Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - Job 13:12 - 13:12
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
12 Your memorable words are proverbs of dust,
Your strongholds are become strongholds of clay!
13 Leave me in peace, and I will speak,
And let what will come on me.
14 Wherefore should I bear my flesh in my teeth?
I take my soul in my hands.
15 Behold, He slayeth me-I wait for Him:
I will only prove my way before Him.
16 Even this would by my salvation,
That a hypocrite dare not appear before Him.
The words by which they exhort and warn him are called זִכְרֹנִים, not because they recall the experience and teaching of the ancients (Hirz.), but as sayings to which attention and thought should be given, with the tone of זכר־נא, Job 4:7 (Hahn); as ספר זכרון, Mal 3:16, the book of remembrance; and ספר זכרנות, Est 6:1, the book of memorabilia or memoranda. These their loci communes are proverbs of ashes, i.e., proverbs which in respect to the present case, say nothing, passing away like ashes (אֵפֶר = vanity, Isa 44:20). While Job 13:12 says what their speeches, with the weighty nota bene, are, Job 13:12 says what their גַּבִּים become; for לְ always denotes a κίνησις = γένεσις, and is never the exponent of the predicate in a simple clause.
(Note: The Jewish expositors compare 1Ch 3:2 on לגבי, but the ל there in לאבשׁלום is a clerical error (comp. 2Sa 3:3). Reiske conjectures רגבי (lumps of clay), one of the best among his most venturesome conjectures.)
Like the Arabic dahr, גַּב signifies a boss, back, then protection, bulwark, rampart: their arguments or proofs are called גבים (עַצֻּמֹות, Isa 41:21; comp. ὀχυρώματα, 2Co 10:4); these ramparts which they throw up become as ramparts of clay, will be shown to be such by their being soon broken through and falling in. Their reasons will not stand before God, but, like clay that will not hold together, fall to pieces.
Job 13:13
Be silent therefore from me, he says to them, i.e., stand away from me and leave me in peace (opp. החרישׁ אֶל, Isa 41:1): then will I speak, or: in order that I may speak (the cohortative usual in apod. imper.) - he, and he alone, will defend (i.e., against God) his cause, which they have so uncharitably abandoned in spite of their better knowledge and conscience, let thereby happen (עבר, similar to Deu 24:5) to him מָה, whatever may happen (מה שׁיעבר); or more simply: whatever it may be, quidquid est, as 2Sa 18:22 ויהי מה, let happen whatever may happen; or more simply: whatever it may be, like מָה דְּבַר quodcunque, Num 23:3; מִי occurs also in a similar sense, thus placed last (Ewald, §104, d).
Job 13:14
Wherefore should he carry away his flesh in his teeth, i.e., be intent upon the maintenance of his life, as a wild beast upon the preservation of its prey, by holding it between its teeth (mordicus tenet) and carrying it away? This is a proverbial phrase which does not occur elsewhere; for Jer 38:2 (thy life shall become as spoil, לְשָׁלָל, to thee) is only similar in outward appearance. It may be asked whether Job 13:14 continues the question begun with עַל־מָה (vid., on Isa 1:5): and wherefore should I take my soul in my hands, i.e., carefully protect it as a valuable possession? (Eichh., Umbr., Vaih.). But apart from Psa 119:109 (my soul is continually in my hand), - where it may be asked, whether the soul is not there regarded as treasure (according to the current religious phrase: to carry his soul in his hand = to work out the blessedness of his soul with fear and trembling), - בְכַפָּיו נַפְשֹׁו שִׂים signifies everywhere else (Jdg 12:3; 1Sa 19:5; 1Sa 28:21) as much as to risk one's life without fear of death, properly speaking: to fight one's way through with one's fist, perishing so soon as the strength of one's fist is gone (Ewald); comp. the expression for the impending danger of death, Deu 28:66. If this sense, which is in accordance with the usage of the language, be adopted, it is unnecessary with Hirz., after Ewald, §352, b, to take וְנַפְשִׁי for נפשׁי גם: also, even my soul, etc., although it cannot be denied that וְ, like καὶ and et, sometimes signifies: also, etiam (Isa 32:7; 2Ch 27:5; Ecc 5:6, and according to the accents, Hos 8:6 also; on the contrary, 2Sa 1:23; Psa 31:12, can at least by explained by the copulative meaning, and Amo 4:10 by “and indeed”). The waw joins the positive to the negative assertion contained in the question of Job 13:14 (Hahn): I will not eagerly make my flesh safe, and will take my soul in my hand, i.e., calmly and bravely expose myself to the danger of death. Thus Job 13:15 is most directly connected with what precedes.
Job 13:15
This is one of eighteen passages in which the Chethib is לא and the Keri לו; Job 6:21 is another.
