemy said, ‘In pursuit I will overtake; I will divide spoil; I will destroy with my dagger; my hand shall dominate’.	The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoils; I will satisfy my soul, I will destroy with my sword, my hand shall have dominion.
Thou didst blow with Thy wind (בְרֽוּחֲךָ֖), the sea covered them; they sank as lead in the mighty waters.	But you blew with your breath (rûaḥ, ברוחך), and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.	You sent your breath (τὸ πνεῦμά σου); the sea covered them; they sank like lead in violent water.	Thou sentest forth thy wind (τὸ πνεῦμά σου), the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty water.

In this same song the Lord was called a man (אִ֣ישׁ) of war (מִלְחָמָ֑ה) in the Masoretic text. The rabbis who translated the Septuagint understood this as συντρίβων (a form of συντρίβω) πολέμους (a form of πόλεμος), or they translated a word other than אִ֣ישׁ they found here in an older Hebrew manuscript.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 15:3 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:3 (NET)	Exodus 15:3 (NETS)	Exodus 15:3 (English Elpenor)
HaShem is a man (אִ֣ישׁ) of war (מִלְחָמָ֑ה), HaShem is His name.	The Lord is a warrior [NET note 10: Heb “man (‘îš, איש) of war (milḥāmâ, מלחמה)”]—the Lord is his name.	The Lord, when he shatters wars (συντρίβων πολέμους), the Lord is his name.	The Lord bringing wars to nought (συντρίβων πολέμους), the Lord [is] his name.

In the verse that follows Isaiah praised the Lord, but the rabbis who translated the Septuagint didn’t understand ר֥וּחַ (rûaḥ) in quite the way English translators understand it now:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 25:4 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 25:4 (NET)	Isaiah 25:4 (NETS)	Isaiah 25:4 (English Elpenor)
For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast (ר֥וּחַ) of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.	For you are a protector for the poor, a protector for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm, a shade from the heat. Though the breath (rûaḥ, רוח) of tyrants is like a winter rainstorm,	For you have become a helper to every humble city and a shelter to those who are dispirited because of poverty; you will rescue them from evil persons—a shelter for the thirsty and breath (καὶ πνεῦμα) for ill-treated persons,	For thou hast been a helper to every lowly city, and a shelter to them that were disheartened by reason of poverty: thou shalt deliver them from wicked men: [thou hast been] a shelter of them that thirst, and a refreshing air (καὶ πνεῦμα) to injured men.

And finally, Isaiah’s prophecy of Jesus follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 11:1-4 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 11:1-4 (NET)	Isaiah 11:1-4 (NETS)	Isaiah 11:1-4 (English Elpenor)
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse (Matthew 1:1-16), and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:	A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s root stock (Luke 3:23-28), a bud will sprout from his roots.	And a rod shall come out of the root of Iessai, and a blossom shall come up out of his root.	And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a blossom shall come up from [his] root:
And the spirit (ר֣וּחַ) of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit (ר֧וּחַ) of wisdom and understanding, the spirit (ר֚וּחַ) of counsel and might, the spirit (ר֥וּחַ) of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;	The Lord’s Spirit (rûaḥ, רוח) will rest on him—a Spirit (rûaḥ, רוח) that gives extraordinary wisdom, a Spirit (rûaḥ, רוח) that provides the ability to execute plans, a Spirit (rûaḥ, רוח) that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord.	And the spirit (πνεῦμα) of God shall rest on him, the spirit (πνεῦμα) of wisdom and understanding, the spirit (πνεῦμα) of counsel and might, the spirit (πνεῦμα) of knowledge and godliness.	and the Spirit (πνεῦμα) of God shall rest upon him, the spirit (πνεῦμα) of wisdom and understanding, the spirit (πνεῦμα) of counsel and strength, the spirit (πνεῦμα) of knowledge and godliness shall fill him;
And shall make him of quick understanding (וַֽהֲרִיח֖וֹ) in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:	He will take delight (rîaḥ, והריחו) in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by mere appearances or make decisions on the basis of hearsay.	The spirit (πνεῦμα) of the fear of God will fill him. He shall not judge on the basis of repute or convict on the basis of report,	the spirit (πνεῦμα) of the fear of God. He shall not judge according to appearance, nor reprove according to report:
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath (וּבְר֥וּחַ) of his lips shall he slay the wicked.	He will treat the poor fairly and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and order the wicked to be executed [NET note 14: Heb “and by the breath (וברוח) of his lips he will kill the wicked”].	but he shall administer justice to a humble one and convict the humble ones of the earth, and he shall strike the earth with the word of his mouth, and with breath (καὶ ἐν πνεύματι) through his lips he shall do away with the impious.	but he shall judge the cause of the lowly, and shall reprove the lowly of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the word of his mouth, and with the breath (καὶ ἐν πνεύματι) of his lips shall he destroy the ungodly one.

Viewed through an Old Testament lens alone this could be the most relevant passage to justify Eliphaz’s usage of violent imagery against ordinary sinners including Job. Knowing Jesus, however, the image of bloodied corpses lying on a battlefield does not come immediately to mind here. It reminds one instead of that death of which the redeemed partake in Christ (Romans 6:3, 4; Galatians 2:20 NET):

Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life.

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Regardless, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.² I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Tables comparing Job 4:9; Isaiah 30:33; 2 Kings 19:7; Isaiah 37:7; Exodus 15:8; 15:9; 15:10; 15:3; Isaiah 25:4; 11:1; 11:2; 11:3 and 11:4 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 4:9; Isaiah 30:33; 2 Kings (4 Reigns, 4 Kings) 19:7; Isaiah 37;7; Exodus 15:8; 15:9; 15:10; 15:3; Isaiah 25:4; 11:1; 11:2; 11:3 and 11:4 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Job 4:9 (Tanakh)	Job 4:9 (KJV)	Job 4:9 (NET)
By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.	By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.	By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.

Job 4:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 4:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπὸ προστάγματος κυρίου ἀπολοῦνται ἀπὸ δὲ πνεύματος ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ ἀφανισθήσονται	ἀπὸ προστάγματος Κυρίου ἀπολοῦνται, ἀπὸ δὲ πνεύματος ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ ἀφανισθήσονται
Job 4:9 (NETS)	Job 4:9 (English Elpenor)
By the command of the Lord they will perish, and by the breath of his anger they will disappear.	They shall perish by the command of the Lord, and shall be utterly consumed by the breath of his wrath.

Isaiah 30:33 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 30:33 (KJV)	Isaiah 30:33 (NET)
For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.	For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.	For the burial place is already prepared; it has been made deep and wide for the king. The firewood is piled high on it. The Lord’s breath, like a stream flowing with brimstone, will ignite it.

Isaiah 30:33 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 30:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σὺ γὰρ πρὸ ἡμερῶν ἀπαιτηθήσῃ μὴ καὶ σοὶ ἡτοιμάσθη βασιλεύειν φάραγγα βαθεῖαν ξύλα κείμενα πῦρ καὶ ξύλα πολλά ὁ θυμὸς κυρίου ὡς φάραγξ ὑπὸ θείου καιομένη	σὺ γὰρ πρὸ ἡμερῶν ἀπαιτηθήσῃ· μὴ καὶ σοὶ ἡτοιμάσθη βασιλεύειν, φάραγγα βαθεῖαν. ξύλα κείμενα, πῦρ καὶ ξύλα πολλά; ὁ θυμὸς Κυρίου ὡς φάραγξ ὑπὸ θείου καιομένη
Isaiah 30:33 (NETS)	Isaiah 30:33 (English Elpenor)
for you will be deceived before those days; was it also for you to reign that it was made ready with a deep trench, wood piled, fire and wood in abundance? The wrath of the Lord is like a ravine burning with brimstone.	For thou shalt be required before [thy] time: has it been prepared for thee also to reign? nay, God has [prepared for thee] a deep trench, wood piled, fire and much wood: the wrath of the Lord [shall be] as a trench kindled with sulphur.

2 Kings 19:7 (Tanakh)	2 Kings 19:7 (KJV)	2 Kings 19:7 (NET)
Behold, I will put a spirit in him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.’	Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.	Look, I will take control of his mind; he will receive a report and return to his own land. I will cut him down with a sword in his own land.”’”

2 Kings 19:7 (Septuagint BLB)	4 Kings 19:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ δίδωμι ἐν αὐτῷ πνεῦμα καὶ ἀκούσεται ἀγγελίαν καὶ ἀποστραφήσεται εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτοῦ καὶ καταβαλῶ αὐτὸν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτοῦ	ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ δίδωμι ἐν αὐτῷ πνεῦμα, καὶ ἀκούσεται ἀγγελίαν καὶ ἀποστραφήσεται εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτοῦ, καὶ καταβαλῶ αὐτὸν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτοῦ
4 Reigns 19:7 (NETS)	4 Kings 19:7 (English Elpenor)
Behold, I myself am putting a spirit in him, and he shall hear a message and return to his own land, and I will strike him down by a sword in his own land’.”	Behold, I send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a report, and shall return to his own land; and I will overthrow him with the sword in his own land.

Isaiah 37:7 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 37:7 (KJV)	Isaiah 37:7 (NET)
Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.	Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.	Look, I will take control of his mind; he will receive a report and return to his own land. I will cut him down with a sword in his own land.”’”

Isaiah 37:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 37:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐμβαλῶ εἰς αὐτὸν πνεῦμα καὶ ἀκούσας ἀγγελίαν ἀποστραφήσεται εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτοῦ καὶ πεσεῖται μαχαίρᾳ ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτοῦ	ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐμβάλλω εἰς αὐτὸν πνεῦμα, καὶ ἀκούσας ἀγγελίαν ἀποστραφήσεται εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτοῦ καὶ πεσεῖται μαχαίρᾳ ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτοῦ
Isaiah 37:7 (NETS)	Isaiah 37:7 (English Elpenor)
Look, I will put a spirit in him, and when he hears a report, he will return to his country, and he will fall by the dagger in his own land’.”	Behold, I [will] send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a report, and return to his own country, and he shall fall by the sword in his own land.

Exodus 15:8 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:8 (KJV)	Exodus 15:8 (NET)
And with the blast of Thy nostrils the waters were piled up–the floods stood upright as a heap; the deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.	And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.	By the blast of your nostrils the waters were piled up, the flowing water stood upright like a heap, and the deep waters were solidified in the heart of the sea.

Exodus 15:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ διὰ πνεύματος τοῦ θυμοῦ σου διέστη τὸ ὕδωρ ἐπάγη ὡσεὶ τεῖχος τὰ ὕδατα ἐπάγη τὰ κύματα ἐν μέσῳ τῆς θαλάσσης	καὶ διὰ πνεύματος τοῦ θυμοῦ σου διέστη τὸ ὕδωρ· ἐπάγη ὡσεὶ τεῖχος τὰ ὕδατα, ἐπάγη τὰ κύματα ἐν μέσῳ τῆς θαλάσσης
Exodus 15:8 (NETS)	Exodus 15:8 (English Elpenor)
And through the breath of your wrath the water separated; the waters were congealed like a wall; the waves were congealed in the midst of the sea.	And by the breath of thine anger the water parted asunder; the waters were congealed as a wall, the waves were congealed in the midst of the sea.

Exodus 15:9 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:9 (KJV)	Exodus 15:9 (NET)
The enemy said: ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’	The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.	The enemy said, ‘I will chase, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire will be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.’

Exodus 15:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν ὁ ἐχθρός διώξας καταλήμψομαι μεριῶ σκῦλα ἐμπλήσω ψυχήν μου ἀνελῶ τῇ μαχαίρῃ μου κυριεύσει ἡ χείρ μου	εἶπεν ὁ ἐχθρός, διώξας καταλήψομαι, μεριῶ σκῦλα, ἐμπλήσω ψυχήν μου, ἀνελῶ τῇ μαχαίρᾳ μου, κυριεύσει ἡ χείρ μου
Exodus 15:9 (NETS)	Exodus 15:9 (English Elpenor)
The enemy said, ‘In pursuit I will overtake; I will divide spoil; I will destroy with my dagger; my hand shall dominate’.	The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoils; I will satisfy my soul, I will destroy with my sword, my hand shall have dominion.

Exodus 15:10 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:10 (KJV)	Exodus 15:10 (NET)
Thou didst blow with Thy wind, the sea covered them; they sank as lead in the mighty waters.	Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.	But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

Exodus 15:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπέστειλας τὸ πνεῦμά σου ἐκάλυψεν αὐτοὺς θάλασσα ἔδυσαν ὡσεὶ μόλιβος ἐν ὕδατι σφοδρῷ	ἀπέστειλας τὸ πνεῦμά σου, ἐκάλυψεν αὐτοὺς θάλασσα· ἔδυσαν ὡσεὶ μόλιβος ἐν ὕδατι σφοδρῷ
Exodus 15:10 (NETS)	Exodus 15:10 (English Elpenor)
You sent your breath; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in violent water.	Thou sentest forth thy wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty water.

Exodus 15:3 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:3 (KJV)	Exodus 15:3 (NET)
HaShem is a man of war, HaShem is His name.	The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.	The Lord is a warrior—the Lord is his name.

Exodus 15:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριος συντρίβων πολέμους κύριος ὄνομα αὐτῷ	Κύριος συντρίβων πολέμους, Κύριος ὄνομα αὐτῷ
Exodus 15:3 (NETS)	Exodus 15:3 (English Elpenor)
The Lord, when he shatters wars, the Lord is his name.	The Lord bringing wars to nought, the Lord [is] his name.

Isaiah 25:4 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 25:4 (KJV)	Isaiah 25:4 (NET)
For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.	For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.	For you are a protector for the poor, a protector for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm, a shade from the heat. Though the breath of tyrants is like a winter rainstorm,

Isaiah 25:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 25:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγένου γὰρ πάσῃ πόλει ταπεινῇ βοηθὸς καὶ τοῖς ἀθυμήσασιν διὰ ἔνδειαν σκέπη ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπων πονηρῶν ῥύσῃ αὐτούς σκέπη διψώντων καὶ πνεῦμα ἀνθρώπων ἀδικουμένων	ἐγένου γὰρ πάσῃ πόλει ταπεινῇ βοηθὸς καὶ τοῖς ἀθυμήσασι δι᾿ ἔνδειαν σκέπη, ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπων πονηρῶν ῥύσῃ αὐτούς, σκέπη διψώντων καὶ πνεῦμα ἀνθρώπων ἀδικουμένων
Isaiah 25:4 (NETS)	Isaiah 25:4 (English Elpenor)
For you have become a helper to every humble city and a shelter to those who are dispirited because of poverty; you will rescue them from evil persons—a shelter for the thirsty and breath for ill-treated persons,	For thou hast been a helper to every lowly city, and a shelter to them that were disheartened by reason of poverty: thou shalt deliver them from wicked men: [thou hast been] a shelter of them that thirst, and a refreshing air to injured men.

Isaiah 11:1 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 11:1 (KJV)	Isaiah 11:1 (NET)
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:	And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:	A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s root stock, a bud will sprout from his roots.

Isaiah 11:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 11:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξελεύσεται ῥάβδος ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης Ιεσσαι καὶ ἄνθος ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης ἀναβήσεται	ΚΑΙ ἐξελεύσεται ῥάβδος ἐκ τῆς ρίζης ᾿Ιεσσαί, καὶ ἄνθος ἐκ τῆς ρίζης ἀναβήσεται
Isaiah 11:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 11:1 (English Elpenor)
And a rod shall come out of the root of Iessai, and a blossom shall come up out of his root.	And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a blossom shall come up from [his] root:

Isaiah 11:2 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 11:2 (KJV)	Isaiah 11:2 (NET)
And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;	And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;	The Lord’s Spirit will rest on him—a Spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a Spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a Spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord.

Isaiah 11:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 11:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀναπαύσεται ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ πνεῦμα σοφίας καὶ συνέσεως πνεῦμα βουλῆς καὶ ἰσχύος πνεῦμα γνώσεως καὶ εὐσεβείας	καὶ ἀναπαύσεται ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ, πνεῦμα σοφίας καὶ συνέσεως, πνεῦμα βουλῆς καὶ ἰσχύος, πνεῦμα γνώσεως καὶ εὐσεβείας
Isaiah 11:2 (NETS)	Isaiah 11:2 (English Elpenor)
And the spirit of God shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and godliness.	and the Spirit of God shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and godliness shall fill him;

Isaiah 11:3 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 11:3 (KJV)	Isaiah 11:3 (NET)
And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:	And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:	He will take delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by mere appearances or make decisions on the basis of hearsay.

