Job 42: Job answers Yahweh, and the end of the book
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Job answers Yahweh: he says Yahweh can do all things, that he spoke of things too wonderful for him, and that now his eye sees Yahweh. Yahweh tells Eliphaz the Temanite that his wrath is kindled against him and his two friends, and tells them to take seven bulls and seven rams and go to Job, who will pray for them. Yahweh restores Job's prosperity and gives him twice as much, his family comes to him, he has seven sons and three daughters, and he lives one hundred forty years after this and dies old and full of days.
Who is speaking?
Job speaks in verses 2 to 6, answering Yahweh (verse 1 says so). In verses 3 and 4 Job quotes words he says Yahweh spoke, and those are Job's words, so they are not in gold. Yahweh speaks in 2 of the 17 verses: verses 7 and 8, to Eliphaz the Temanite and his two friends. The narrator tells verses 1, 9 to 17 and the first part of verse 7. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Then Job answered Yahweh:
In plain English: Then Job answered Yahweh, and said:
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2“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be restrained.
In plain English: I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be held back.
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3You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ therefore I have uttered that which I didn’t understand, things too wonderful for me, which I didn’t know.
In plain English: You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' So I have spoken of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
The Hebrew words: "Hides" is alam, which the dictionary gives as "to veil from sight, i.e. conceal". In the word is chashak, which the dictionary gives as "to be dark (as withholding light)" or "to darken", and the WEB says "darkens". So Job's quote has a different word from the question in that verse, and it has no "by words".
Good to know: These are Job's words about what Yahweh said, so they are not in gold.
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4You said, ‘Listen, now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.’
In plain English: You said, 'Listen, now, and I will speak. I will question you, and you will answer me.'
Good to know: and say "I will question you, and you will answer me". The words "Listen, now, and I will speak" are in neither verse. These are Job's words about what Yahweh said, so they are not in gold.
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5I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.
In plain English: I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.
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6Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
In plain English: Therefore I abhor myself (or: I reject, or: I despise), and repent (or: I am sorry, or: I am comforted) in dust and ashes (or: on, or: about dust and ashes).
The Hebrew words: The verse has three hard places. "I abhor" is maas, which the dictionary gives as "to spurn" and also "to disappear". It is in 69 verses of the Bible, and the WEB uses a form of "abhor" in 7, of "despise" in 18 and of "reject" in 31 (a verse can have more than one). The Hebrew has no word for "myself" after it; the WEB adds it. "Repent" is nacham, which the dictionary gives as "to sigh", "to be sorry", "to pity" and "to console". It is in 100 verses of the Bible, and the WEB uses a form of "repent" in 12, of "comfort" in 58 and of "relent" in 13. "In" is the small word al, which can also mean "on" or "about".
What changes: The verse can read "I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (the WEB). It can also read "I reject (what I said), and am sorry (or: am comforted) about dust and ashes", because the Hebrew gives no object after "reject". With the dictionary's other meaning it can read "I melt away (or: disappear)". The text does not say which is meant.
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7It was so, that after Yahweh had spoken these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.God speaks
In plain English: After Yahweh had spoken these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me (or: to me) the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.
The Hebrew words: "Right" is kun, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular)" and "to set up". It is in 15 verses of Job, and the WEB says "right" in 2 of them, here and . "Of me" is el, which the dictionary gives as "near, with or among; often in general, to".
Good to know: Yahweh says the friends have not spoken of him (or: to him) the thing that is right, as Job has. The text gives no more than this.
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8Now therefore, take to yourselves seven bulls 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 I will accept him, that I not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.”God speaks
In plain English: Now therefore, take seven bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, for I will accept him (the Hebrew says: I will lift up his face), so that I do not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has."
