22:18 But it was he 1 who filled their houses
with good things –
yet the counsel of the wicked 2
was far from me. 3
42:3 you asked, 4
‘Who is this who darkens counsel
without knowledge?’
But 5 I have declared without understanding 6
things too wonderful for me to know. 7
1 tn The pronoun is added for this emphasis; it has “but he” before the verb.
2 tn See Job 10:3.
3 tc The LXX has “from him,” and this is followed by several commentators. But the MT is to be retained, for Eliphaz is recalling the words of Job. Verses 17 and 18 are deleted by a number of commentators as a gloss because they have many similarities to 21:14-16. But Eliphaz is recalling what Job said, in order to say that the prosperity to which Job alluded was only the prelude to a disaster he denied (H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 156).
4 tn The expression “you asked” is added here to clarify the presence of the line to follow. Many commentators delete it as a gloss from Job 38:2. If it is retained, then Job has to be recalling God’s question before he answers it.
5 tn The word לָכֵן (lakhen) is simply “but,” as in Job 31:37.
6 tn Heb “and I do not understand.” The expression serves here in an adverbial capacity. It also could be subordinated as a complement: “I have declared [things that] I do not understand.”
7 tn The last clause is “and I do not know.” This is also subordinated to become a dependent clause.