Isaiah 11:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 11:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐμπλήσει αὐτὸν πνεῦμα φόβου θεοῦ οὐ κατὰ τὴν δόξαν κρινεῖ οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν λαλιὰν ἐλέγξει	ἐμπλήσει αὐτὸν πνεῦμα φόβου Θεοῦ. οὐ κατὰ τὴν δόξαν κρινεῖ οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν λαλιὰν ἐλέγξει
Isaiah 11:3 (NETS)	Isaiah 11:3 (English Elpenor)
The spirit of the fear of God will fill him. He shall not judge on the basis of repute or convict on the basis of report,	the spirit of the fear of God. He shall not judge according to appearance, nor reprove according to report:

Isaiah 11:4 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 11:4 (KJV)	Isaiah 11:4 (NET)
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.	But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.	He will treat the poor fairly and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and order the wicked to be executed.

Isaiah 11:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 11:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλὰ κρινεῖ ταπεινῷ κρίσιν καὶ ἐλέγξει τοὺς ταπεινοὺς τῆς γῆς καὶ πατάξει γῆν τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν πνεύματι διὰ χειλέων ἀνελεῖ ἀσεβῆ	ἀλλὰ κρινεῖ ταπεινῷ κρίσιν καὶ ἐλέγξει τοὺς ταπεινοὺς τῆς γῆς· καὶ πατάξει γῆν τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν πνεύματι διὰ χειλέων ἀνελεῖ ἀσεβῆ
Isaiah 11:4 (NETS)	Isaiah 11:4 (English Elpenor)
but he shall administer justice to a humble one and convict the humble ones of the earth, and he shall strike the earth with the word of his mouth, and with breath through his lips he shall do away with the impious.	but he shall judge the cause of the lowly, and shall reprove the lowly of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the word of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he destroy the ungodly one.

Nothing True, Part 6

¹ See NET note 76 and Commentaries on BibleHub on Isaiah 30:33.

² Job 42:7b (Tanakh, KJV) Table

Nothing True, Part 4

Posted on September 3, 2023 by admin

Eliphaz continued his response to Job’s lament:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 4:6 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 4:6 (NET)	Job 4:6 (NETS)	Job 4:6 (English Elpenor)
Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?	Is not your piety your confidence, and your blameless ways your hope?	Is your fear not based on a lack of sense, so too your hope and the innocence of your way?	Is not thy fear [founded] in folly, thy hope also, and the mischief of thy way?

The first Hebrew word in this word string was הֲלֹ֣א (lō’). It was translated Is not in the Tanakh, KJV and NET. It was followed by יִ֖רְאָֽתְךָ (yir’â), which was translated thy fear in the Tanakh and KJV, and your piety in the NET. The translators of the Tanakh and KJV added this as well. The translators of the NET did not. The Septuagint corroborates the two words in the Masoretic text with many more: πότερον οὐχ ὁ φόβος σού ἐστιν; Is your fear not (NETS), Is not thy fear (English Elpenor).

A note (17) in the NET reads:

The word יִרְאָה (yirʾah, “fear”) in this passage refers to Job’s fear of the Lord, his reverential devotion to God. H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 46) says that on the lips of Eliphaz the word almost means “your religion.” He refers to Moffatt’s translation, “Let your religion reassure you.”

The next Hebrew word in this word string was כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָ (kislâ). It was translated thy confidence (Tanakh, KJV) and your confidence (NET). But the rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ; based on a lack of sense (NETS), [founded] in folly (English Elpenor). There is only one other occurrence of a form of כִּסְלָה (kislâ) in the Old Testament.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 85:8 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 85:8 (NET)	Psalm 84:9 (NETS)	Psalm 84:9 (English Elpenor)
I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly (לְכִסְלָֽה).	I will listen to what God the Lord says. For he will make peace with his people, his faithful followers. Yet they must not return to their foolish ways (kislâ, לכסלה).	I will hear what the Lord God will speak with me, because he will speak peace to his people and to his devout and to those who turn to him their heart (πρὸς αὐτὸν καρδίαν).	I will hear what the Lord God will say concerning me: for he shall speak peace to his people, and to his saints, and to those that turn their heart toward him (καρδίαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν).

Forms of כִּסְלָה (kislâ) can mean confidence, folly or stupidity. But here, too, the rabbis who translated the Septuagint diverged from the English translation of the Masoretic text. Was לְכִסְלָֽה (kislâ) the word they found in the Hebrew text they translated? Or perhaps more to the point, was the negative particle וְאַל (‘al), translated but let…not (Tanakh/KJV) or Yet…must not (NET), in the text they translated? Or was it added later? I won’t spend any more time on it here.

The note (18) on Job 4:6 in the NET reads:

The word כִּסְלָתֶךָ (kislatekha, “your confidence”) is rendered in the LXX by “founded in folly.” The word כֶּסֶל (kesel) is “confidence” (see 8:14) and elsewhere “folly.” Since it is parallel to “your hope” it must mean confidence here.

Both the word כִּסְלָה (kislâ) and the disparity in its translation between the Septuagint and the English translators of the Masoretic text remind me of the Lord’s word through Ezekiel.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Ezekiel 33:12-17 (Tanakh/KJV)	Ezekiel 33:12-17 (NET)	Ezekiel 33:12-17 (NETS)	Ezekiel 33:12-17 (English Elpenor)
Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth [Table].	“And you, son of man, say to your people, ‘The righteousness of the righteous will not deliver him if he rebels. As for the wicked, his wickedness will not make him stumble if he turns from it. The righteous will not be able to live by his righteousness if he sins.’	Say to the sons of your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in whatever day he err, and the lawlessness of the impious shall not harm him on whatever day he turn back from his lawlessness, and the righteous shall not be able to be saved [Table].	Say to the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him, in the day wherein he errs: and the iniquity of the ungodly shall not harm him, in the day wherein he turns from his iniquity, but the righteous [erring] shall not be able to deliver himself.
When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust (בָטַ֥ח) to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it [Table].	Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, but he becomes confident (bāṭaḥ, בטח) in his righteousness and commits iniquity. None of his righteous deeds will be remembered; because of the iniquity he has committed he will die.	When I say to the righteous, “He trusts (πέποιθεν) in his righteousness,” and should he commit lawlessness, none of his righteous acts shall be recalled in his injustice that he has committed; in it he shall die [Table].	When I say to the righteous, [Thou shalt live; and] he trusts (πέποιθεν) in his righteousness, and shall commit iniquity, none of his righteousnesses shall be remembered; in his unrighteousness which he has wrought, in it shall he die.
Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right [Table];	Suppose I say to the wicked, ‘You must certainly die,’ but he turns from his sin and does what is just and right.	And when I say to the impious, “By death you shall be put to death, and you shall turn back from your sin,” and should he perform judgment and righteousness [Table]	And when I say to the ungodly, Thou shalt surely die; and he shall turn from his sin, and do judgment and justice,
If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die [Table].	He returns what was taken in pledge, pays back what he has stolen, and follows the statutes that give life, committing no iniquity. He will certainly live—he will not die.	and restore a pledge and give back robbery, walk in the ordinances of life so as not to do what is wrong, by life he shall live, and he shall not die [Table];	and return the pledge, and repay that which he has robbed, [and] walk in the ordinances of life, so as to do no wrong; he shall surely live, and shall not die.
None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live [Table].	None of the sins he has committed will be counted against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.	none of his sins that he has committed shall be recalled, for he has performed judgment and righteousness; in them he shall live [Table].	None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered: because he has wrought judgment and righteousness; by them shall he live.
Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal [Table].	“Yet your people say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right,’ when it is their behavior that is not right.	And the sons of your people shall say, “The way of the Lord is not right,” and this way of theirs is not right [Table].	Yet the children of thy people will say, The way of the Lord is not straight: whereas this their way is not straight.

Though Eliphaz had probably never heard Ezekiel the rabbis who translated the Septuagint certainly had. I wonder if they didn’t hear Eliphaz’s reasoning as something like: Job is suffering, therefore Job sinned; apart from repentance Job’s fear of the Lord is folly because Job’s former righteousness will not save him from his present sinfulness.

The next word in the Hebrew word string of Job 4:6 in the Masoretic text was תִּ֜קְוָֽתְךָ֗ (tiqvâ). It was translated thy hope (Tanakh, KJV) and your hope (NET). It was rendered καὶ ἡ ἐλπίς σου in the Septuagint, so too your hope (NETS), thy hope also (English Elpenor).

This was followed by וְתֹ֣ם (tōm), which was translated and the uprightness (Tanakh/KJV) or and your blameless (NET). In the Septuagint it was καὶ ἡ ἀκακία (BLB), and the innocence (NETS), or καὶ ἡ κακία (Elpenor), and the mischief (English Elpenor). The occurrence of ἀκακία (NETS: innocence) in the BLB tends to corroborate וְתֹ֣ם (tōm) in the Masoretic text.

So what happened in the Elpenor version of the Septuagint? Was it a copyist error, dropping the initial ἀ, changing ἀκακία to κακία? It could be. I’m also beginning to wonder if the translators of the Elpenor version simply chose to expose Eliphaz’s sarcasm, to make his accusation more explicit for the Greek reader.

The final Hebrew word in the word string that is Job 4:6 in the Masoretic text was דְּרָכֶֽיךָ (dereḵ). It was translated of thy ways (Tanakh, KJV) and ways (NET). In the Septuagint it was τῆς ὁδοῦ σου, of your way (NETS) and of thy way (English Elpenor). Is not your fear of God your confidence, And the integrity of your ways your hope?¹ is how I first read it. A note (19) in the NET reads:

Eliphaz is not being sarcastic to Job. He knows that Job is a God-fearing man who lives out his faith in life. But he also knows that Job should apply to himself the same things he tells others.

This is more or less how I heard Eliphaz when I read an English translation of the Masoretic text only. David conveyed a similar concept regarding וּכְתֻמִּ֣י (tōm).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 7:8-10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 7:8-10 (NET)	Psalm 7:9-11 (NETS)	Psalm 7:9-11 (English Elpenor)
The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity (וּכְתֻמִּ֣י) that is in me.	The Lord judges the nations. Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent, because I am blameless (tōm, וכתמי), O Exalted One.²	The Lord will judge peoples; do me justice, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the innocence (ἀκακίαν) in me.	The Lord shall judge the nations: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my innocence (ἀκακίαν) that is in me.
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.	May the evil deeds of the wicked come to an end. But make the innocent secure, O righteous God, you who examine inner thoughts and motives.	Do let evil of sinners be brought to an end, and you shall direct the righteous. God is one who tests hearts and kidneys.	Oh let the wickedness of sinners come to an end; and [then] thou shalt direct the righteous, O God that searchest the hearts and reins.
My defence is of God, which saveth the upright (יִשְׁרֵי) in heart.	The Exalted God is my shield, the one who delivers the morally upright (yāšār, ישרי).	Righteous is my help from God, he who saves the upright (τοὺς εὐθεῖς) in heart.	My help is righteous, [coming] from God who saves the upright (τοὺς εὐθεῖς) in heart.

I may understand this prayer somewhat differently from David, maybe not. But I’m not a king surrounded by hostile armies. The wickedness of the wicked which concerns me most of the time is that which yet resides in my flesh. Another prayer of David’s follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 26:9-11 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 26:9-11 (NET)	Psalm 25:9-11 (NETS)	Psalm 25:9-11 (English Elpenor)
Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:	Do not sweep me away with sinners, or execute me along with violent people,	Do not destroy my soul together with the impious and my life with men of blood,	Destroy not my soul together with the ungodly, nor my life with bloody men:
In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.	who are always ready to do wrong or offer a bribe.	in whose hands are acts of lawlessness; their right hand was filled with gifts.	in whose hands [are] iniquities, [and] their right hand is filled with bribes.
But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity (בְּתֻמִּ֥י): redeem me, and be merciful unto me.	But I have integrity (tōm, בתמי). Rescue me and have mercy on me!	But as for me, I walked in my guilessness [sic] (ἐν ἀκακίᾳ μου); redeem me, and have mercy on me.	But I have walked in my innocence (ἐν ἀκακίᾳ μου): redeem me, and have mercy upon me.

Despite his integrity, guilelessness or innocence, or perhaps because of it, David asked for redemption and mercy. I’ll consider one more example.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 41:12 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 41:12 (NET)	Psalm 40:13 (NETS)	Psalm 40:13 (English Elpenor)
And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity (בְּ֖תֻמִּי), and settest me before thy face for ever.	As for me, you uphold me because of my integrity (tōm, בתמי); you allow me permanent access to your presence.	But me you supported on account of my innocence (διὰ τὴν ἀκακίαν) and secured me before you forever.	But thou didst help me because of [mine] innocence (διὰ τὴν ἀκακίαν), and hast established me before thee for ever.

This comes closest to explaining how Job’s blameless ways might be his hope.³ Still, I can’t help wondering if modern translators haven’t reached too far to bolster Eliphaz’s integrity, guilelessness and innocence, especially if you have spoken nothing true in my presence⁴ is the more reliable understanding of the Lord’s critique of Eliphaz’s words. At any rate, if one thinks Eliphaz was sincere rather than sarcastic, one is more likely to hear what follows as a banal or ill-timed restatement of principle rather than a barely veiled accusation.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 4:7, 8 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 4:7, 8 (NET)	Job 4:7, 8 (NETS)	Job 4:7, 8 (English Elpenor)
Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent (נָקִ֣י)? or where were the righteous cut off?	Call to mind now: Who, being innocent (nāqî, נקי), ever perished? And where were upright people ever destroyed?	“Think now, who, being pure (καθαρὸς), perished, or when did the true perish root and all?	Remember then who has perished, being pure (καθαρὸς)? or when were the true-hearted utterly destroyed?
Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.	Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.	For instance, I saw those who plow wrongs, and those who sow them reap torments for themselves.	Accordingly as I have seen men ploughing barren places, and they that sow them will reap sorrows for themselves.

I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Tables comparing Job 4:6; Psalm 85:8; 7:8; 7:9; 7:10; 26:9; 26:10; 26:11; 41:12; Job 4:7 and 4:8 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 4:6; Psalm 85:8 (84:9); 7:8 (7:9); 7:9 (7:10); 7:10 (7:11); 26:9 (25:9); 26:10 (25:10); 26:11 (25:11); 41:12 (40:13); Job 4:7 and 4:8 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Job 4:6 (Tanakh)	Job 4:6 (KJV)	Job 4:6 (NET)
Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?	Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?	Is not your piety your confidence, and your blameless ways your hope?

Job 4:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 4:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πότερον οὐχ ὁ φόβος σού ἐστιν ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ καὶ ἡ ἐλπίς σου καὶ ἡ ἀκακία τῆς ὁδοῦ σου	πότερον οὐχ ὁ φόβος σού ἐστιν ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ καὶ ἡ ἐλπίς σου καὶ ἡ κακία τῆς ὁδοῦ σου
Job 4:6 (NETS)	Job 4:6 (English Elpenor)
Is your fear not based on a lack of sense, so too your hope and the innocence of your way?	Is not thy fear [founded] in folly, thy hope also, and the mischief of thy way?

Psalm 85:8 (Tanakh)	Psalm 85:8 (KJV)	Psalm 85:8 (NET)
I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.	I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.	I will listen to what God the Lord says. For he will make peace with his people, his faithful followers. Yet they must not return to their foolish ways.

Psalm 85:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 84:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀκούσομαι τί λαλήσει ἐν ἐμοὶ κύριος ὁ θεός ὅτι λαλήσει εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ὁσίους αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐπιστρέφοντας πρὸς αὐτὸν καρδίαν	ἀκούσομαι τί λαλήσει ἐν ἐμοὶ Κύριος ὁ Θεός, ὅτι λαλήσει εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ὁσίους αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐπιστρέφοντας καρδίαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν
Psalm 84:9 (NETS)	Psalm 84:9 (English Elpenor)
I will hear what the Lord God will speak with me, because he will speak peace to his people and to his devout and to those who turn to him their heart.	I will hear what the Lord God will say concerning me: for he shall speak peace to his people, and to his saints, and to those that turn their heart toward him.

Psalm 7:8 (Tanakh)	Psalm 7:8 (KJV)	Psalm 7:8 (NET)
The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.	The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.	The Lord judges the nations. Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent, because I am blameless, O Exalted One.

Psalm 7:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 7:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριος κρινεῖ λαούς κρῖνόν με κύριε κατὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην μου καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀκακίαν μου ἐπ᾽ ἐμοί	Κύριος κρινεῖ λαούς. κρῖνόν με, Κύριε, κατὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην μου καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀκακίαν μου ἐπ᾿ ἐμοί
Psalm 7:9 (NETS)	Psalm 7:9 (English Elpenor)
The Lord will judge peoples; do me justice, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the innocence in me.	The Lord shall judge the nations: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my innocence that is in me.

