Job 36
Job 36 | |
---|---|
![]() 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 36 is the 36th 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 Elihu, which belongs to the "Verdicts" section of the book, comprising Job 32:1–42:6.[5][6]
Text
[edit]The original text is written in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 33 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] Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q99 (4QJoba; 175–60 BCE) with extant verses 7–11, 13–27, 32–33.[8][9][10][11]
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).[12]
Analysis
[edit]The structure of the book is as follows:[13]
- 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 36 is grouped into the Verdict section with the following outline:[14]
- Elihu's Verdict (32:1–37:24)
- Prose Introduction of Elihu (32:1–5)
- Elihu's Apology (32:6–22)
- A Transition from Apology to Argument (33:1–7)
- Elihu's First Speech (33:8–33)
- Elihu's Second Speech (34:1–37)
- Elihu's Third Speech (35:1–16)
- Elihu's Fourth Speech (36:1–37:24)
- A Summons to Job (36:1–4)
- Elihu's Verdict (36:5–7)
- The Substantiation of the Verdict (36:8–15)
- Application to Job (36:16–21)
- Hymn of Praise (36:22–37:24)
- God's Powerful Works Deserve Praise (36:22–25)
- God's Control of Rain and Storms (36:26–29)
- God's Use of Lightning (36:30–33)
- God's Purposes through Thunder and Lightning (37:1–5)
- God's Activity in the Rest of the Natural World (37:6–13)
- Challenge to Understand God's Great Works (37:14–20)
- Fear the Coming of God (37:21–24)
- God's Appearance (Yahweh Speeches) and Job's Responses (38:1–42:6)
- God's First Speech (38:1–40:2)
- Job's First Reply – An Insufficient Response (40:3–5)
- God's Second Speech (40:6–41:34)
- Job's Second Reply (42:1–6)
The section containing Elihu's speeches serves as a bridge between the Dialogue (chapters 3–31) and the speeches of YHWH (chapters 38–41).[15] There is an introduction in the prose form (Job 32:1–5), describing Elihu's identity and circumstances that cause him to speak (starting in Job 32:6).[15] The whole speech section can be formally divided into four monologues, each starting with a similar formula (Job 32:6; 34:1; 35:1; 36:1).[15] Elihu's first monologue is preceded by an apologia (justification) for speaking (Job 32:6–22) and a transitionary part which introduces Elihu's main arguments (Job 33:1–7) before the speech formally commences (Job 33:8–33).[16]
In the first three speeches Elihu cites and then disputes specific Job's charges in the preceding dialogue:[17]
Job's charges | Elihu's response |
---|---|
Job 33:8–11 | Job 33:12–30 |
Job 34:5–9 | Job 34:10–33 |
Job 35:2–3 | Job 35:4–13 |
The fourth (and final) speech of Elihu comprises chapters 36–37, in which Elihu stops refuting Job's charges, but states his conclusions and verdict:[17]
- A summon to Job (Job 36:1–21)
- A hymn of praise to God as creator (Job 36:22–37:13)
- A concluding address to Job (Job 37:14–24)[17]
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/SINAI3fol27v.jpg/200px-SINAI3fol27v.jpg)
Elihu asks Job's attention (36:1–4)
[edit]After speaking without interruption for a long time, Elihu likely senses that Job (and his friends) may be impatient for him to finish, so he calls for Job's attention.[18] Elihu claims that what he is saying is right because he voices God's perfect knowledge (verse 4; cf. Job 37:16: Elihu affirms that God is perfect in knowledge).[19]
Verse 4
[edit]- [Elihu said:] "For truly my words will not be false;
- He who is perfect in knowledge is with you."[20]
- "Perfect": translated from the Hebrew word תְּמִים, temim; the same word used of Job in Job 2:3.[21]
Elihu points to the corrective benefit of suffering (36:5–33)
[edit]Elihu's last speech is more compassionate and constructive than his previous three discourses.[18] He focuses on the consequences of suffering rather than its cause, that suffering is God's discipline by which a person can be built up and be better.[18] In the second part of this speech, Elihu voices a hymn of praise to God as Creator (Job 36:22–25; 26–29, 30–33; 37:1–5, 6–13).[22] His words actually prepare for the divine appearance in chapter 38.[22]
Verse 31
[edit]- [Elihu said:] "For by these He judges the people;
- He gives food in abundance."[23]
Elihu draws a parallel between God's arrangements of natural world with God's government of human world; in both worlds, God is 'transcendent and in control'.[24]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Halley 1965, pp. 245–246.
- ^ Holman Illustrated Bible Handbook. Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 2012.
- ^ Kugler & Hartin 2009, p. 193.
- ^ Crenshaw 2007, p. 332.
- ^ Crenshaw 2007, p. 335.
- ^ Wilson 2015, p. 18.
- ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 36–37.
- ^ Ulrich 2010, pp. 730–731.
- ^ Dead sea scrolls - Job
- ^ Fitzmyer 2008, p. 42.
- ^ 4Q99 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library
- ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 73–74.
- ^ Wilson 2015, pp. 17–23.
- ^ Wilson 2015, pp. 21–23.
- ^ a b c Wilson 2015, p. 155.
- ^ Wilson 2015, pp. 155–156.
- ^ a b c Wilson 2015, p. 156.
- ^ a b c Estes 2013, p. 218.
- ^ Estes 2013, p. 219.
- ^ Job 36:4 MEV
- ^ Note on Job 36:4 in NET Bible
- ^ a b Wilson 2015, p. 175.
- ^ Job 36:31 MEV
- ^ Estes 2013, p. 221.
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.
- Fitzmyer, Joseph A. (2008). A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. ISBN 9780802862419.
- 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.
- Ulrich, Eugene, ed. (2010). The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants. Brill.
- 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 36 (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 36. Various versions
Book of Job public domain audiobook at LibriVox Various versions