Job 31:36-38

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Job 31:36 tn The clause begins with the positive oath formula, אִם־לֹא (ʾim loʾ).
2. Job 31:36 tn The word “proudly” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied (note the following line).
3. Job 31:36 tn This verb is only found in Prov 6:21. But E. Dhorme (Job, 470) suggests that (with metathesis) we have a derivative מַעֲדַנּוֹת (maʿadannot, “bonds; ties”) in 38:31.
4. Job 31:38 sn Many commentators place vv. 38-40b at the end of v. 34, so that there is no return to these conditional clauses after his final appeal.
5. Job 31:38 sn Some commentators have suggested that the meaning behind this is that Job might not have kept the year of release (Deut 15:1), and the law against mixing seed (Lev 19:19). But the context will make clear that the case considered is obtaining the land without paying for it and causing the death of its lawful owner (see H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 206). Similar to this would be the case of Naboth’s vineyard.