Psalm 7:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 7:9 (KJV)	Psalm 7:9 (NET)
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.	Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.	May the evil deeds of the wicked come to an end. But make the innocent secure, O righteous God, you who examine inner thoughts and motives.

Psalm 7:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 7:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
συντελεσθήτω δὴ πονηρία ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ κατευθυνεῖς δίκαιον ἐτάζων καρδίας καὶ νεφροὺς ὁ θεός	συντελεσθήτω δὴ πονηρία ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ κατευθυνεῖς δίκαιον, ἐτάζων καρδίας καὶ νεφροὺς ὁ Θεός
Psalm 7:10 (NETS)	Psalm 7:10 (English Elpenor)
Do let evil of sinners be brought to an end, and you shall direct the righteous. God is one who tests hearts and kidneys.	Oh let the wickedness of sinners come to an end; and [then] thou shalt direct the righteous, O God that searchest the hearts and reins.

Psalm 7:10 (Tanakh)	Psalm 7:10 (KJV)	Psalm 7:10 (NET)
My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.	My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.	The Exalted God is my shield, the one who delivers the morally upright.

Psalm 7:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 7:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
δικαία ἡ βοήθειά μου παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ σῴζοντος τοὺς εὐθεῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ	δικαία ἡ βοήθειά μου παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ σῴζοντος τοὺς εὐθεῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ
Psalm 7:11 (NETS)	Psalm 7:11 (English Elpenor)
Righteous is my help from God, he who saves the upright in heart.	My help is righteous, [coming] from God who saves the upright in heart.

Psalm 26:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 26:9 (KJV)	Psalm 26:9 (NET)
Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:	Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:	Do not sweep me away with sinners, or execute me along with violent people,

Psalm 26:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 25:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ συναπολέσῃς μετὰ ἀσεβῶν τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ μετὰ ἀνδρῶν αἱμάτων τὴν ζωήν μου	μὴ συναπολέσῃς μετὰ ἀσεβῶν τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ μετὰ ἀνδρῶν αἱμάτων τὴν ζωήν μου
Psalm 25:9 (NETS)	Psalm 25:9 (English Elpenor)
Do not destroy my soul together with the impious and my life with men of blood,	Destroy not my soul together with the ungodly, nor my life with bloody men:

Psalm 26:10 (Tanakh)	Psalm 26:10 (KJV)	Psalm 26:10 (NET)
In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.	In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.	who are always ready to do wrong or offer a bribe.

Psalm 26:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 25:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὧν ἐν χερσὶν ἀνομίαι ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτῶν ἐπλήσθη δώρων	ὧν ἐν χερσὶν ἀνομίαι, ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτῶν ἐπλήσθη δώρων
Psalm 25:10 (NETS)	Psalm 25:10 (English Elpenor)
in whose hands are acts of lawlessness; their right hand was filled with gifts.	in whose hands [are] iniquities, [and] their right hand is filled with bribes.

Psalm 26:11 (Tanakh)	Psalm 26:11 (KJV)	Psalm 26:11 (NET)
But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.	But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.	But I have integrity. Rescue me and have mercy on me!

Psalm 26:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 25:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγὼ δὲ ἐν ἀκακίᾳ μου ἐπορεύθην λύτρωσαί με καὶ ἐλέησόν με	ἐγὼ δὲ ἐν ἀκακίᾳ μου ἐπορεύθην· λύτρωσαί με καὶ ἐλέησόν με
Psalm 25:11 (NETS)	Psalm 25:11 (English Elpenor)
But as for me, I walked in my guilessness; redeem me, and have mercy on me.	But I have walked in my innocence: redeem me, and have mercy upon me.

Psalm 41:12 (Tanakh)	Psalm 41:12 (KJV)	Psalm 41:12 (NET)
And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.	And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.	As for me, you uphold me because of my integrity; you allow me permanent access to your presence.

Psalm 41:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 40:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐμοῦ δὲ διὰ τὴν ἀκακίαν ἀντελάβου καὶ ἐβεβαίωσάς με ἐνώπιόν σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα	ἐμοῦ δὲ διὰ τὴν ἀκακίαν ἀντελάβου, καὶ ἐβεβαίωσάς με ἐνώπιόν σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα
Psalm 40:13 (NETS)	Psalm 40:13 (English Elpenor)
But me you supported on account of my innocence and secured me before you forever.	But thou didst help me because of [mine] innocence, and hast established me before thee for ever.

Job 4:7 (Tanakh)	Job 4:7 (KJV)	Job 4:7 (NET)
Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?	Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?	Call to mind now: Who, being innocent, ever perished? And where were upright people ever destroyed?

Job 4:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 4:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μνήσθητι οὖν τίς καθαρὸς ὢν ἀπώλετο ἢ πότε ἀληθινοὶ ὁλόρριζοι ἀπώλοντο	μνήσθητι οὖν, τίς καθαρὸς ὢν ἀπώλετο ἢ πότε ἀληθινοὶ ὁλόρριζοι ἀπώλοντο
Job 4:7 (NETS)	Job 4:7 (English Elpenor)
“Think now, who, being pure, perished, or when did the true perish root and all?	Remember then who has perished, being pure? or when were the true-hearted utterly destroyed?

Job 4:8 (Tanakh)	Job 4:8 (KJV)	Job 4:8 (NET)
Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.	Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.	Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.

Job 4:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 4:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καθ᾽ ὃν τρόπον εἶδον τοὺς ἀροτριῶντας τὰ ἄτοπα οἱ δὲ σπείροντες αὐτὰ ὀδύνας θεριοῦσιν ἑαυτοῖς	καθ᾿ ὃν τρόπον εἶδον τοὺς ἀροτριῶντας τὰ ἄτοπα, οἱ δὲ σπείροντες αὐτὰ ὀδύνας θεριοῦσιν ἑαυτοῖς
Job 4:8 (NETS)	Job 4:8 (English Elpenor)
For instance, I saw those who plow wrongs, and those who sow them reap torments for themselves.	Accordingly as I have seen men ploughing barren places, and they that sow them will reap sorrows for themselves.

Nothing True, Part 5

¹ Job 4:6 (NASB)

² NET note 26: The Hebrew form עָלָי (ʿalay) has been traditionally understood as the preposition עַל (ʿal, “over”) with a first person suffix. But this is syntactically awkward and meaningless. The form is probably a divine title derived from the verbal root עָלָה (ʿalah, “ascend”). This relatively rare title appears elsewhere in the OT (see HALOT 824-25 s.v. I עַל, though this text is not listed) and in Ugaritic as an epithet for Baal (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 98). See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:44-45, and P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 98.

³ Job 4:6b (NET)

⁴ Job 42:7b (NETS) Table

Nothing True, Part 3

Posted on July 8, 2023 by admin

Eliphaz, the king of the Thaimanites¹ responded to Job’s lament:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 4:1, 2 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 4:1, 2 (NET)	Job 4:1, 2 (NETS)	Job 4:1, 2 (English Elpenor)
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,	Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:	Now Eliphaz the Thaimanite continued and said,	Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,
If we assay (הֲנִסָּ֬ה) to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?	“If someone should attempt (nāsâ, הנסה) a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can refrain from speaking?	“Have you often (μὴ πολλάκις) been addressed when in distress? But who can endure the force of your words?	Hast thou been often (μὴ πολλάκις) spoken to in distress? but who shall endure the force of thy words?

“If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient?”² I thought Eliphaz was kind and very mindful of Job’s distress when I only read this English translation of the Masoretic text. Now I know that Eliphaz was a king who heard Job lament: I should have slept and been at rest, with kings [and] councillors of the earth, who gloried in [their] swords.³ So now I hear sarcasm in the words of Eliphaz.

The Hebrew word translated we assay (Tanakh, KJV) and someone should attempt (NET) was הֲנִסָּ֬ה (nāsâ). The first occurrence of a form of נָסָה (nāsâ) follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 22:1, 2 (Tanakh)	Genesis 22:1, 2 (NET)	Genesis 22:1, 2 (NETS)	Genesis 22:1, 2 (English Elpenor)
And it came to pass after these things, that G-d did prove (נִסָּ֖ה) Abraham, and said unto him: ‘Abraham’; and he said: ‘Here am I.’	Some time after these things God tested (nāsâ, נסה) Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham replied.	And it came about after these matters that God tested (ἐπείραζεν) Abraham and said to him, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”	AND it came to pass after these things that God tempted (ἐπείρασε) Abraam, and said to him, Abraam, Abraam; and he said, Lo! I [am here].
And He said: ‘Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.’	God said, “Take your son—your only son, whom you love, Isaac—and go to the land of Moriah! Offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will indicate to you.”	And he said, “Take your beloved son Isaak, whom you love, and go into the high land, and offer him as a whole burnt offering on one of the mountains, whichever I mention to you.”	And he said, Take thy son, the beloved one, whom thou hast loved– Isaac, and go into the high land, and offer him there for a whole-burnt-offering on one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”⁴ We are told explicitly (Hebrews 11:17-19 NET):

By faith Abraham, when he was tested (πειραζόμενος, a form of πειράζω), offered up Isaac. He had received the promises, yet he was ready to offer up his only son. God had told him, “Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name,” and he reasoned that God could even raise him from the dead, and in a sense he received him back from there.

It’s not too difficult to say that God did prove (Tanakh), did tempt (KJV), tested (NET, NETS) or tempted (English Elpenor) Job. That is precisely what the translators of the Tanakh on chabad.org decided that Eliphaz said to him (Job 4:2 Chabad Tanakh):

“Because He tested you with [one] thing, should you weary? Who can withhold words?

But I wonder now if Eliphaz thought to continue that proving, tempting or testing by his own words. Or did he try (Tanakh), tempt (KJV, English Elpenor) or test (NET) God?

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 17:2 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:2 (NET)	Exodus 17:2 (NETS)	Exodus 17:2 (English Elpenor)
Wherefore the people strove with Moses, and said: ‘Give us water that we may drink.’ And Moses said unto them: ‘Why strive ye with me? wherefore do ye try (תְּנַסּ֖וּן) HaShem?’	So the people contended with Moses, and they said, “Give us water to drink!” Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you test (nāsâ, תנסון) the Lord?”	And the people were railing against Moyses, saying, “Give us water so that we may drink!” And Moyses said to them, “Why are you railing at me, and why are you testing (πειράζετε) the Lord?”	And the people reviled Moses, saying, Give us water, that we may drink; and Moses said to them, Why do ye revile me, and why tempt ye (πειράζετε) the Lord?

Both of these examples of forms of נָסָה (nāsâ) were translated with forms of πειράζω in the Septuagint. In fact, most occurrences of forms of נָסָה (nāsâ) in the Masoretic text were translated with forms of πειράζω in the Septuagint (see table below). One (Deuteronomy 28:56) was translated with a form of πεῖρα, the noun form of the verb πειράζω. Four (twice in Deuteronomy 6:16, once each in Deuteronomy 8:2 and 8:16) were translated with forms of ἐκπειράζω, leaving only two outliers and an allied word to consider.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Samuel 17:38, 39 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 17:38, 39 (NET)	1 Reigns 17:38, 39 (NETS)	1 Kings 17:38, 39 (English Elpenor)
And Saul clad David with his apparel, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.	Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him.	And Saoul put a woolen cloak on Dauid, and a bronze helmet around his head,	And Saul clothed David with a military coat, and [put] his brazen helmet on his head.
And David girded his sword upon his apparel, and he essayed to go, but could not; for he had not tried it (נִסָּה֒). And David said unto Saul: ‘I cannot go with these; for I have not tried them (נִסִּ֑יתִי).’ And David put them off him.	David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them (nāsâ, נסה). David said to Saul, “I can’t walk in these things, for I’m not used to them (nāsâ, נסיתי).” So David removed them.	and he girded Dauid with his sword over his woolen cloak, and he grew tired (ἐκοπίασεν) walking once and twice. And Dauid said to Saoul, “I shall definitely not be able to go in these, for I am not experienced (πεπείραμαι).” And they removed them from him.	And he girt David with his sword over his coat: and he made trial (ἐκοπίασε) walking [with them] once and again: and David said to Saul, I shall not be able to go with these, for I have not proved [them] (πεπείραμαι): so they remove them from him.

The Greek word ἐκοπίασε(ν), a form of κοπιάω (NETS: he grew tired), cuts right to the heart of the matter and highlights the humor of this boy laboring to move in a man’s battle gear. And πεπείραμαι a form of πειράω in the middle voice (e.g., “to be used to”) makes it clear that David did not disparage the king’s offer or the battle attire offered. I think the rabbis who translated the Septuagint were confronting forms of נָסָה (nāsâ) here, and grappled with nuances that the English translator of the Elpenor Septuagint ignored even in Greek.

This brings me full circle to μὴ πολλάκις, the apparent translation of הֲנִסָּ֬ה (nāsâ) in Job 4:2. Though the literal meaning is not often the English translators of both versions of the Septuagint treated this phrase as a rhetorical question: Have you often (NETS) or Hast thou been often (English Elpenor). This is a legitimate way to treat μὴ at the beginning of a clause:⁵

Introducing a rhetorical question which expects a negative answer:
μὴ φύλαξ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μού εἰμι ἐγώ;
am I my brother’s keeper? (Gen 4:9)

Though I might otherwise have questioned whether הֲנִסָּ֬ה (nāsâ) was the original word the rabbis found to translate, this exercise has made me more willing to assume that they recognized nuance in the Hebrew that I might miss in a more direct Greek translation. The rabbis didn’t hear Eliphaz requesting permission to speak if it would not cause Job too much distress. They heard an assertion, if not an accusation, that Job was unaccustomed to such distress.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 4:3-5 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 4:3-5 (NET)	Job 4:3-5 (NETS)	Job 4:3-5 (English Elpenor)
Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.	Look, you have instructed many; you have strengthened feeble hands.	So what, if you instructed many and encouraged the hands of the weak one,	For whereas thou hast instructed many, and hast strengthened the hands of the weak one,
Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.	Your words have supported those who stumbled, and you have strengthened the knees that gave way.	lifted up the weak with your words and wrapped feeble knees in courage—	and hast supported the failing with words, and hast imparted courage to feeble knees.
But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled (וַתִּבָּהֵֽל).	But now the same thing comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are terrified (bāhal, ותבהל).	but now distress has come upon you and touched you, and you acted in haste (ἐσπούδασας).	Yet now [that] pain has come upon thee, and touched thee, thou art troubled (ἐσπούδασας).

I looked back at the words when I first read the book of Job (Job 4:3-5 NASB):

Behold, you have taught many, And you have strengthened weak hands. Your words have helped the stumbling to stand, And you have strengthened feeble knees. But now it comes to you, and you are impatient; It touches you, and you are horrified.

I thought Eliphaz was reasoning calmly with Job, encouraging (if not praising him, but certainly encouraging) him to return again to the man he once was. This is embarrassing. Even beyond embarrassing, it is disconcerting because it is around this same time that I thought Jesus was a conceited know-it-all, rude, overly critical, laying word traps into which people would fall so He could berate them.

I was neither self-aware enough nor honest enough to acknowledge those beliefs at the time. I only became aware of them as I knew Him better and they were replaced by a better understanding of the Bible. (I certainly knew how I was supposed to feel about Jesus, and was as practiced as anyone, I suppose, in the fake it till you make it school of Christian teaching.) This time studying through the book of Job it seems fairly clear that Eliphaz accused Job of being an empty talker, a hypocrite, if you will, in the modern sense of the word.

The Hebrew word וַתִּבָּהֵֽל (bāhal), translated and thou art troubled (Tanakh/KJV), and you are terrified (NET), was ἐσπούδασας (a form of σπουδάζω), translated thou art troubled (English Elpenor) and you acted in haste (NETS). Being more familiar with forms of σπουδάζω in the New Testament, I thought this was an odd, even a questionable, choice. So I reviewed some of the verses containing forms of σπουδάζω:

[James, Cephas, and John] requested only that we remember the poor, the very thing I also was eager (ἐσπούδασα, another form of σπουδάζω) to do.⁶ I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called…making every effort (σπουδάζοντες, another form of σπουδάζω) to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.⁷ Make every effort (σπούδασον, another form of σπουδάζω) to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately.⁸

Thus we must make every effort (Σπουδάσωμεν, another form of σπουδάζω) to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience.⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort (σπουδάσατε, another form of σπουδάζω) to be sure of your calling and election. For by doing this you will never stumble into sin (ου μη ¹⁰ πταισητε ποτε; literally, “never stumble once”).¹¹ Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for these things, strive (σπουδάσατε, another form of σπουδάζω) to be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence.¹²

When I tried to obey these commands in my own strength, seeking to have my own righteousness derived from¹³ these very commands received as rules, I caused myself a level of anxiety similar to that which Eliphaz accused Job of having. I was making myself like that proverbial branch that is thrown out…and dries up¹⁴ by not remaining or abiding in Jesus. I was like one of those foolish Galatians…trying to finish by human effort. But the Lord rescued me from my folly. The only reason I don’t respond immediately to that level of anxiety in forms of σπουδάζω currently, is that He has begun to teach me to walk by the Spirit.

