12:15 If he holds back the waters, then they dry up; 1
if he releases them, 2 they destroy 3 the land.
1 tc The LXX has a clarification: “he will dry the earth.”
2 sn The verse is focusing on the two extremes of drought and flood. Both are described as being under the power of God.
3 tn The verb הָפַךְ (hafakh) means “to overthrow; to destroy; to overwhelm.” It was used in Job 9:5 for “overturning” mountains. The word is used in Genesis for the destruction of Sodom.