The Hebrew words: "Burnt offering" is olah, which the dictionary gives as "usually a holocaust (as going up in smoke)". It is in 2 verses of Job, this one and , where Job offered burnt offerings according to the number of his sons. The WEB says "burnt offering" in both. "I will accept him" is in the Hebrew "I will lift up his face", the same Hebrew words as in . The WEB says "accept" or "accepted" in these 2 of the 27 verses of Job that have the word nasa ("to lift"). "Folly" is nevalah, which the dictionary gives as "foolishness, i.e. (morally) wickedness; concretely, a crime; by extension, punishment". It is in 13 verses of the Bible and in Job here only. The WEB says "folly" in 11 of the 13.
What changes: The WEB reads that Yahweh will not deal with them according to their folly. Word by word the Hebrew reads "so as not to do with you folly", and the dictionary lists "punishment" among the meanings, so it can also be read as Yahweh not doing to them the punishment their folly brings. The text does not say which is meant.
Good to know: Yahweh says "my servant Job" in four verses of the book: , , and this verse, where he says it 3 times.
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9So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what Yahweh commanded them, and Yahweh accepted Job.
In plain English: So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what Yahweh had told them, and Yahweh accepted Job (the Hebrew says: lifted up Job's face).
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10Yahweh restored Job’s prosperity when he prayed for his friends. Yahweh gave Job twice as much as he had before.
In plain English: Yahweh restored Job's prosperity (the Hebrew says: turned back Job's captivity) when he prayed for his friends. Yahweh gave Job twice as much as he had before.
The Hebrew words: "Prosperity" is shevut, which the dictionary gives as "exile, concretely, prisoners; figuratively, a former state of prosperity". It is in 26 verses of the Bible and in Job here only. The WEB says "prosperity" in 1 of the 26, this one. Word by word the Hebrew says "turned back the captivity of Job".
What changes: With "captivity" or "exile" the line reads that Yahweh turned back Job's captivity. With "prosperity" it reads as the WEB does. Either way the verse goes on to say that Yahweh gave Job twice as much as he had before.
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11Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, came to him and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that Yahweh had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of gold.
In plain English: Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all who had known him before came to him and ate bread with him in his house. They showed him sympathy and comforted him about all the evil that Yahweh had brought on him. Each one gave him a piece of money, and each one a ring of gold.
The Hebrew words: "A piece of money" is qesitah, which the dictionary gives as "an ingot (as definitely estimated and stamped for a coin)". It is in 3 verses of the Bible: , and this one. The WEB says "pieces of money" in Genesis and here, and "pieces of silver" in Joshua. "Ring" is nezem, which the dictionary gives as "a nose-ring". It is in 16 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "ring" in 6 of them.
What changes: The Hebrew word for the ring can mean a ring worn in the nose, so the "ring of gold" may be a nose-ring or another ring. The text does not say which.
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12So Yahweh blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys.
In plain English: Yahweh blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke (pairs) of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys.
Good to know: gives his earlier possessions: seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred female donkeys. This verse gives fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand female donkeys.
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13He had also seven sons and three daughters.
In plain English: He also had seven sons and three daughters.
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14He called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren Happuch.
In plain English: He called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren Happuch.
The Hebrew words: The three names are Yemimah, Qetsiah and Qeren Happuk. Each is in this verse only in the whole Bible. The dictionary gives each only as the name of one of Job's daughters, and the text gives no meaning for them.
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15In all the land were no women found so beautiful as the daughters of Job. Their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
In plain English: No women were found in all the land as beautiful as the daughters of Job. Their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
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16After this Job lived one hundred forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, to four generations.
In plain English: After this Job lived one hundred forty years. He saw his sons (or: children) and his sons' sons (or: children's children), four generations.
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17So Job died, being old and full of days.
In plain English: So Job died, old and full of days.
The Hebrew word: "Full" is savea, which the dictionary gives as "satiated (in a pleasant or disagreeable sense)". It is in 10 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "full" in 8. The same Hebrew word is in the WEB's "old and full of days" of Isaac in , and in "full of days, riches, and honor" of David in .
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