A table comparing the definitions of וַתִּבָּהֵֽל (bāhal) and σπουδάζω follows:

וַתִּבָּהֵֽל (bāhal)	σπουδάζω
to disturb, alarm, terrify, hurry, be disturbed, be anxious, be afraid, be hurried, be nervous	to hasten, hurry, use speed, act with speed; to be zealous, eager, diligent; to be busy, be persistent; to become mentally unsettled

Taken at face value, these words are more alike than I was fully appreciating. I considered Paul’s usage of ἐσπουδάσαμεν: But when we were separated from you, brothers and sisters, for a short time (in presence, not in affection) we became all the more fervent (ἐσπουδάσαμεν, another form of σπουδάζω) in our great desire to see you in person.¹⁵ There was probably more anxiety in Paul’s more fervent…desire than I allowed before undertaking this exercise: So when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter (ὁ πειράζων) somehow¹⁶ tempted (ἐπείρασεν) you and our toil had proven useless.¹⁷

I’ll conclude this essay with the chabad.org translation of Job 4:3-5 (Chabad Tanakh):

Behold, you have chastised many, and you have strengthened weak hands. Your words would pick up the stumbler, and you would strengthen buckling knees. Now when it comes to you, you weary; it touches you and you are frightened.

According to a note (5) in the NET Paul quoted from Genesis 15:6. A table below compares the Greek of Romans 4:3b to that of the Septuagint.

Romans 4:3b (NET Parallel Greek)	Genesis 15:6 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Genesis 15:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην	καὶ ἐπίστευσεν Αβραμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην	καὶ ἐπίστευσεν ῞Αβραμ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην
Romans 4:3b (NET)	Genesis 15:6 (NETS)	Genesis 15:6 (English Elpenor)
Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.	And Abram believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.	And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.

According to a note (22) in the NET Hebrews 11:18b was a quotation from Genesis 21:12b. A table below compares the Greek of Hebrews 11:18b to that of the Septuagint.

Hebrews 11:18b (NET Parallel Greek)	Genesis 21:12b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Genesis 21:12b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεται σοι σπέρμα	ὅτι ἐν Ισαακ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα	ὅτι ἐν ᾿Ισαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα
Hebrews 11:18b (NET)	Genesis 21:12b (NETS)	Genesis 21:12b (English Elpenor)
through Isaac descendants will carry on your name	for in Isaak offspring shall be named for you	for in Isaac shall thy seed be called

The table mentioned above follows:

Forms of נָסָה (nāsâ)
Reference	Hebrew	KJV / NET	Greek	NETS / English Elpenor
Genesis 22:1	נִסָּ֖ה	did tempt / tested	ἐπείραζεν / ἐπείρασε	tested / tempted
Exodus 15:25	נִסָּֽהוּ	he proved them / he tested them	ἐπείρασεν / ἐπείρασε	he tested / he proved
Exodus 16:4	אֲנַסֶּ֛נּוּ	I may prove them / I may test them	πειράσω	I might test / I may try
Exodus 17:2	תְּנַסּ֖וּן	do ye tempt / do you test	πειράζετε	are you testing / tempt ye
Exodus 17:7	נַסֹּתָ֤ם	they tempted / of their testing	τὸ πειράζειν	they tested / they tempted
Exodus 20:20	נַסּ֣וֹת	prove / test	τοῦ πειράσαι	to test / to try
Numbers 14:22	וַיְנַסּ֣וּ	and have tempted / and yet have tempted	καὶ ἐπείρασάν	and tested / and have tempted
Deuteronomy 4:34	הֲנִסָּ֣ה	hath…assayed / has…tried	ἐπείρασεν	ever attempted / has assayed
Deuteronomy 6:16	תְנַסּ֔וּ	Ye shall…tempt / You must…put…to the test	ἐκπειράσεις	You shall…tempt / Thou shalt…tempt
Deuteronomy 6:16	נִסִּיתֶ֖ם	ye tempted / you did	ἐξεπειράσασθε / ἐξεπειράσατε	you tempted / ye tempted him
Deuteronomy 8:2	לְנַסֹּֽתְךָ֗	to prove thee / he might…test you	ἐκπειράσῃ σε / πειράσῃ σε	test you / try thee
Deuteronomy 8:16	נַסֹּתֶ֔ךָ	he might prove thee / he might…test you	ἐκπειράσῃ σε	test you / thoroughly try thee
Deuteronomy 13:3	מְנַסֶּ֞ה	proveth / will be testing	πειράζει	is testing / tries
Deuteronomy 28:56	נִסְּתָ֤ה	would…adventure / would…think	πεῖραν	an attempt / has…assayed
Deuteronomy 33:8	נִסִּיתוֹ֙	thou didst prove / authority you challenged	ἐπείρασαν	they tempted
Judges 2:22	נַסּ֥וֹת	I may prove / test	τοῦ πειράσαι	to test / to prove
Judges 3:1	לְנַסּ֥וֹת	to prove / to test	πειράσαι	to test / to prove
Judges 3:4	לְנַסּ֥וֹת	to prove / to test	πειράσαι	to test / to prove
Judges 6:39	אֲנַסֶּ֚ה	let me prove / allow…test	πειράσω	I will make trial / I will…make…trial
1 Samuel 17:39	נִסָּה֒	he had…proved / he was…used to	ἐκοπίασεν / ἐκοπίασε	he grew tired / he made trial
1 Samuel 17:39	נִסִּ֑יתִי	I have…proved / I’m…used to	πεπείραμαι	I am…experienced / I have…proved [them]
1 Kings 10:1	לְנַסֹּת֖וֹ	to prove him / to challenge him	πειράσαι αὐτὸν	to test him / to try him
2 Chronicles 9:1	לְנַסּוֹת֩	to prove / to challenge	τοῦ πειράσαι	to test / to prove
2 Chronicles 32:31	לְנַ֨סּוֹת֔וֹ	to try him / to test him	τοῦ πειράσαι αὐτὸν	to test him / to try him
Job 4:2	הֲנִסָּ֬ה	we assay / someone should attempt	μὴ πολλάκις	Have you often / Hast thou been often
Psalm 26:2	וְנַסֵּ֑נִי	and prove me / and test me	καὶ πείρασόν με	and try me
Psalm 78:18	וַיְנַסּוּ	And they tempted / They willfully challenged	καὶ ἐξεπείρασαν	And they tested / And they tempted
Psalm 78:41	וַיְנַסּ֣וּ	and tempted / challenged	καὶ ἐπείρασαν	and tested / and tempted
Psalm 78:56	וַיְנַסּ֣וּ	Yet they tempted / Yet they challenged	καὶ ἐπείρασαν	And they tested / Yet they tempted
Psalm 95:9	נִ֖סּוּנִי	tempted me / challenged my authority	ἐπείρασαν	tried / tempted me
Psalm 106:14	וַיְנַסּוּ	and tempted / they challenged	καὶ ἐπείρασαν	and put…to the test / and tempted
Ecclesiastes 2:1	אֲנַסְּכָ֥ה	I will prove thee / I will try	πειράσω σε	let me test you / I will prove thee
Ecclesiastes 7:23	נִסִּ֣יתִי	have I proved / I have examined	ἐπείρασα	I tested / have I proved
Isaiah 7:12	אֲנַסֶּ֖ה	will I tempt / put…to a test	πειράσω	will I put…to the test / will I tempt
Daniel 1:12	נַס	Prove / test	πείρασον	Do test / Prove
Daniel 1:14	וַיְנַסֵּ֖ם	and proved them / and tested them	καὶ ἐπείρασεν αὐτοὺς	and tested them / and proved them

Tables comparing Job 4:1; 4:2; Genesis 22:1; 22:2; Exodus 17:2; 1 Samuel 17:38; 17:39; Job 4:3; 4:4 and 4:5 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 4:1; 4:2; Genesis 22:1; 22:2; Exodus 17:2; 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 17:38; 17:39; Job 4:3; 4:4 and 4:5 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing the Greek of 1 Thessalonians 3:5 in the NET and KJV follow.

Job 4:1 (Tanakh)	Job 4:1 (KJV)	Job 4:1 (NET)
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,	Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,	Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:

Job 4:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 4:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Ελιφας ὁ Θαιμανίτης λέγει	ΥΠΟΛΑΒΩΝ δὲ ᾿Ελιφὰζ ὁ Θαιμανίτης λέγει
Job 4:1 (NETS)	Job 4:1 (English Elpenor)
Now Eliphaz the Thaimanite continued and said,	Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,

Job 4:2 (Tanakh)	Job 4:2 (KJV)	Job 4:2 (NET)
If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?	If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?	“If someone should attempt a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can refrain from speaking?

Job 4:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 4:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ πολλάκις σοι λελάληται ἐν κόπῳ ἰσχὺν δὲ ῥημάτων σου τίς ὑποίσει	μὴ πολλάκις σοι λελάληται ἐν κόπῳ; ἰσχὺν δὲ ῥημάτων σου τίς ὑποίσει
Job 4:2 (NETS)	Job 4:2 (English Elpenor)
“Have you often been addressed when in distress? But who can endure the force of your words?	Hast thou been often spoken to in distress? but who shall endure the force of thy words?

Genesis 22:1 (Tanakh)	Genesis 22:1 (KJV)	Genesis 22:1 (NET)
And it came to pass after these things, that G-d did prove Abraham, and said unto him: ‘Abraham’; and he said: ‘Here am I.’	And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.	Some time after these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham replied.

Genesis 22:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 22:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα ὁ θεὸς ἐπείραζεν τὸν Αβρααμ καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν Αβρααμ Αβρααμ ὁ δὲ εἶπεν ἰδοὺ ἐγώ	ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὰ ρήματα ταῦτα ὁ Θεός ἐπείρασε τὸν ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ῾Αβραάμ, ῾Αβραάμ. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· ἰδοὺ ἐγώ
Genesis 22:1 (NETS)	Genesis 22:1 (English Elpenor)
And it came about after these matters that God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”	AND it came to pass after these things that God tempted Abraam, and said to him, Abraam, Abraam; and he said, Lo! I [am here].

Genesis 22:2 (Tanakh)	Genesis 22:2 (KJV)	Genesis 22:2 (NET)
And He said: ‘Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.’	And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.	God said, “Take your son—your only son, whom you love, Isaac—and go to the land of Moriah! Offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will indicate to you.”

Genesis 22:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 22:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν λαβὲ τὸν υἱόν σου τὸν ἀγαπητόν ὃν ἠγάπησας τὸν Ισαακ καὶ πορεύθητι εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν ὑψηλὴν καὶ ἀνένεγκον αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν ἐφ᾽ ἓν τῶν ὀρέων ὧν ἄν σοι εἴπω	καὶ εἶπε· λαβὲ τὸν υἱόν σου τὸν ἀγαπητόν, ὃν ἠγάπησας, τὸν ᾿Ισαάκ, καὶ πορεύθητι εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν ὑψηλὴν καὶ ἀνένεγκον αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν ἐφ᾿ ἓν τῶν ὀρέων, ὧν ἄν σοι εἴπω
Genesis 22:2 (NETS)	Genesis 22:2 (English Elpenor)
And he said, “Take your beloved son Isaak, whom you love, and go into the high land, and offer him as a whole burnt offering on one of the mountains, whichever I mention to you.”	And he said, Take thy son, the beloved one, whom thou hast loved– Isaac, and go into the high land, and offer him there for a whole-burnt-offering on one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Exodus 17:2 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:2 (KJV)	Exodus 17:2 (NET)
Wherefore the people strove with Moses, and said: ‘Give us water that we may drink.’ And Moses said unto them: ‘Why strive ye with me? wherefore do ye try HaShem?’	Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?	So the people contended with Moses, and they said, “Give us water to drink!” Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you test the Lord?”

Exodus 17:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐλοιδορεῖτο ὁ λαὸς πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγοντες δὸς ἡμῖν ὕδωρ ἵνα πίωμεν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Μωυσῆς τί λοιδορεῖσθέ μοι καὶ τί πειράζετε κύριον	καὶ ἐλοιδορεῖτο ὁ λαὸς πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγοντες· δὸς ἡμῖν ὕδωρ, ἵνα πίωμεν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Μωυσῆς· τί λοιδορεῖσθέ μοι, καὶ τί πειράζετε Κύριον
Exodus 17:2 (NETS)	Exodus 17:2 (English Elpenor)
And the people were railing against Moyses, saying, “Give us water so that we may drink!” And Moyses said to them, “Why are you railing at me, and why are you testing the Lord?”	And the people reviled Moses, saying, Give us water, that we may drink; and Moses said to them, Why do ye revile me, and why tempt ye the Lord?

1 Samuel 17:38 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 17:38 (KJV)	1 Samuel 17:38 (NET)
And Saul clad David with his apparel, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.	And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.	Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him.

1 Samuel 17:38 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 17:38 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνέδυσεν Σαουλ τὸν Δαυιδ μανδύαν καὶ περικεφαλαίαν χαλκῆν περὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἐνέδυσε Σαοὺλ τὸν Δαυὶδ μανδύαν καὶ περικεφαλαίαν χαλκῆν περὶ τὴν κεφαλήν αὐτοῦ
1 Reigns 17:38 (NETS)	1 Kings 17:38 (English Elpenor)
And Saoul put a woolen cloak on Dauid, and a bronze helmet around his head,	And Saul clothed David with a military coat, and [put] his brazen helmet on his head.

1 Samuel 17:39 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 17:39 (KJV)	1 Samuel 17:39 (NET)
And David girded his sword upon his apparel, and he essayed to go, but could not; for he had not tried it. And David said unto Saul: ‘I cannot go with these; for I have not tried them.’ And David put them off him.	And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.	David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them. David said to Saul, “I can’t walk in these things, for I’m not used to them.” So David removed them.

1 Samuel 17:39 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 17:39 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔζωσεν τὸν Δαυιδ τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπάνω τοῦ μανδύου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκοπίασεν περιπατήσας ἅπαξ καὶ δίς καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Σαουλ οὐ μὴ δύνωμαι πορευθῆναι ἐν τούτοις ὅτι οὐ πεπείραμαι καὶ ἀφαιροῦσιν αὐτὰ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἔζωσε τὸν Δαυὶδ τὴν ρομφαίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπάνω τοῦ μανδύου αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐκοπίασε περιπατήσας ἅπαξ καὶ δίς· καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς Σαούλ· οὐ μὴ δύνωμαι πορευθῆναι ἐν τούτοις, ὅτι οὐ πεπείραμαι. καὶ ἀφαιροῦσιν αὐτὰ ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ
1 Reigns 17:39 (NETS)	1 Kings 17:39 (English Elpenor)
and he girded Dauid with his sword over his woolen cloak, and he grew tired walking once and twice. And Dauid said to Saoul, “I shall definitely not be able to go in these, for I am not experienced.” And they removed them from him.	And he girt David with his sword over his coat: and he made trial walking [with them] once and again: and David said to Saul, I shall not be able to go with these, for I have not proved [them]: so they remove them from him.

Job 4:3 (Tanakh)	Job 4:3 (KJV)	Job 4:3 (NET)
Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.	Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.	Look, you have instructed many; you have strengthened feeble hands.

Job 4:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 4:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰ γὰρ σὺ ἐνουθέτησας πολλοὺς καὶ χεῖρας ἀσθενοῦς παρεκάλεσας	εἰ γὰρ σὺ ἐνουθέτησας πολλοὺς καὶ χεῖρας ἀσθενοῦς παρεκάλεσας
Job 4:3 (NETS)	Job 4:3 (English Elpenor)
So what, if you instructed many and encouraged the hands of the weak one,	For whereas thou hast instructed many, and hast strengthened the hands of the weak one,

Job 4:4 (Tanakh)	Job 4:4 (KJV)	Job 4:4 (NET)
Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.	Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.	Your words have supported those who stumbled, and you have strengthened the knees that gave way.

