38:2 “Who is this 1 who darkens counsel 2
with words without knowledge?
42:3 you asked, 3
‘Who is this who darkens counsel
without knowledge?’
But 4 I have declared without understanding 5
things too wonderful for me to know. 6
1 tn The demonstrative pronoun is used here to emphasize the interrogative pronoun (see GKC 442 §136.c).
2 sn The referent of “counsel” here is not the debate between Job and the friends, but the purposes of God (see Ps 33:10; Prov 19:21; Isa 19:17). Dhorme translates it “Providence.”
3 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.
4 tn The word לָכֵן (lakhen) is simply “but,” as in Job 31:37.
5 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.”
6 tn The last clause is “and I do not know.” This is also subordinated to become a dependent clause.