Discovery BoxJob 33:29-30 
Context33:29 “Indeed, God does all these things,
twice, three times, in his dealings 2 with a person,
33:30 to turn back his life from the place of corruption,
that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
Job 35:9-13
Contextbecause of the excess of oppression; 4
they cry out for help
because of the power 5 of the mighty. 6
35:10 But no one says, ‘Where is God, my Creator,
who gives songs in the night, 7
35:11 who teaches us 8 more than 9 the wild animals of the earth,
and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
35:12 Then 10 they cry out – but he does not answer –
because of the arrogance of the wicked.
35:13 Surely it is an empty cry 11 – God does not hear it;
the Almighty does not take notice of it.
Job 36:8-11
Context36:8 But if they are bound in chains, 12
and held captive by the cords of affliction,
36:9 then he reveals 13 to them what they have done, 14
and their transgressions,
that they were behaving proudly.
36:10 And he reveals 15 this 16 for correction,
and says that they must turn 17 from evil.
36:11 If they obey and serve him,
they live out their days in prosperity
and their years in pleasantness. 18
Job 36:15-16
Context36:15 He delivers the afflicted by 19 their 20 afflictions,
he reveals himself to them 21 by their suffering.
36:16 And surely, he drew you 22 from the mouth of distress,
to a wide place, unrestricted, 23
and to the comfort 24 of your table
filled with rich food. 25
Job 36:22-24
Context36:22 Indeed, God is exalted in his power;
who is a teacher 26 like him?
36:23 Who has prescribed his ways for him?
Or said to him, ‘You have done what is wicked’?
36:24 Remember to extol 27 his work,
which people have praised in song.
1 sn Elihu will repeat these instructions for Job to listen, over and over in painful repetition. See note on the heading to 32:1.
2 tn The phrase “in his dealings” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarification.
3 tn The word “people” is supplied, because the sentence only has the masculine plural verb.
4 tn The final noun is an abstract plural, “oppression.” There is no reason to change it to “oppressors” to fit the early versions. The expression is literally “multitude of oppression.”
5 tn Heb “the arm,” a metaphor for strength or power.
6 tn Or “of the many” (see HALOT 1172 s.v. I רַב 6.a).
7 tn There have been several attempts to emend the line, none of which are particularly helpful or interesting. H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 225) says, “It is a pity to rob Elihu of a poetic line when he creates one.”
8 tn The form in the text, the Piel participle from אָלַף (’alaf, “teach”) is written in a contracted form; the full form is מְאַלְּפֵנוּ (mÿ’allÿfenu).
9 tn Some would render this “teaches us by the beasts.” But Elihu is stressing the unique privilege humans have.
10 tn The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) connects this verse to v. 11. “There” can be locative or temporal – and here it is temporal (= “then”).
11 tn Heb “surely – vanity, he does not hear.” The cry is an empty cry, not a prayer to God. Dhorme translates it, “It is a pure waste of words.”
12 tn Dhorme thinks that the verse is still talking about kings, who may be in captivity. But this diverts attention from Elihu’s emphasis on the righteous.
13 tn The verb נָגַד (nagad) means “to declare; to tell.” Here it is clear that God is making known the sins that caused the enslavement or captivity, so “reveal” makes a good interpretive translation.
14 tn Heb “their work.”
15 tn The idiom once again is “he uncovers their ear.”
16 tn The revelation is in the preceding verse, and so a pronoun must be added to make the reference clear.
17 tn The verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to turn; to return”) is one of the two major words in the OT for “repent” – to return from evil. Here the imperfect should be obligatory – they must do it.
18 tc Some commentators delete this last line for metrical considerations. But there is no textual evidence for the deletion; it is simply the attempt by some to make the meter rigid.
19 tn The preposition בּ (bet) in these two lines is not location but instrument, not “in” but “by means of.” The affliction and the oppression serve as a warning for sin, and therefore a means of salvation.
20 tn Heb “his.”
21 tn Heb “he uncovers their ear.”
22 tn The Hebrew verb means “to entice; to lure; to allure; to seduce,” but these have negative connotations. The English “to persuade; to draw” might work better. The verb is the Hiphil perfect of סוּת (sut). But the nuance of the verb is difficult. It can be equivalent to an English present expressing what God is doing (Peake). But the subject is contested as well. Since the verb usually has an evil connotation, there have been attempts to make the “plaza” the subject – “the wide place has led you astray” (Ewald).
23 tn Heb “a broad place where there is no cramping beneath [or under] it.”
24 tn The word נַחַת (nakhat) could be translated “set” if it is connected with the verb נוּחַ (nuakh, “to rest,” but then “to lay to rest, to set”). Kissane translates it “comfort.” Dhorme thinks it could come from נוּחַ (nuakh, “to rest”) or נָחַת (nakhat, “to descend”). But his conclusion is that it is a dittography after “under it” (p. 545).
25 tn Heb “filled with fat.”
26 tn The word מוֹרֶה (moreh) is the Hiphil participle from יָרַה (yarah). It is related to the noun תּוֹרָה (torah, “what is taught” i.e., the law).
27 tn The expression is “that you extol,” serving as an object of the verb.