Job 4:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 4:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσθενοῦντάς τε ἐξανέστησας ῥήμασιν γόνασίν τε ἀδυνατοῦσιν θάρσος περιέθηκας	ἀσθενοῦντάς τε ἐξανέστησας ρήμασι, γόνασί τε ἀδυνατοῦσι θάρσος περιέθηκας
Job 4:4 (NETS)	Job 4:4 (English Elpenor)
lifted up the weak with your words and wrapped feeble knees in courage—	and hast supported the failing with words, and hast imparted courage to feeble knees.

Job 4:5 (Tanakh)	Job 4:5 (KJV)	Job 4:5 (NET)
But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.	But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.	But now the same thing comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are terrified.

Job 4:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 4:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν δὲ ἥκει ἐπὶ σὲ πόνος καὶ ἥψατό σου σὺ δὲ ἐσπούδασας	νῦν δὲ ἥκει ἐπὶ σὲ πόνος καὶ ἥψατό σου, σὺ ἐσπούδασας
Job 4:5 (NETS)	Job 4:5 (English Elpenor)
but now distress has come upon you and touched you, and you acted in haste.	Yet now [that] pain has come upon thee, and touched thee, thou art troubled.

1 Thessalonians 3:5 (NET)	1 Thessalonians 3:5 (KJV)
So when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter somehow tempted you and our toil had proven useless.	For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

1 Thessalonians 3:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 3:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 3:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
διὰ τοῦτο καγὼ μηκέτι στέγων ἔπεμψα εἰς τὸ γνῶναι τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν, μή πως ἐπείρασεν ὑμᾶς ὁ πειράζων καὶ εἰς κενὸν γένηται ὁ κόπος ἡμῶν	δια τουτο καγω μηκετι στεγων επεμψα εις το γνωναι την πιστιν υμων μηπως επειρασεν υμας ο πειραζων και εις κενον γενηται ο κοπος ημων	δια τουτο καγω μηκετι στεγων επεμψα εις το γνωναι την πιστιν υμων μηπως επειρασεν υμας ο πειραζων και εις κενον γενηται ο κοπος ημων

Nothing True, Part 4

¹ Job 2:11 (NETS) Table

² Job 4:2a (NASB)

³ Job 3:13b, 14 (English Elpenor)

⁴ Romans 4:3 (NET)

⁵ From the definition of μὴ in the Koine Greek Lexicon online.

⁶ Galatians 2:10 (NET)

⁷ Ephesians 4:1, 3 (NET)

⁸ 2 Timothy 2:15 (NET)

⁹ Hebrews 4:11 (NET)

¹⁰ “The Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation,” He Takes Away, Part 3

¹¹ 2 Peter 1:10 (NET)

¹² 2 Peter 3:14 (NET)

¹³ Philippians 3:9 (NET)

¹⁴ John 15:6b (NET) Table

¹⁵ 1 Thessalonians 2:17 (NET)

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μή (NET: for fear that) πως (NET: somehow) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μηπως (KJV: lest by some means).

¹⁷ 1 Thessalonians 3:5 (NET)

Nothing True, Part 2

Posted on May 15, 2023 by admin

Job’s lament took an intriguing turn.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:11, 12 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:11, 12 (NET)	Job 3:11, 12 (NETS)	Job 3:11, 12 (English Elpenor)
Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?	“Why did I not die at birth, and why did I not expire as I came out of the womb?	“For what reason did I not die in the womb or come forth from the belly and not perish at once?	For why died I not in the belly? and [why] did I not come forth from the womb and die immediately?
Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?	Why did the knees welcome me, and why were there two breasts that I might nurse at them?	Why then did knees meet me? Why then did I suck breasts?	and why did the knees support me? and why did I suck the breasts?

I began this study with a complaint that “in the past I’ve gotten bogged down. My religious mind favors the arguments of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar over those of Job.” But as I considered Jobs’ lament and Moses’ and Jeremiah’s, it occurred to me that despite my complaint I have become more patient with people in distress, less judgmental over the words they spoke as they vented their pain and frustration. But still “I hope…to know God better and to discern the errors of my religious mind.”

This time I hear Job asking THE question: God made human infants so weak and helpless that their destruction is assured apart from the love and grace of God. And that includes imparting his love and grace to young women and young men: Even the evil…know how to give good gifts to [their] children¹ at the risk of those same young women and young men mistaking God’s imputed righteousness for their own righteousness.

God’s love and grace answer job’s question and convey the hope and strength to hold out, saying, Behold, I wait yet a little while, expecting the hope of my deliverance.² Job may not have been ready yet to hear it from a human comforter, but any would-be human comforter could pray that God Himself would be the Comforter to lead Job out from his despair.

Job’s lament continued:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:13-15 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:13-15 (NET)	Job 3:13-15 (NETS)	Job 3:13-15 (English Elpenor)
For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest (יָנ֬וּחַֽ),	For now I would be lying down and would be quiet, I would be asleep and then at peace (nûaḥ, ינוח)	Now I would have lain down quiet and in sleep would have been at rest (ἀνεπαυσάμην),	Now I should have lain down and been quiet, I should have slept and been at rest (ἀνεπαυσάμην),
With kings and counsellors of the earth, which build desolate places for themselves;	with kings and counselors of the earth who built for themselves places now desolate,	with kings, counselors of the earth, who used to act proudly thanks to rapiers,	with kings [and] councillors of the earth, who gloried in [their] swords;
Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:	or with princes who possessed gold, who filled their palaces with silver.	or with rulers, who had much gold, who had filled their houses with silver.	or with rulers, whose gold was abundant, who filled their houses with silver:
Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.	Or why was I not buried like a stillborn infant, like infants who have never seen the light?	Or why was I not like a premature birth that comes from a mother’s womb or like infants that did not see the light?	or [I should have been] as an untimely birth proceeding from his mother’s womb, or as infants who never saw light.

The Septuagint makes it explicit that Job’s friends were rulers. Reading only the Masoretic text I missed how Job’s comments about kings and princes may have put his friends on edge, especially equating them to stillborn infants. Does anyone appreciate being reminded of the sinful futility of one’s life and its eventual end?

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:17-19 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:17-19 (NET)	Job 3:17-19 (NETS)	Job 3:17-19 (English Elpenor)
There the wicked cease (חָ֣דְלוּ) from troubling (רֹ֑גֶז); and there the weary be at rest (יָ֜נ֗וּחוּ).	There the wicked cease (ḥāḏal, חדלו) from turmoil (rōḡez, רגז), and there the weary are at rest (nûaḥ, ינוחו).	There the impious have kindled (ἐξέκαυσαν) a terrible (θυμὸν) wrath (ὀργῆς); there the weary have found rest (ἀνεπαύσαντο) for the body,	There the ungodly have burnt out (ἐξέκαυσαν) the fury (θυμὸν) of rage (ὀργῆς); there the wearied in body rest (ἀνεπαύσαντο).
There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.	There the prisoners relax together; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.	and those of old, together, have not heard the voice of the tax-gatherer.	And the men of old time have together ceased to hear the exactor’s voice.
The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.	Small and great are there, and the slave is free from his master.	Small and great are there, and the attendant who lived in fear of his master.	The small and great are there, and the servant that feared his lord.

It’s much clearer to me this time how Job’s description of death as a neutralizer of worldly rank and distinction might have affected his royal friends. I’ll pause for a moment here to consider whether the impious have kindled a terrible wrath³ in death, or the ungodly have burnt out the fury of rage⁴ there.

The verb ἐξέκαυσαν (a form of ἐκκαίω) can mean either have kindled or have burnt out. On the other hand a terrible seems like a terrible translation of θυμὸν (a form of θυμός). I suspect that θυμὸν ὀργῆς (a form of ὀργή) was the rabbis’ attempt to capture some of the richness of רֹ֑גֶז (rōḡez). The English word string for רֹ֑גֶז (rōḡez) in the “Outline of Biblical Usage” online reads like an apt description of the wicked, impious or ungodly: “agitation, excitement, raging, trouble, turmoil, trembling;” “turmoil, disquiet, raging;” “trembling, trepidation.”

In Jesus’ description of death a rich man in Hades, as he was in torment (βασάνοις, a form of βάσανος),⁵ called out (φωνήσας, a form of φωνέω)⁶ to Abraham: I am in anguish in this fire.⁷ For years I would have characterized this as a description of the place where the impious have kindled a terrible wrath,⁸ primarily because the Greek word ᾅδῃ (a form of ᾅδης) was translated hell in the KJV. But now it’s obvious that the rich man (and Lazarus, for that matter) had ceased from troubling (Tanakh, KJV), from turmoil (NET), and whatever fury of rage they may have had against man or God had burnt out (English Elpenor).

The rich man seemed to think that he was entitled to some help from Lazarus, and it would be strange indeed that Lazarus lay at the rich man’s gate if he received no help there. There is clearly a judgment in Jesus’ description of death: Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish,⁹ Abraham had said to the rich man. But it is certainly not THE judgment (Matthew 25:41-46 NET).

“Then [the Son of Man] will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed? [Table]’ Then he will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

So, in my bid to live…by every word that comes from the mouth of God,¹⁰ I’ll favor the translation of Job 3:17a in the English Elpenor version of the Septuagint over that in the NETS. The immediate upshot of taking Jesus’ description of death literally is a better understanding of his puzzling statement to Martha before he raised her brother Lazarus from the dead: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies, and the one who lives (ὁ ζῶν) and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”¹¹

The Greek word translated will…die in the phrase will never die above was not ἀποθανεῖται, the 3^rd person singular form of ἀποθνήσκω in the indicative mood and future tense. Rather, it was ἀποθάνῃ, the 3^rd person singular form of ἀποθνήσκω in the subjunctive mood and second aorist tense (e.g., may…die). Since never was the NET translation of οὐ μὴ in Greek, οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ is an example of the Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation:

…the Subjunctive Mood indicates the probability of an event, and the Aorist Tense emphasizes an action as simply occurring…Thus, when you have οὐ µή (ou mē) in combination with the Aorist Subjunctive, what occurs is the absolute and unequivocal denial of the probability of an event EVER OCCURING at any moment or time in the future.

This particular subjunctive of emphatic negation was followed by a phrase that was rarely translated into English: εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. It was rendered to the age in Young’s Literal Translation. A note (50) in the NET acknowledged that οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα meant “will never die forever” in Greek. It’s easy to understand why Martha was reluctant to affirm her faith in such a statement. Instead, she affirmed her faith in the One who said it.

I couple this with Paul’s enigmatic statement (2 Corinthians 5:6-9 NET):

Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth (ἐνδημοῦντες ἐν τῷ σώματι; KJV: at home in the body) we are absent from the Lord—for we live (περιπατοῦμεν) by faith, not by sight. Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So then whether we are alive (ἐνδημοῦντες) or away, we make it our ambition to please him.

Those who live and believe in Jesus simply skip over death: a sojourn in Hades. What we call death from our limited perspectives has no impact on our ambition (φιλοτιμούμεθα, a form of φιλοτιμέομαι) to please (εὐάρεστοι, a form of εὐάρεστος) him.

Job’s next question might have been voiced by Lazarus as he lay at the rich man’s gate, his body covered with sores,¹² longing (ἐπιθυμῶν, a form of ἐπιθυμέω) to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.¹³

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:20-23 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:20-23 (NET)	Job 3:20-23 (NETS)	Job 3:20-23 (English Elpenor)
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;	“Why does God give light to one who is in misery, and life to those whose soul is bitter,	“Why then is light given to those in bitterness, and life to souls in pain,	For why is light given to those who are in bitterness, and life to those souls which are in griefs?
Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;	to those who wait for death that does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasures,	who long for death and do not find it, though they are digging for it as for treasures?	who desire death, and obtain it not, digging [for it] as [for] treasures;
Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?	who rejoice even to jubilation, and are exultant when they find the grave?	Yet they would be very joyful if they were successful.	and would be very joyful if they should gain it?
Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?	Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?	Death is rest (ἀνάπαυμα) for such a man, for God shut him in.	Death [is] rest (ἀνάπαυμα) to [such] a man, for God has hedged him in.

Death is rest for such a man.¹⁴ This is the reason I quoted this verse. If I were reading the Masoretic text only I would’ve ended the quotation one verse earlier. But I’m struck how Jesus confirmed Job’s words with Abraham’s description of Lazarus’ death: now he is comforted here.¹⁵

Paul recounted a life circumstance that was similar to Job’s question: Why then is light given to those in bitterness, and life to souls in pain?¹⁶ (2 Corinthians 1:8 NET [Table]):

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired (ἐξαπορηθῆναι, a form of ἐξαπορέω) even of living (καὶ τοῦ ζῆν).

In Paul’s writing, however, we also get a glimpse how the righteous, by the grace of God, respond to a sentence of death (2 Corinthians 1:9 NET):

Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death (τὸ ἀπόκριμα τοῦ θανάτου) had been passed against us, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.

Job’s first lament concluded:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:24-26 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:24-26 (NET)	Job 3:24-26 (NETS)	Job 3:24-26 (English Elpenor)
For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.	For my sighing comes in place of my food, and my groanings flow forth like water.	For sighing comes before my food, and I cry, gripped by fear.	For my groaning comes before my food, and I weep being beset with terror.
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.	For the very thing I dreaded has happened to me, and what I feared has come upon me.	For fear—which was my worry—came to me, and the fear I dreaded befell me.	For the terror of which I meditated has come upon me, and that which I had feared has befallen me.
I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble (רֹֽגֶז) came.	I have no ease; I have no quietness; I cannot rest; turmoil (rōḡez, רגז) has come upon me.”	I was neither at peace, nor did I have quiet, nor was I at rest, but anger (ὀργή) came to me.”	I was not at peace, nor quiet, nor had I rest; yet wrath (ὀργή) came upon me.

I was not at peace, nor quiet, nor had I rest (ἀνεπαυσάμην, a form of ἀναπαύω); yet wrath came upon me.¹⁷ This last sigh of Job’s first lament is particularly poignant in the light of Jesus’ insight that one’s¹⁸ life does not consist in the abundance of his¹⁹ possessions.²⁰ [Jesus] then told them a parable (Luke 12:16-21 NET):

“The land of a certain rich man produced an abundant crop, so he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain²¹ and my goods. And I will say to myself, “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax (ἀναπαύου, another form of ἀναπαύω), eat, drink, celebrate!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life (τὴν ψυχήν σου) will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ So it is with the one who stores up riches (θησαυρίζων, a form of θησαυρίζω) for himself, but is not rich (πλουτῶν, a form of πλουτέω) toward God.”

I wonder if the fear—which was [Job’s] worry²² (ἐφρόντισα, a form of φροντίζω; English Elpenor: of which I meditated) was synonymous with Job’s thought which prompted his customary practice after his sons and daughters feasted: Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.²³

According to a note (7) in the NET Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 in Matthew 4:4. A table below compares the Greek of Jesus’ quotation in Matthew 4:4 to that of the Septuagint.

Matthew 4:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 8:3b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 8:3b (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ παντὶ ρήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ	οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι τῷ ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος	οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι τῷ ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος Θεοῦ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος
Matthew 4:4 (NET)	Deuteronomy 8:3b (NETS)	Deuteronomy 8:3b (English Elpenor)
Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.	man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that goes out through the mouth of God man shall live.	man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God shall man live.

Tables comparing Job 3:11; 3:12; 3:13; 3:14; 3:15; 3:16; 3:17; 3:18; 3:19; 3:20; 3:21; 3:22; 3:23; 3:24; 3:25 and 3:26 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 3:11; 3:12; 3:13; 3:14; 3:15; 3:16; 3:17; 3:18; 3:19; 3:20; 3:21; 3:22; 3:23; 3:24; 3:25 and 3:26 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing the Greek of Matthew 4:4; Luke 12:15 and 12:18 in the NET and KJV follow.

Job 3:11 (Tanakh)	Job 3:11 (KJV)	Job 3:11 (NET)
Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?	Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?	“Why did I not die at birth, and why did I not expire as I came out of the womb?

Job 3:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διὰ τί γὰρ ἐν κοιλίᾳ οὐκ ἐτελεύτησα ἐκ γαστρὸς δὲ ἐξῆλθον καὶ οὐκ εὐθὺς ἀπωλόμην	διατί γὰρ ἐν κοιλίᾳ οὐκ ἐτελεύτησα, ἐκ γαστρὸς δὲ ἐξῆλθον καὶ οὐκ εὐθὺς ἀπωλόμην
Job 3:11 (NETS)	Job 3:11 (English Elpenor)
“For what reason did I not die in the womb or come forth from the belly and not perish at once?	For why died I not in the belly? and [why] did I not come forth from the womb and die immediately?

