20:9 People 1 who had seen him will not see him again,
and the place where he was
will recognize him no longer.
21:33 The clods of the torrent valley 2 are sweet to him;
behind him everybody follows in procession,
and before him goes a countless throng.
33:24 and if 3 God 4 is gracious to him and says,
‘Spare 5 him from going down
to the place of corruption,
I have found a ransom for him,’ 6
35:14 How much less, then,
when you say that you do not perceive him,
that the case is before him
and you are waiting for him! 7
1 tn Heb “the eye that had seen him.” Here a part of the person (the eye, the instrument of vision) is put by metonymy for the entire person.
2 tn The clods are those that are used to make a mound over the body. And, for a burial in the valley, see Deut 34:6. The verse here sees him as participating in his funeral and enjoying it. Nothing seems to go wrong with the wicked.
3 tn This verse seems to continue the protasis begun in the last verse, with the apodosis coming in the next verse.
4 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tc The verb is either taken as an anomalous form of פָּדַע (pada’, “to rescue; to redeem,” or “to exempt him”), or it is emended to some similar word, like פָּרַע (para’, “to let loose,” so Wright).
6 sn This verse and v. 28 should be compared with Ps 49:7-9, 15 (8-10, 16 HT) where the same basic vocabulary and concepts are employed.
7 sn The point is that if God does not listen to those who do not turn to him, how much less likely is he to turn to one who complains against him.