Job 13:7

13:7 Will you speak wickedly 1  on God’s behalf? 2 

Will you speak deceitfully for him?

Job 16:21

16:21 and 3  he contends with God on behalf of man

as a man 4  pleads 5  for his friend.

1 tn The construction literally reads “speak iniquity.” The form functions adverbially. The noun עַוְלָה (’avlah) means “perversion; injustice; iniquity; falsehood.” Here it is parallel to רְמִיָּה (rÿmiyyah, “fraud; deceit; treachery”).

2 tn The expression “for God” means “in favor of God” or “on God’s behalf.” Job is amazed that they will say false things on God’s behalf.

3 tn E. Dhorme (Job, 240) alters this slightly to read “Would that” or “Ah! if only.”

4 tn This is the simple translation of the expression “son of man” in Job. But some commentators wish to change the word בֵּן (ben, “son”) to בֵּין (ben, “between”). It would then be “[as] between a man and [for] his friend.” Even though a few mss have this reading, it is to be rejected. But see J. Barr, “Some Notes on ‘ben’ in Classical Hebrew,” JSS 23 (1978): 1-22.

5 tn The verb is supplied from the parallel clause.