Job 3:12 (Tanakh)	Job 3:12 (KJV)	Job 3:12 (NET)
Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?	Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?	Why did the knees welcome me, and why were there two breasts that I might nurse at them?

Job 3:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα τί δὲ συνήντησάν μοι γόνατα ἵνα τί δὲ μαστοὺς ἐθήλασα	ἱνατί δὲ συνήντησάν μοι γόνατα; ἱνατί δὲ μαστοὺς ἐθήλασα
Job 3:12 (NETS)	Job 3:12 (English Elpenor)
Why then did knees meet me? Why then did I suck breasts?	and why did the knees support me? and why did I suck the breasts?

Job 3:13 (Tanakh)	Job 3:13 (KJV)	Job 3:13 (NET)
For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,	For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,	For now I would be lying down and would be quiet, I would be asleep and then at peace

Job 3:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν ἂν κοιμηθεὶς ἡσύχασα ὑπνώσας δὲ ἀνεπαυσάμην	νῦν ἂν κοιμηθεὶς ἡσύχασα, ὑπνώσας δὲ ἀνεπαυσάμην
Job 3:13 (NETS)	Job 3:13 (English Elpenor)
Now I would have lain down quiet and in sleep would have been at rest,	Now I should have lain down and been quiet, I should have slept and been at rest,

Job 3:14 (Tanakh)	Job 3:14 (KJV)	Job 3:14 (NET)
With kings and counsellors of the earth, which build desolate places for themselves;	With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;	with kings and counselors of the earth who built for themselves places now desolate,

Job 3:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μετὰ βασιλέων βουλευτῶν γῆς οἳ ἠγαυριῶντο ἐπὶ ξίφεσιν	μετὰ βασιλέων βουλευτῶν γῆς, οἳ ἐγαυριῶντο ἐπὶ ξίφεσιν
Job 3:14 (NETS)	Job 3:14 (English Elpenor)
with kings, counselors of the earth, who used to act proudly thanks to rapiers,	with kings [and] councillors of the earth, who gloried in [their] swords;

Job 3:15 (Tanakh)	Job 3:15 (KJV)	Job 3:15 (NET)
Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:	Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:	or with princes who possessed gold, who filled their palaces with silver.

Job 3:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἢ μετὰ ἀρχόντων ὧν πολὺς ὁ χρυσός οἳ ἔπλησαν τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἀργυρίου	ἢ μετὰ ἀρχόντων, ὧν πολὺς ὁ χρυσός, οἳ ἔπλησαν τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἀργυρίου
Job 3:15 (NETS)	Job 3:15 (English Elpenor)
or with rulers, who had much gold, who had filled their houses with silver.	or with rulers, whose gold was abundant, who filled their houses with silver:

Job 3:16 (Tanakh)	Job 3:16 (KJV)	Job 3:16 (NET)
Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.	Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.	Or why was I not buried like a stillborn infant, like infants who have never seen the light?

Job 3:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἢ ὥσπερ ἔκτρωμα ἐκπορευόμενον ἐκ μήτρας μητρὸς ἢ ὥσπερ νήπιοι οἳ οὐκ εἶδον φῶς	ἢ ὥσπερ ἔκτρωμα ἐκπορευόμενον ἐκ μήτρας μητρός, ἢ ὥσπερ νήπιοι, οἳ οὐκ εἶδον φῶς
Job 3:16 (NETS)	Job 3:16 (English Elpenor)
Or why was I not like a premature birth that comes from a mother’s womb or like infants that did not see the light?	or [I should have been] as an untimely birth proceeding from his mother’s womb, or as infants who never saw light.

Job 3:17 (Tanakh)	Job 3:17 (KJV)	Job 3:17 (NET)
There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.	There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.	There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest.

Job 3:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκεῖ ἀσεβεῖς ἐξέκαυσαν θυμὸν ὀργῆς ἐκεῖ ἀνεπαύσαντο κατάκοποι τῷ σώματι	ἐκεῖ ἀσεβεῖς ἐξέκαυσαν θυμὸν ὀργῆς, ἐκεῖ ἀνεπαύσαντο κατάκοποι τῷ σώματι
Job 3:17 (NETS)	Job 3:17 (English Elpenor)
There the impious have kindled a terrible wrath; there the weary have found rest for the body,	There the ungodly have burnt out the fury of rage; there the wearied in body rest.

Job 3:18 (Tanakh)	Job 3:18 (KJV)	Job 3:18 (NET)
There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.	There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.	There the prisoners relax together; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.

Job 3:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁμοθυμαδὸν δὲ οἱ αἰώνιοι οὐκ ἤκουσαν φωνὴν φορολόγου	ὁμοθυμαδὸν δὲ οἱ αἰώνιοι οὐκ ἤκουσαν φωνὴν φορολόγου
Job 3:18 (NETS)	Job 3:18 (English Elpenor)
and those of old, together, have not heard the voice of the tax-gatherer.	And the men of old time have together ceased to hear the exactor’s voice.

Job 3:19 (Tanakh)	Job 3:19 (KJV)	Job 3:19 (NET)
The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.	The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.	Small and great are there, and the slave is free from his master.

Job 3:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μικρὸς καὶ μέγας ἐκεῖ ἐστιν καὶ θεράπων οὐ δεδοικὼς τὸν κύριον αὐτοῦ	μικρὸς καὶ μέγας ἐκεῖ ἐστι, καὶ θεράπων δεδοικὼς τὸν κύριον αὐτοῦ
Job 3:19 (NETS)	Job 3:19 (English Elpenor)
Small and great are there, and the attendant who lived in fear of his master.	The small and great are there, and the servant that feared his lord.

Job 3:20 (Tanakh)	Job 3:20 (KJV)	Job 3:20 (NET)
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;	Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;	“Why does God give light to one who is in misery, and life to those whose soul is bitter,

Job 3:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα τί γὰρ δέδοται τοῖς ἐν πικρίᾳ φῶς ζωὴ δὲ ταῖς ἐν ὀδύναις ψυχαῖς	ἱνατί γὰρ δέδοται τοῖς ἐν πικρίᾳ φῶς, ζωὴ δὲ ταῖς ἐν ὀδύναις ψυχαῖς
Job 3:20 (NETS)	Job 3:20 (English Elpenor)
“Why then is light given to those in bitterness, and life to souls in pain,	For why is light given to those who are in bitterness, and life to those souls which are in griefs?

Job 3:21 (Tanakh)	Job 3:21 (KJV)	Job 3:21 (NET)
Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;	Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;	to those who wait for death that does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasures,

Job 3:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οἳ ὁμείρονται τοῦ θανάτου καὶ οὐ τυγχάνουσιν ἀνορύσσοντες ὥσπερ θησαυρούς	οἳ ἱμείρονται τοῦ θανάτου καὶ οὐ τυγχάνουσιν ἀνορύσσοντες ὥσπερ θησαυρούς
Job 3:21 (NETS)	Job 3:21 (English Elpenor)
who long for death and do not find it, though they are digging for it as for treasures?	who desire death, and obtain it not, digging [for it] as [for] treasures;

Job 3:22 (Tanakh)	Job 3:22 (KJV)	Job 3:22 (NET)
Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?	Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?	who rejoice even to jubilation, and are exultant when they find the grave?

Job 3:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
περιχαρεῖς δὲ ἐγένοντο ἐὰν κατατύχωσιν	περιχαρεῖς δὲ ἐγένοντο ἐὰν κατατύχωσι
Job 3:22 (NETS)	Job 3:22 (English Elpenor)
Yet they would be very joyful if they were successful.	and would be very joyful if they should gain it?

Job 3:23 (Tanakh)	Job 3:23 (KJV)	Job 3:23 (NET)
Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?	Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?	Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?

Job 3:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
θάνατος ἀνδρὶ ἀνάπαυμα συνέκλεισεν γὰρ ὁ θεὸς κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ	θάνατος ἀνδρὶ ἀνάπαυμα, συνέκλεισε γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Job 3:23 (NETS)	Job 3:23 (English Elpenor)
Death is rest for such a man, for God shut him in.	Death [is] rest to [such] a man, for God has hedged him in.

Job 3:24 (Tanakh)	Job 3:24 (KJV)	Job 3:24 (NET)
For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.	For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.	For my sighing comes in place of my food, and my groanings flow forth like water.

Job 3:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πρὸ γὰρ τῶν σίτων μου στεναγμός μοι ἥκει δακρύω δὲ ἐγὼ συνεχόμενος φόβῳ	πρὸ γὰρ τῶν σίτων μου στεναγμός μοι ἥκει, δακρύω δὲ ἐγὼ συνεχόμενος φόβῳ
Job 3:24 (NETS)	Job 3:24 (English Elpenor)
For sighing comes before my food, and I cry, gripped by fear.	For my groaning comes before my food, and I weep being beset with terror.

Job 3:25 (Tanakh)	Job 3:25 (KJV)	Job 3:25 (NET)
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.	For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.	For the very thing I dreaded has happened to me, and what I feared has come upon me.

Job 3:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
φόβος γάρ ὃν ἐφρόντισα ἦλθέν μοι καὶ ὃν ἐδεδοίκειν συνήντησέν μοι	φόβος γάρ, ὅν ἐφρόντισα, ἦλθέ μοι, καὶ ὃν ἐδεδοίκειν, συνήντησέ μοι
Job 3:25 (NETS)	Job 3:25 (English Elpenor)
For fear—which was my worry—came to me, and the fear I dreaded befell me.	For the terror of which I meditated has come upon me, and that which I had feared has befallen me.

Job 3:26 (Tanakh)	Job 3:26 (KJV)	Job 3:26 (NET)
I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.	I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.	I have no ease; I have no quietness; I cannot rest; turmoil has come upon me.”

Job 3:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὔτε εἰρήνευσα οὔτε ἡσύχασα οὔτε ἀνεπαυσάμην ἦλθεν δέ μοι ὀργή	οὔτε εἰρήνευσα οὔτε ἡσύχασα οὔτε ἀνεπαυσάμην, ἦλθε δέ μοι ὀργή
Job 3:26 (NETS)	Job 3:26 (English Elpenor)
I was neither at peace, nor did I have quiet, nor was I at rest, but anger came to me.”	I was not at peace, nor quiet, nor had I rest; yet wrath came upon me.

Matthew 4:4 (NET)	Matthew 4:4 (KJV)
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”	But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 4:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 4:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· γέγραπται· οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ παντὶ ρήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν γεγραπται ουκ επ αρτω μονω ζησεται ανθρωπος αλλ επι παντι ρηματι εκπορευομενω δια στοματος θεου	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν γεγραπται ουκ επ αρτω μονω ζησεται ανθρωπος αλλ επι παντι ρηματι εκπορευομενω δια στοματος θεου

Luke 12:15 (NET)	Luke 12:15 (KJV)
Then he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”	And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Luke 12:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 12:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 12:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· ὁρᾶτε καὶ φυλάσσεσθε ἀπὸ πάσης πλεονεξίας, ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τῷ περισσεύειν τινὶ ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτῷ	ειπεν δε προς αυτους ορατε και φυλασσεσθε απο της πλεονεξιας οτι ουκ εν τω περισσευειν τινι η ζωη αυτου εστιν εκ των υπαρχοντων αυτου	ειπεν δε προς αυτους ορατε και φυλασσεσθε απο της πλεονεξιας οτι ουκ εν τω περισσευειν τινι η ζωη αυτω εστιν εκ των υπαρχοντων αυτου

Luke 12:18 (NET)	Luke 12:18 (KJV)
Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.	And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

Luke 12:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 12:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 12:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εἶπεν· τοῦτο ποιήσω, καθελῶ μου τὰς ἀποθήκας καὶ μείζονας οἰκοδομήσω καὶ συνάξω ἐκεῖ πάντα τὸν σῖτον καὶ τὰ ἀγαθά μου	και ειπεν τουτο ποιησω καθελω μου τας αποθηκας και μειζονας οικοδομησω και συναξω εκει παντα τα γενηματα μου και τα αγαθα μου	και ειπεν τουτο ποιησω καθελω μου τας αποθηκας και μειζονας οικοδομησω και συναξω εκει παντα τα γενηματα μου και τα αγαθα μου

Nothing True, Part 3

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 2

Back to Nothing True, Part 5

Back to Nothing True, Part 6

Back to Matthew 8:23-34

¹ Matthew 7:11a (NET)

² Job 2:9b, 9α (English Elpenor) Table

³ Job 3:17a (NETS)

⁴ Job 3:17a (English Elpenor)

⁵ Luke 16:23a (NET) Table

⁶ Luke 16:24a (NET)

⁷ Luke 16:24b (NET)

⁸ Job 3:17a (NETS)

⁹ Luke 16:25 (NET) Table

¹⁰ Matthew 4:4 (NET)

¹¹ John 11:25b, 26 (NET)

¹² Luke 16:20b (NET) Table

¹³ Luke 16:21a (NET) Table

¹⁴ Job 3:23a (NETS)

¹⁵ Luke 16:25b (NET) Table

¹⁶ Job 3:20 (NETS)

¹⁷ Job 3:26 (English Elpenor)

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had τινὶ…αὐτοῦ in the Genitive Case here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had τινι…αυτω in the Dative Case.

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτῷ in the Dative Case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτου in the Genitive Case.

²⁰ Luke 12:15b (NET)

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τὸν σῖτον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τα γενηματα μου (KJV: my fruits).

²² Job 3:25a (NETS)

²³ Job 1:5 (NET) Table

Nothing True, Part 1

Posted on March 17, 2023 by admin

The book of Job continues with a visitation by three friends. Job’s friends bring provocation rather than comfort, angering the Lord (Job 42:7, 8 NET):

After the Lord had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has [Table]. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.”

The Septuagint seems more expansive in its criticism of Job’s friends’ words than the Masoretic text.

Job 42:7, 8 (NETS)	Job 42:7, 8 (English Elpenor)
Now it happened after the Lord spoke all these words to Iob, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Thaimanite, “You have sinned, and your two friends, for you have spoken nothing true (ἀληθὲς οὐδὲν) in my presence, as has my attendant Iob.	And it came to pass after the Lord had spoken all these words to Job, [that] the Lord said to Eliphaz the Thaemanite, Thou hast sinned, and thy two friends: for ye have not said anything true (ἀληθὲς οὐδὲν) before me, as my servant Job [has].
Now then, take seven calves and seven rams, and go to my attendant Iob, and he will make offerings for you, and Iob, my attendant, will pray for you, [because only his face will I accept] for, if not for him, I would have destroyed you; for what you spoke against my attendant Job is not true (ἀληθὲς).”	Now then take seven bullocks, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and he shall offer a burnt-offering for you. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will only accept him: for but his sake, I would have destroyed you, for ye have not spoken the truth (ἀληθὲς) against my servant Job.

Apparently it is neither novel nor curious to translate נכונה (kûn), the thing that is right (Tanakh, KJV) or what is right (NET), ἀληθὲς in the Septuagint. The first occurrence in Genesis follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 41:32 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 41:32 (NET)	Genesis 41:32 (NETS) Table	Genesis 41:32 (English Elpenor)
And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established (נָכ֤וֹן) by G-d, and G-d will shortly bring it to pass.	The dream was repeated to Pharaoh because the matter has been decreed (kûn, נכון) by God, and God will make it happen soon.	And as for Pharao’s dream being repeated twice: because the matter that is from God will be real (ἀληθὲς ἔσται), and God will hasten to do it.	And concerning the repetition of the dream to Pharao twice, [it is] because the saying which is from God shall be true (ἀληθὲς ἔσται), and God will hasten to accomplish it.

The Hebrew word אלי (‘ēl) was translated of me (Tanakh, KJV) and about me (NET) in both Job 42:7 and 8. The rabbis who translated the Septuagint understood it as ἐνώπιόν μου, in my presence (NETS) and before me (English Elpenor), in verse 7, and κατὰ , against, in verse 8, if אלי (‘ēl) was the word they found in the Hebrew text they translated. Actually, the entire final clause is identical in the Hebrew of the Masoretic text.

The essentially Greek nature of the philosophical bent of my mind hears of me (Tanakh, KJV) and about me (NET) as a limitation of the Lord’s criticism specifically to what Job’s friends’ spoke about the Lord. Rather than assuming that the entire final clause of both verses 7 and 8 was altered by the Masoretes after the Septuagint was translated, perhaps I should understand that the rabbis foreknew the error of the essentially Greek nature of the philosophical bent of my mind.

