Job 10
Job 10 | |
---|---|
![]() The whole Book of Job in the Leningrad Codex (1008 C.E.) from an old fascimile edition. | |
Book | Book of Job |
Hebrew Bible part | Ketuvim |
Order in the Hebrew part | 3 |
Category | Sifrei Emet |
Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 18 |
Job 10 is the tenth chapter of the Book of Job in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.[1][2] The book is anonymous; most scholars believe it was written around 6th century BCE.[3][4] This chapter records the speech of Job, which belongs to the Dialogue section of the book, comprising Job 3:1–31:40.[5][6]
Text
[edit]The original text is written in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 22 verses.
Textual witnesses
[edit]Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).[7]
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC; some extant ancient manuscripts of this version include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: S; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century).[8]
Analysis
[edit]The structure of the book is as follows:[9]
- The Prologue (chapters 1–2)
- The Dialogue (chapters 3–31)
- The Verdicts (32:1–42:6)
- The Epilogue (42:7–17)
Within the structure, chapter 10 is grouped into the Dialogue section with the following outline:[10]
- Job's Self-Curse and Self-Lament (3:1–26)
- Round One (4:1–14:22)
- Eliphaz (4:1–5:27)
- Job (6:1–7:21)
- Bildad (8:1–22)
- Job (9:1–10:22)
- Being Righteous before God (9:1–4)
- God's Power and Force (9:5–13)
- The Difficulties of Litigation against God (9:14–20)
- How Does God Rule the World? (9:21–24)
- Exploring Other Options (9:25–35)
- Transition to a Lament (10:1–2)
- Three Sharp Questions (10:3–7)
- Remember How You Made Me (10:8–12)
- Now You Have Destroyed Me (10:13–17)
- Closing Words of Despair (10:18–22)
- Zophar (11:1–20)
- Job (12:1–14:22)
- Round Two (15:1–21:34)
- Round Three (22:1–27:23)
- Interlude – A Poem on Wisdom (28:1–28)
- Job's Summing Up (29:1–31:40)
The Dialogue section is composed in the format of poetry with distinctive syntax and grammar.[5]
Chapter 10 has a form of a lament to follow Job's contemplation to get a legal settlement in the previous chapter.[11] The first part (verses 1–7) seems to contain a rehearsing of words to be used for a confrontation with a legal adversary in Job's imaginary litigation, but in general, especially in the second part (verses 8–22), it is primarily a complaint addressed to God.[11]
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Kristian_Zahrtmann_-_Job_and_His_Friends_-_KMS1661_-_Statens_Museum_for_Kunst.jpg/200px-Kristian_Zahrtmann_-_Job_and_His_Friends_-_KMS1661_-_Statens_Museum_for_Kunst.jpg)
Three sharp questions (10:1–7)
[edit]The opening of this section (verse 1) is similar to the transitional to the complaint in chapter 7 (Job 7:11), but verse 2 is formed as a request from a defendant that a plaintiff makes known the charge against the defendant.[11] Job then probes God's motive by directly asking 'three sharp rhetorical questions' (verses 3–5).[12]
- What advantage does God gain from oppressing Job? (verse 3)
- Does God have the limited human vision (that Job has)? (verse 4)
- Is God subject to the same time limitation as a human (like Job)? (verse 5)
Job is convinced that God knows Job is not guilty, that is, a "conviction born of his faith", so whereas he contemplated to look for an 'umpire' or arbiter to settle his case (Job 9:32–34), he is now longing for a 'deliverer' (verse 7b).[12]
Verse 3
[edit]- [Job said:] "Is it good for You that You should oppress,
- that You should despise the work of Your hands
- and smile on the counsel of the wicked?"[13]
- "Is it good for You": can also be rendered as “Does it give you pleasure?” or “Is it profitable for you?” or “Is it fitting for you?”[14]
Words of despair (10:8–22)
[edit]Two thoughts about the accusation in verse 3a are stated in verse 8 which will be unpacked in the next parts within the section:[12]
- Statement in verse 8a concerning the theology of creation is unpacked in verses 9–12
- Statement in verse 8b accusing the absence of God's providential care is expanded in verses 13–17
The conclusion of Job's second speech recalls his opening outcry (verses 18–19; cf. Job 3:11–26) and his previous plea (verses 20–22; cf. Job 7:19).[15] There are two significant changes to the earlier statements in Job 3:11, 16:[15]
- The complaint about his tragic birth is now directly addressed to God.