Perhaps they have explained to me that אלי (‘ēl) does not limit the Lord’s criticism. On the contrary, since from him and through him and to him are all things,¹ Job’s friends have not said anything true (English Elpenor), and since Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil,² everything they said was against Job: The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one.³

Despite knowing the end and the beginning of the book of Job, when I’ve read it in the past I’ve gotten bogged down. My religious mind favors the arguments of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar over those of Job. I hope this study will help me to know God better and to discern the errors of my religious mind.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:11-13 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:11-13 (NET)	Job 2:11-13 (NETS)	Job 2:11-13 (English Elpenor)
Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil (הָֽרָעָ֣ה) that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.	When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity (raʿ, הרעה) that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come to show sympathy for him and to console him	Now when his three friends heard of all the troubles (τὰ κακὰ) that had come upon him, they came to him, each one from his own country—Eliphaz, the king of the Thaimanites, Baldad, the tyrant of the Sauchites, Sophar, the king of the Minites. And they came to him of one accord, to comfort and to visit with him.	Now his three friends having heard of all the evil (τὰ κακὰ) that was come upon him, came to him each from his own country: Eliphaz the king of the Thaemans, Baldad sovereign of the Saucheans, Sophar king of the Kinaeans: and they came to him with one accord, to comfort and to visit him.
And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.	But when they gazed intently from a distance but did not recognize him, they began to weep loudly. Each of them tore his robes, and they threw dust into the air over their heads.	But when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him, and they cried out with a loud voice and wept; each of them tore his robe, and they sprinkled themselves with dust.	And when they saw him from a distance they did not know him; and they cried with a loud voice, and wept, and rent every one his garment, and sprinkled dust upon [their heads],
So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.	Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.	They sat with him seven days, [and seven nights] and none of them spoke, for they saw that the calamity was dire and very great.	and they sat down beside him seven days and seven nights, and not one of them spoke; for they saw that his affliction was dreadful and very great.

I visited some with my mother everyday she was in hospice care, but nothing like this. Job was first to break the silence.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:1-3 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:1-3 (NET)	Job 3:1-3 (NETS)	Job 3:1-3 (English Elpenor)
After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed (וַיְקַלֵּ֖ל) his day.	After this Job opened his mouth and cursed (qālal, ויקלל) the day he was born.	After this Iob opened his mouth and cursed (κατηράσατο) his day,	After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed (κατηράσατο) his day,
And Job spake, and said,	Job spoke up and said:	saying:	saying,
Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.	“Let the day on which I was born perish, and the night that said, ‘A man has been conceived!’	“May the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which they said, ‘Look, a man-child!’	Let the day perish in which I was born, and that night in which they said, Behold a man-child!

Moses had a similar lament:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 11:10-15 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:10-15 (NET)	Numbers 11:10-15 (NETS)	Numbers 11:10-15 (English Elpenor)
And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of HaShem was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased.	Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and when the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, Moses was also displeased.	And Moyses heard them weeping in their divisions. each one at his door. And the Lord was greatly angered with wrath, and before Moyses it was evil.	And Moses heard them weeping by their families, every one in his door: and the Lord was very angry; and the thing was evil in the sight of Moses.
And Moses said unto HaShem: ‘Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with Thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in Thy sight, that Thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?	And Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you afflicted your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of this entire people on me?	And Moyses said to the Lord, “Why have you mistreated your attendant, and why have I not found favor before you, to lay the onslaught of this people upon me?	And Moses said to the Lord, Why hast thou afflicted thy servant, and why have I not found grace in thy sight, that thou shouldest lay the weight of this people upon me?
Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that Thou shouldest say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which Thou didst swear unto their fathers?	Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father bears a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to their fathers?	Was it I who carried in the womb all this people, or was it I who gave birth to them, that you are saying to me, ‘Take them to your bosom, as a nurse might take up the sucking child,’ into the land, which you swore to their fathers?	Have I conceived all this people, or have I born them? that thou sayest to me, Take them into thy bosom, as a nurse would take her suckling, into the land which thou swarest to their fathers?
Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they trouble me with their weeping, saying: Give us flesh, that we may eat.	From where shall I get meat to give to this entire people, for they cry to me, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat!’	From where do I get meat to give to all this people? For they are weeping to me, saying, ‘Give us meat so that we may eat!’	Whence have I flesh to give to all this people? for they weep to me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because it is too heavy for me.	I am not able to bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me!	I shall not be able to bear this people alone, because this thing is too heavy for me.	I shall not be able to bear this people alone, for this thing is too heavy for me.
And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in Thy sight; and let me not look upon my wretchedness.’	But if you are going to deal with me like this, then kill me immediately. If I have found favor in your sight then do not let me see my trouble.”	But if this is how you are going to treat me, kill me by slaying if I have found mercy with you so that I may not see my suffering.”	And if thou doest thus to me, slay me utterly, if I have found favour with thee, that I may not see my affliction.

Job lamenting the day of his birth seems benign by comparison.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:4 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:4 (NET)	Job 3:4 (NETS)	Job 3:4 (English Elpenor)
Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above (מִמָּ֑עַל), neither let the light shine upon it.	That day—let it be darkness; let not God on high (maʿal, ממעל) regard it, nor let light shine on it!	May that day be darkness! And may the Lord above (ἄνωθεν) not seek it, or light come to it.	Let that night be darkness, and let not the Lord regard it from above (ἄνωθεν), neither let light come upon it.

I’ll pause here a moment to point out that the Hebrew word מִמָּ֑עַל (maʿal), from above (Tanakh/KJV), on high (NET) was translated ἄνωθεν, above (NETS), from above (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. “I tell you the solemn truth,” Jesus said to Nicodemus, “unless a person is born from above (ἄνωθεν), he cannot see the kingdom of God.”⁴ Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above (ἄνωθεν).’⁵

Job continued to lament the day of his birth:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:5-10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:5-10 (NET)	Job 3:5-10 (NETS)	Job 3:5-10 (English Elpenor)
Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.	Let darkness and the deepest shadow claim it; let a cloud settle on it; let whatever blackens the day terrify it.	But may darkness and deathly shadow seize it. May gloom come upon it.	But let darkness and the shadow of death seize it; let blackness come upon it;
As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.	That night—let darkness seize it; let it not be included among the days of the year; let it not enter among the number of the months!	May that day and night be cursed; may darkness carry it away! May it not exist among the days of the year or be numbered among the days of the months.	let that day and night be cursed, let darkness carry them away; let it not come into the days of the year, neither let it be numbered with the days of the months.
Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.	Indeed, let that night be barren; let no shout of joy penetrate it!	Rather, may the night be anguish, and may gladness and joy not come upon it.	But let that night be pain, and let not mirth come upon it, nor joy.
Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning (לִוְיָתָֽן).	Let those who curse the day curse it—those who are prepared to rouse Leviathan⁶ (livyāṯān, לויתן).	Rather, may he who curses that day curse it—he who is about to subdue the great sea-monster (κῆτος).	But let him that curses that day curse it, [even] he that is ready to attack the great whale (κῆτος).
Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:	Let its morning stars be darkened; let it wait for daylight but find none, nor let it see the first rays of dawn,	May the stars of that night be dark; may it remain so and not be lit up, and may it not see the morning-star rising—	Let the stars of that night be darkened; let it remain [dark], and not come into light; and let it not see the morning star arise:
Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.	because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb on me, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.	because it did not shut the gates of my mother’s womb, for it would have put away trouble from my eyes.	because it shut not up the gates of my mother’s womb, for [so] it would have removed sorrow from my eyes.

Job wasn’t finished but I want to consider a similar lament voiced by Jeremiah:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Jeremiah 20:14-18 (Tanakh/KJV)	Jeremiah 20:14-18 (NET)	Jeremiah 20:14-18 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:14-18 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.	Cursed be the day I was born! May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.	Cursed be the day on which I was born on it! The day on which my mother bore me—let it not be longed for!	Cursed be the day wherein I was born: the day wherein my mother brought me forth, let it not be blessed.
Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.	Cursed be the man who made my father very glad when he brought him the news that a baby boy had been born to him!	Cursed be the person who brought the good news to my father, saying, “A male child was born to you,” being glad.	Cursed be the man who brought the glad tidings to my father, saying, A male child is born to thee.
And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;	May that man be like the cities that the Lord destroyed without showing any mercy. May he hear a cry of distress in the morning and a battle cry at noon.	Let that person be like the cities that the Lord overthrew in anger and did not repent; let him hear a cry in the morning and a shouting at noon,	Let that man rejoice as the cities which the Lord overthrew in wrath, and repented not: let him hear crying in the morning, and loud lamentation at noon;
Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.	For he did not kill me before I came from the womb, making my pregnant mother’s womb my grave forever.	because he did not kill me in the womb, and my mother became my grave and the womb one of perpetual conception.	because he slew me not in the womb, and my mother became not my tomb, and her womb always great with me.
Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?	Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb? All I experience is trouble and grief, and I spend my days in shame.	Why is it that I came forth from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and my days continued in shame?	Why is it that I came forth of the womb to see troubles and distresses, and my days are spent in shame?

I’ll continue with Job’s lament in another essay.

Tables comparing Job 42:8; 2:11; 2:12; 2:13; 3:1; 3:2; 3:3; Numbers 11:10; 11:11; 11:12; 11:13; 11:14; 11:15; Job 3:4; 3:5; 3:6; 3:7; 3:8; 3:9; 3:10; Jeremiah 20:14; 20:15; 20:16; 20:17 and 20:18 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 42:8; 2:11; 2:12; 2:13; 3:1 (3:1, 2a); 3:2 (3:2b); 3:3; Numbers 11:10; 11:11; 11:12; 11:13; 11:14; 11:15; Job 3:4; 3:5; 3:6; 3:7; 3:8; 3:9; 3:10; Jeremiah 20:14; 20:15; 20:16; 20:17 and 20:18 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Job 42:8 (Tanakh)	Job 42:8 (KJV)	Job 42:8 (NET)
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.	Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.	So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.”

Job 42:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 42:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν δὲ λάβετε ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριοὺς καὶ πορεύθητε πρὸς τὸν θεράποντά μου Ιωβ καὶ ποιήσει κάρπωσιν περὶ ὑμῶν Ιωβ δὲ ὁ θεράπων μου εὔξεται περὶ ὑμῶν ὅτι εἰ μὴ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ λήμψομαι εἰ μὴ γὰρ δι᾽ αὐτόν ἀπώλεσα ἂν ὑμᾶς οὐ γὰρ ἐλαλήσατε ἀληθὲς κατὰ τοῦ θεράποντός μου Ιωβ	νῦν δὲ λάβετε ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριοὺς καὶ πορεύθητε πρὸς τὸν θεράποντά μου ᾿Ιώβ, καὶ ποιήσει κάρπωσιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν. ᾿Ιὼβ δὲ ὁ θεράπων μου εὔξεται περὶ ὑμῶν, ὅτι εἰ μὴ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ λήψομαι· εἰ μὴ γὰρ δι᾿ αὐτόν, ἀπώλεσα ἂν ὑμᾶς· οὐ γὰρ ἐλαλήσατε ἀληθὲς κατὰ τοῦ θεράποντός μου ᾿Ιώβ
Job 42:8 (NETS)	Job 42:8 (English Elpenor)
Now then, take seven calves and seven rams, and go to my attendant Iob, and he will make offerings for you, and Iob, my attendant, will pray for you, [because only his face will I accept] for, if not for him, I would have destroyed you; for what you spoke against my attendant Job is not true.”	Now then take seven bullocks, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and he shall offer a burnt-offering for you. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will only accept him: for but his sake, I would have destroyed you, for ye have not spoken the truth against my servant Job.

Job 2:11 (Tanakh)	Job 2:11 (KJV)	Job 2:11 (NET)
Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.	Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.	When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come to show sympathy for him and to console him.

Job 2:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ τρεῗς φίλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ κακὰ πάντα τὰ ἐπελθόντα αὐτῷ παρεγένοντο ἕκαστος ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας χώρας πρὸς αὐτόν Ελιφας ὁ Θαιμανων βασιλεύς Βαλδαδ ὁ Σαυχαίων τύραννος Σωφαρ ὁ Μιναίων βασιλεύς καὶ παρεγένοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμοθυμαδὸν τοῦ παρακαλέσαι καὶ ἐπισκέψασθαι αὐτόν	ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ τρεῖς φίλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ κακὰ πάντα τὰ ἐπελθόντα αὐτῷ, παρεγένοντο ἕκαστος ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας χώρας πρὸς αὐτόν· ᾿Ελιφὰζ ὁ Θαιμανῶν βασιλεύς, Βαλδὰδ ὁ Σαυχαίων τύραννος, Σωφὰρ ὁ Μιναίων βασιλεύς, καὶ παρεγένοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμοθυμαδόν, τοῦ παρακαλέσαι καὶ ἐπισκέψασθαι αὐτόν
Job 2:11 (NETS)	Job 2:11 (English Elpenor)
Now when his three friends heard of all the troubles that had come upon him, they came to him, each one from his own country—Eliphaz, the king of the Thaimanites, Baldad, the tyrant of the Sauchites, Sophar, the king of the Minites. And they came to him of one accord, to comfort and to visit with him.	Now his three friends having heard of all the evil that was come upon him, came to him each from his own country: Eliphaz the king of the Thaemans, Baldad sovereign of the Saucheans, Sophar king of the Kinaeans: and they came to him with one accord, to comfort and to visit him.

Job 2:12 (Tanakh)	Job 2:12 (KJV)	Job 2:12 (NET)
And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.	And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.	But when they gazed intently from a distance but did not recognize him, they began to weep loudly. Each of them tore his robes, and they threw dust into the air over their heads.

Job 2:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδόντες δὲ αὐτὸν πόρρωθεν οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν καὶ βοήσαντες φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἔκλαυσαν ῥήξαντες ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ στολὴν καὶ καταπασάμενοι γῆν	ἰδόντες δὲ αὐτὸν πόρρωθεν οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν· καὶ βοήσαντες φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἔκλαυσαν ρήξαντες ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ στολήν. καὶ καταπασάμενοι γῆν
Job 2:12 (NETS)	Job 2:12 (English Elpenor)
But when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him, and they cried out with a loud voice and wept; each of them tore his robe, and they sprinkled themselves with dust.	And when they saw him from a distance they did not know him; and they cried with a loud voice, and wept, and rent every one his garment, and sprinkled dust upon [their heads],

Job 2:13 (Tanakh)	Job 2:13 (KJV)	Job 2:13 (NET)
So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.	So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.	Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

Job 2:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
παρεκάθισαν αὐτῷ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας καὶ ἑπτὰ νύκτας καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν ἐλάλησεν ἑώρων γὰρ τὴν πληγὴν δεινὴν οὖσαν καὶ μεγάλην σφόδρα	παρεκάθισαν αὐτῷ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας καὶ ἑπτὰ νύκτας, καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν ἐλάλησεν· ἑώρων γὰρ τὴν πληγὴν δεινὴν οὖσαν καὶ μεγάλην σφόδρα
Job 2:13 (NETS)	Job 2:13 (English Elpenor)
They sat with him seven days, [and seven nights] and none of them spoke, for they saw that the calamity was dire and very great.	and they sat down beside him seven days and seven nights, and not one of them spoke; for they saw that his affliction was dreadful and very great.

Job 3:1 (Tanakh)	Job 3:1 (KJV)	Job 3:1 (NET)
After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.	After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.	After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.

Job 3:1, 2a (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μετὰ τοῦτο ἤνοιξεν Ιωβ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ (2) καὶ κατηράσατο τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτοῦ	ΜΕΤΑ τοῦτο ἤνοιξεν ᾿Ιὼβ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ κατηράσατο τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτοῦ
Job 3:1 (NETS)	Job 3:1 (English Elpenor)
After this Iob opened his mouth and cursed his day,	After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,

Job 3:2 (Tanakh)	Job 3:2 (KJV)	Job 3:2 (NET)
And Job spake, and said,	And Job spake, and said,	Job spoke up and said:

Job 3:2b (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
λέγων	λέγων
Job 3:2 (NETS)	Job 3:2 (English Elpenor)
saying:	saying,

Job 3:3 (Tanakh)	Job 3:3 (KJV)	Job 3:3 (NET)
Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.	Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.	“Let the day on which I was born perish, and the night that said, ‘A man has been conceived!’

Job 3:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπόλοιτο ἡ ἡμέρα ἐν ᾗ ἐγεννήθην καὶ ἡ νύξ ἐν ᾗ εἶπαν ἰδοὺ ἄρσεν	ἀπόλοιτο ἡ ἡμέρα, ἐν ᾗ ἐγεννήθην, καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη ᾗ εἶπαν· ἰδοὺ ἄρσεν
Job 3:3 (NETS)	3:3 (English Elpenor)
“May the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which they said, ‘Look, a man-child!’	Let the day perish in which I was born, and that night in which they said, Behold a man-child!

Numbers 11:10 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:10 (KJV)	Numbers 11:10 (NET)
And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of HaShem was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased.	Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.	Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and when the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, Moses was also displeased.

Numbers 11:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἤκουσεν Μωυσῆς κλαιόντων αὐτῶν κατὰ δήμους αὐτῶν ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ κύριος σφόδρα καὶ ἔναντι Μωυσῆ ἦν πονηρόν	καὶ ἤκουσε Μωυσῆς κλαιόντων αὐτῶν κατὰ δήμους αὐτῶν, ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ Κύριος σφόδρα, καὶ ἔναντι Μωυσῆ ἦν πονηρόν
Numbers 11:10 (NETS)	Numbers 11:10 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses heard them weeping in their divisions. each one at his door. And the Lord was greatly angered with wrath, and before Moyses it was evil.	And Moses heard them weeping by their families, every one in his door: and the Lord was very angry; and the thing was evil in the sight of Moses.

Numbers 11:11 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:11 (KJV)	Numbers 11:11 (NET)
And Moses said unto HaShem: ‘Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with Thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in Thy sight, that Thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?	And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?	And Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you afflicted your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of this entire people on me?

Numbers 11:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς πρὸς κύριον ἵνα τί ἐκάκωσας τὸν θεράποντά σου καὶ διὰ τί οὐχ εὕρηκα χάριν ἐναντίον σου ἐπιθεῖναι τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ	καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς πρὸς Κύριον· ἱνατί ἐκάκωσας τὸν θεράποντά σου, καὶ διατί οὐχ εὕρηκα χάριν ἐναντίον σου, ἐπιθεῖναι τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ἐπ’ ἐμέ
Numbers 11:11 (NETS)	Numbers 11:11 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said to the Lord, “Why have you mistreated your attendant, and why have I not found favor before you, to lay the onslaught of this people upon me?	And Moses said to the Lord, Why hast thou afflicted thy servant, and why have I not found grace in thy sight, that thou shouldest lay the weight of this people upon me?

Numbers 11:12 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:12 (KJV)	Numbers 11:12 (NET)
Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that Thou shouldest say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which Thou didst swear unto their fathers?	Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?	Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father bears a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to their fathers?

Numbers 11:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ἐγὼ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβον πάντα τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον ἢ ἐγὼ ἔτεκον αὐτούς ὅτι λέγεις μοι λαβὲ αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου ὡσεὶ ἄραι τιθηνὸς τὸν θηλάζοντα εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ὤμοσας τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν	μὴ ἐγὼ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβον πάντα τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον, ἢ ἐγὼ ἔτεκον αὐτούς, ὅτι λέγεις μοι, λάβε αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου, ὡσεὶ ἄραι τιθηνὸς τὸν θηλάζοντα, εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ὤμοσας τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν
Numbers 11:12 (NETS)	Numbers 11:12 (English Elpenor)
Was it I who carried in the womb all this people, or was it I who gave birth to them, that you are saying to me, ‘Take them to your bosom, as a nurse might take up the sucking child,’ into the land, which you swore to their fathers?	Have I conceived all this people, or have I born them? that thou sayest to me, Take them into thy bosom, as a nurse would take her suckling, into the land which thou swarest to their fathers?

Numbers 11:13 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:13 (KJV)	Numbers 11:13 (NET)
Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they trouble me with their weeping, saying: Give us flesh, that we may eat.	Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.	From where shall I get meat to give to this entire people, for they cry to me, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat!’

Numbers 11:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πόθεν μοι κρέα δοῦναι παντὶ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ ὅτι κλαίουσιν ἐπ᾽ ἐμοὶ λέγοντες δὸς ἡμῖν κρέα ἵνα φάγωμεν	πόθεν μοι κρέα δοῦναι παντὶ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ; ὅτι κλαίουσιν ἐπ’ ἐμοί, λέγοντες· δὸς ἡμῖν κρέα, ἵνα φάγωμεν
Numbers 11:13 (NETS)	Numbers 11:13 (English Elpenor)
From where do I get meat to give to all this people? For they are weeping to me, saying, ‘Give us meat so that we may eat!’	Whence have I flesh to give to all this people? for they weep to me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.

Numbers 11:14 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:14 (KJV)	Numbers 11:14 (NET)
I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because it is too heavy for me.	I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.	I am not able to bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me!

Numbers 11:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ δυνήσομαι ἐγὼ μόνος φέρειν τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον ὅτι βαρύτερόν μοί ἐστιν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο	οὐ δυνήσομαι ἐγὼ μόνος φέρειν τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον, ὅτι βαρύτερόν μοί ἐστι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο
Numbers 11:14 (NETS)	Numbers 11:14 (English Elpenor)
I shall not be able to bear this people alone, because this thing is too heavy for me.	I shall not be able to bear this people alone, for this thing is too heavy for me.

Numbers 11:15 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:15 (KJV)	Numbers 11:15 (NET)
And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in Thy sight; and let me not look upon my wretchedness.’	And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.	But if you are going to deal with me like this, then kill me immediately. If I have found favor in your sight then do not let me see my trouble.”

Numbers 11:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰ δὲ οὕτως σὺ ποιεῖς μοι ἀπόκτεινόν με ἀναιρέσει εἰ εὕρηκα ἔλεος παρὰ σοί ἵνα μὴ ἴδω μου τὴν κάκωσιν	εἰ δ’ οὕτω σὺ ποιεῖς μοι, ἀπόκτεινόν με ἀναιρέσει, εἰ εὕρηκα ἔλεος παρὰ σοί, ἵνα μὴ ἴδω τὴν κάκωσίν μου
Numbers 11:15 (NETS)	Numbers 11:15 (English Elpenor)
But if this is how you are going to treat me, kill me by slaying if I have found mercy with you so that I may not see my suffering.”	And if thou doest thus to me, slay me utterly, if I have found favour with thee, that I may not see my affliction.

Job 3:4 (Tanakh)	Job 3:4 (KJV)	Job 3:4 (NET)
Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.	Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.	That day—let it be darkness; let not God on high regard it, nor let light shine on it!

Job 3:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἡ ἡμέρα ἐκείνη εἴη σκότος καὶ μὴ ἀναζητήσαι αὐτὴν ὁ κύριος ἄνωθεν μηδὲ ἔλθοι εἰς αὐτὴν φέγγος	ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη σκότος, καὶ μὴ ἀναζητήσαι αὐτὴν ὁ Κύριος ἄνωθεν, μηδὲ ἔλθοι εἰς αὐτὴν φέγγος
Job 3:4 (NETS)	Job 3:4 (English Elpenor)
May that day be darkness! And may the Lord above not seek it, or light come to it.	Let that night be darkness, and let not the Lord regard it from above, neither let light come upon it.

Job 3:5 (Tanakh)	Job 3:5 (KJV)	Job 3:5 (NET)
Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.	Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.	Let darkness and the deepest shadow claim it; let a cloud settle on it; let whatever blackens the day terrify it.

Job 3:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκλάβοι δὲ αὐτὴν σκότος καὶ σκιὰ θανάτου ἐπέλθοι ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν γνόφος	ἐκλάβοι δὲ αὐτὴν σκότος καὶ σκιὰ θανάτου, ἐπέλθοι ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν γνόφος. καταραθείη ἡ ἡμέρα
Job 3:5 (NETS)	Job 3:5 (English Elpenor)
But may darkness and deathly shadow seize it. May gloom come upon it.	But let darkness and the shadow of death seize it; let blackness come upon it;

Job 3:6 (Tanakh)	Job 3:6 (KJV)	Job 3:6 (NET)
As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.	As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.	That night—let darkness seize it; let it not be included among the days of the year; let it not enter among the number of the months!

Job 3:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:5b, 6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καταραθείη ἡ ἡμέρα καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη ἀπενέγκαιτο αὐτὴν σκότος μὴ εἴη εἰς ἡμέρας ἐνιαυτοῦ μηδὲ ἀριθμηθείη εἰς ἡμέρας μηνῶν	(5b) καταραθείη ἡ ἡμέρα (6) καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη, ἀπενέγκαιτο αὐτὴν σκότος· μὴ εἴη εἰς ἡμέρας ἐνιαυτοῦ, μηδὲ ἀριθμηθείη εἰς ἡμέρας μηνῶν
Job 3:6 (NETS)	Job 3:6 (English Elpenor)
May that day and night be cursed; may darkness carry it away! May it not exist among the days of the year or be numbered among the days of the months.	let that day and night be cursed, let darkness carry them away; let it not come into the days of the year, neither let it be numbered with the days of the months.

Job 3:7 (Tanakh)	Job 3:7 (KJV)	Job 3:7 (NET)
Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.	Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.	Indeed, let that night be barren; let no shout of joy penetrate it!

Job 3:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλὰ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη ὀδύνη καὶ μὴ ἔλθοι ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν εὐφροσύνη μηδὲ χαρμονή	ἀλλὰ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη ὀδύνη, καὶ μὴ ἔλθοι ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν εὐφροσύνη μηδὲ χαρμονή
Job 3:7 (NETS)	Job 3:7 (English Elpenor)
Rather, may the night be anguish, and may gladness and joy not come upon it.	But let that night be pain, and let not mirth come upon it, nor joy.

Job 3:8 (Tanakh)	Job 3:8 (KJV)	Job 3:8 (NET)
Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.	Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.	Let those who curse the day curse it—those who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.

Job 3:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλὰ καταράσαιτο αὐτὴν ὁ καταρώμενος τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην ὁ μέλλων τὸ μέγα κῆτος χειρώσασθαι	ἀλλὰ καταράσαιτο αὐτὴν ὁ καταρώμενος τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην, ὁ μέλλων τὸ μέγα κῆτος χειρώσασθαι
Job 3:8 (NETS)	Job 3:8 (English Elpenor)
Rather, may he who curses that day curse it—he who is about to subdue the great sea-monster.	But let him that curses that day curse it, [even] he that is ready to attack the great whale.

Job 3:9 (Tanakh)	Job 3:9 (KJV)	Job 3:9 (NET)
Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:	Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:	Let its morning stars be darkened; let it wait for daylight but find none, nor let it see the first rays of dawn,

Job 3:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σκοτωθείη τὰ ἄστρα τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης ὑπομείναι καὶ εἰς φωτισμὸν μὴ ἔλθοι καὶ μὴ ἴδοι ἑωσφόρον ἀνατέλλοντα	σκοτωθείη τὰ ἄστρα τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης, ὑπομείναι καὶ εἰς φωτισμὸν μὴ ἔλθοι καὶ μὴ ἴδοι ἑωσφόρον ἀνατέλλοντα
Job 3:9 (NETS)	Job 3:9 (English Elpenor)
May the stars of that night be dark; may it remain so and not be lit up, and may it not see the morning-star rising—	Let the stars of that night be darkened; let it remain [dark], and not come into light; and let it not see the morning star arise:

Job 3:10 (Tanakh)	Job 3:10 (KJV)	Job 3:10 (NET)
Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.	Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.	because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb on me, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

Job 3:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι οὐ συνέκλεισεν πύλας γαστρὸς μητρός μου ἀπήλλαξεν γὰρ ἂν πόνον ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου	ὅτι οὐ συνέκλεισε πύλας γαστρὸς μητρός μου· ἀπήλλαξε γὰρ ἂν πόνον ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου
Job 3:10 (NETS)	Job 3:10 (English Elpenor)
because it did not shut the gates of my mother’s womb, for it would have put away trouble from my eyes.	because it shut not up the gates of my mother’s womb, for [so] it would have removed sorrow from my eyes.

Jeremiah 20:14 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:14 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:14 (NET)
Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.	Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.	Cursed be the day I was born! May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.

Jeremiah 20:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατος ἡ ἡμέρα ἐν ᾗ ἐτέχθην ἐν αὐτῇ ἡ ἡμέρα ἐν ᾗ ἔτεκέν με ἡ μήτηρ μου μὴ ἔστω ἐπευκτή	᾿Επικατάρατος ἡ ἡμέρα, ἐν ᾗ ἐτέχθην ἐν αὐτῇ· ἡ ἡμέρα, ἐν ᾗ ἔτεκέ με ἡ μήτηρ μου, μὴ ἔστω ἐπευκτή
Jeremiah 20:14 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:14 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be the day on which I was born on it! The day on which my mother bore me—let it not be longed for!	Cursed be the day wherein I was born: the day wherein my mother brought me forth, let it not be blessed.

Jeremiah 20:15 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:15 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:15 (NET)
Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.	Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.	Cursed be the man who made my father very glad when he brought him the news that a baby boy had been born to him!

Jeremiah 20:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ εὐαγγελισάμενος τῷ πατρί μου λέγων ἐτέχθη σοι ἄρσεν εὐφραινόμενος	ἐπικατάρατος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ εὐαγγελισάμενος τῷ πατρί μου λέγων· ἐτέχθη σοι ἄρσην, εὐφραινόμενος
Jeremiah 20:15 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:15 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be the person who brought the good news to my father, saying, “A male child was born to you,” being glad.	Cursed be the man who brought the glad tidings to my father, saying, A male child is born to thee.

Jeremiah 20:16 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:16 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:16 (NET)
And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;	And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;	May that man be like the cities that the Lord destroyed without showing any mercy. May he hear a cry of distress in the morning and a battle cry at noon.

Jeremiah 20:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔστω ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος ὡς αἱ πόλεις ἃς κατέστρεψεν κύριος ἐν θυμῷ καὶ οὐ μετεμελήθη ἀκουσάτω κραυγῆς τὸ πρωὶ καὶ ἀλαλαγμοῦ μεσημβρίας	ἔστω ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος ὡς αἱ πόλεις, ἃς κατέστρεψε Κύριος ἐν θυμῷ καὶ οὐ μετεμελήθη· ἀκουσάτω κραυγῆς τῷ πρωΐ καὶ ἀλαλαγμοῦ μεσημβρίας
Jeremiah 20:16 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:16 (English Elpenor)
Let that person be like the cities that the Lord overthrew in anger and did not repent; let him hear a cry in the morning and a shouting at noon,	Let that man rejoice as the cities which the Lord overthrew in wrath, and repented not: let him hear crying in the morning, and loud lamentation at noon;

Jeremiah 20:17 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:17 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:17 (NET)
Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.	Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.	For he did not kill me before I came from the womb, making my pregnant mother’s womb my grave forever.

Jeremiah 20:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι οὐκ ἀπέκτεινέν με ἐν μήτρᾳ μητρὸς καὶ ἐγένετό μοι ἡ μήτηρ μου τάφος μου καὶ ἡ μήτρα συλλήμψεως αἰωνίας	ὅτι οὐκ ἀπέκτεινέ με ἐν μήτρᾳ μητρὸς καὶ ἐγένετό μοι ἡ μήτηρ μου τάφος μου καὶ ἡ μήτρα συλλήψεως αἰωνίας
Jeremiah 20:17 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:17 (English Elpenor)
because he did not kill me in the womb, and my mother became my grave and the womb one of perpetual conception.	because he slew me not in the womb, and my mother became not my tomb, and her womb always great with me.

Jeremiah 20:18 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:18 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:18 (NET)
Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?	Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?	Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb? All I experience is trouble and grief, and I spend my days in shame.

Jeremiah 20:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα τί τοῦτο ἐξῆλθον ἐκ μήτρας τοῦ βλέπειν κόπους καὶ πόνους καὶ διετέλεσαν ἐν αἰσχύνῃ αἱ ἡμέραι μου	ἱνατί τοῦτο ἐξῆλθον ἐκ μήτρας τοῦ βλέπειν κόπους καὶ πόνους, καὶ διετέλεσαν ἐν αἰσχύνῃ αἱ ἡμέραι μου
Jeremiah 20:18 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:18 (English Elpenor)
Why is it that I came forth from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and my days continued in shame?	Why is it that I came forth of the womb to see troubles and distresses, and my days are spent in shame?

Nothing True, Part 2

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 10

Back to Nothing True, Part 3

Back to Nothing True, Part 4

Back to Nothing True, Part 5

Back to Nothing True, Part 6

¹ Romans 11:36a (NET)

² Job 1:1b (NET) Table

³ 1 Corinthians 2:15 (NET) Table

⁴ John 3:3 (NET) Table

⁵ John 3:7 (NET)

⁶ Job 41

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

An attempt to distinguish the mind of Christ from the ordinary religious mind.

Category Archives: Nothing True