- The lament about being born is changed to be the lament about being brought out of the womb (verse 18a).[15]
However, acting out of faith, Job does not aim primarily to get relief from his suffering, but to have his relationship with God restored.[16]
Verse 8
[edit]- [Job said:] "Your hands have shaped me and made me completely,
- yet You destroy me."[17]
- "Completely": translated from יַ֥חַד סָ֝בִ֗יב, ya-ḥaḏ sā-ḇîḇ,[18] literally "together round about"[19] or "an intricate unity" (NKJV).[18] Most commentators connect this phrase with the second statement, as the Masoretic Text accents indicate (NJPS: “then destroyed every part of me”) and as Septuagint renders.[19]
Verse 9
[edit]- [Job said:] "Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay.
- And will You turn me into dust again?"[20]
- "Into dust": in accordance with Genesis 2:7, that humankind was formed from dust (Hebrew: ߵapar) and will return to dust (3:19; cf. Ecclesiastes 12:7.[21][22]
Verse 18
[edit]- [Job said:] 18"Why then did You bring me forth out of the womb?
- Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!"[23]
- Cross references: Job 1:21; 10:18-19; Jeremiah 20:17-18 [24]
The two imperfect verbs in this verse stress 'regrets for something which did not happen'.[25]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Halley 1965, pp. 244–245.
- ^ Holman Illustrated Bible Handbook. Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 2012.
- ^ Kugler & Hartin 2009, p. 193.
- ^ Crenshaw 2007, p. 332.
- ^ a b Crenshaw 2007, p. 335.
- ^ Wilson 2015, p. 18.
- ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 36–37.
- ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 73–74.
- ^ Wilson 2015, pp. 17–23.
- ^ Wilson 2015, pp. 18–21.
- ^ a b c Wilson 2015, p. 72.
- ^ a b c Wilson 2015, p. 73.
- ^ Job 10:3 MEV
- ^ Note [a] on Job 10:3 in NET Bible
- ^ a b c Wilson 2015, p. 75.
- ^ Wilson 2015, p. 75–76.
- ^ Job 10:9 MEV
- ^ a b Job 10:8 Hebrew Text Analysis. Biblehub.
- ^ a b Note [b] on Job 10:8 in NET Bible
- ^ Job 10:9 NKJV
- ^ Walton 2012, p. 172.
- ^ Barnes, Albert. Notes on the Bible - Job 10. James Murphy (ed). London: Blackie & Son, 1884. Reprint, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998.
- ^ Job 10:18 ESV
- ^ Note on Job 10:18 in HCSB
- ^ Job 10:18 Hebrew Text Analysis. Biblehub.
Sources
[edit]- Alter, Robert (2010). The Wisdom Books: Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes: A Translation with Commentary. W.W. Norton & Co. ISBN 978-0393080735.
- Coogan, Michael David (2007). Coogan, Michael David; Brettler, Marc Zvi; Newsom, Carol Ann; Perkins, Pheme (eds.). The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 (Augmented 3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195288810.
- Crenshaw, James L. (2007). "17. Job". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary (first (paperback) ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 331–355. ISBN 978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- Estes, Daniel J. (2013). Walton, John H.; Strauss, Mark L. (eds.). Job. Teach the Text Commentary Series. United States: Baker Publishing Group. ISBN 9781441242778.
- Farmer, Kathleen A. (1998). "The Wisdom Books". In McKenzie, Steven L.; Graham, Matt Patrick (eds.). The Hebrew Bible Today: An Introduction to Critical Issues. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-66425652-4.
- Halley, Henry H. (1965). Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary (24th (revised) ed.). Zondervan Publishing House. ISBN 0-310-25720-4.
- Kugler, Robert; Hartin, Patrick J. (2009). An Introduction to the Bible. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-4636-5.
- Walton, John H. (2012). Job. United States: Zondervan. ISBN 9780310492009.
- Wilson, Lindsay (2015). Job. United States: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. ISBN 9781467443289.
- Würthwein, Ernst (1995). The Text of the Old Testament. Translated by Rhodes, Erroll F. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-0788-7. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
External links
[edit]- Jewish translations:
- Iyov - Job - Chapter 10 (Judaica Press) translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
- Christian translations:
- Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
- Book of Job Chapter 10. Various versions
Book of Job public domain audiobook at LibriVox Various versions