(Note: In Fürst, Concord. p. 1367, col. 1, the following passages are wanting: 1Sa 2:3; 2Ki 8:10; Psa 100:3; Psa 139:16; Pro 19:7; Pro 26:2; 1Ch 11:20, which are to be supplied from Aurivillius, diss. p. 469, where, however, on the other hand, 2Sa 19:7 is wanting. Exo 21:8 also belongs to these passages. In this last passage Mühlau proposes a transposition of the letters thus: לא ידעה (if she displease her master, so that he knows her not, does not like to make her his concubine, then he shall cause her to be redeemed, etc.). In his volume on Isaiah just published (1866), Dr. Delitzsch appends the following note on Isa 63:9 : - “There are fifteen passages in which the Keri substitutes לֹו for לא, vid., Masora magna on Lev 11:21 (Psalter, ii. 60). If we include Isa 49:5; 1Ch 11:20; 1Sa 2:16 also, there are then eighteen (comp. on Job 13:15); but the first two of these passages are very doubtful, and are therefore intentionally omitted, and in the third it is לֹא that is substituted for לֹו (Ges. Thes. 735, b). 2Sa 19:7 also does not belong here, for in this passage the Keri is לוּ.” - Tr.])
In the lxx, which moreover changes איחל into הֵחֵל, ἄρχεσθαι, the rendering is doubtful, the Cod. Vat. Translating ἐάν με χειρώσηται, the Cod. Alex. ἐὰν μή με χειρ. The Mishna b. Sota, 27, b, refers to the passage with reference to the question whether Job had served God from love or fear, and in favour of the former appeals to Job 27:5, since here the matter is doubtful (הדבר שׁקול), as the present passage may be explained, “I hope in Him,” or “I hope not.” The Gemara, ib. 31, a, observes that the reading לא does not determine the sense, for Isa 63:9 is written לא, and is not necessarily to be understood as לו, but can be so understood.
(Note: Vid., Geiger, Lesestücke aus der Mischnah (1845), S. 37f.)
Among the ancient versions, the Targ., Syr., and Jerome (etiamsi occiderit me, in ipso sperabo) are in favour of לו. This translation of the Vulgate is followed by the French, English, Italian, and other versions. This utterance, in this interpretation, has a venerable history. The Electoress Louise Henriette von Oranien (died 1667), the authoress of the immortal hymn, “Jesus meine Zuversicht” the English translation begins, “Jesus Christ, my sure defence,” chose these words, “Though the Lord should slay me, yet will I hope in Him,” for the text of her funeral oration. And many in the hour of death have adopted the utterance of Job in this form as the expression of their faith and consolation.
(Note: Vid., Göschel, Die Kurfürstinnen zu Brandenburg aus dem Hause Hohenzollern (1857), S. 28-32.)
Among these we may mention a Jewess. The last movement of the wasted fingers of Grace Aguilar was to spell the words, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.”
(Note: Marie Henriquez Morales, bearbeitet von Piza (1860), X. 12.)
The words, so understood, have an historic claim in their favour which we will not dispute. Even the apostles do not spurn the use of the Greek words of the Old Testament, though they do not accord with the proper connection in the original text, provided they are in accordance with sacred Scripture, and give brief and pregnant expression to a truth taught elsewhere in the Scriptures. Thus it is with this utterance, which, understood as the Vulgate understands it, is thoroughly Job-like, and in some measure the ultimate solution of the book of Job. It is also, according to its most evident meaning, an expression of perfect resignation. We admit that if it is translated: behold, He will slay me, I hope not, i.e., I await no other and happier issue, a thought is obtained that also agrees with the context. But יִחֵל does not properly mean to hope, but to wait for; and even in Job 6:11; Job 14:14, where it stands as much without an object as here, it has no other meaning but that of waiting; and Luther is true to it when he translates: behold, He will destroy me, and I cannot expect it; it is, however, strange; and Böttch. translates: I will not wait to justify myself, which is odd. The proper meaning of יחל, praestolari, gives no suitable sense. Thus, therefore, the writer will have written or meant לו, since יִחֵל לְ is also elsewhere a familiar expression with him, Job 29:21, Job 29:23; Job 30:26. The meaning, then, which agrees both with the context and with the reality, is: behold, He will slay me, I wait for Him, i.e., I wait what He may do, even to smite with death, only I will (אַךְ, as frequently, e.g., Psa 49:16, does not belong to the word which immediately follows, but to the whole clause) prove my ways to Him, even before His face. He fears the extreme, but is also prepared for it. Hirzel, Heiligst., Vaihinger, and others, think that Job regards his wish for the appearing of God as the certain way of death, according to the belief that no one can behold God and not die. But יִקְטְלֵנִי has reference to a different form of idea. He fears the risk of disputing with God, and being obliged to forfeit his life; but, as לו איחל implies, he resigns himself even to the worst, he waits for Him to whom he resigns himself, whatever He may do to him; nevertheless (אַךְ restrictive, or as frequently אָכֵן adversative, which is the same thing here) he cannot and will not keep down the inward testimony of his innocence, he is prepared to render Him an account of the ways in which he has walked (i.e., the way of His will) - he can succumb in all respects but that of his moral guiltlessness. And in Job 13:16 he adds what will prove a triumph for him, that a godless person, or (what is suitable, and if it does not correspond to the primary idea,
(Note: The verb חנף signifies in the Arabic to deviate, to go on one side (whence, e.g., ahhnaf, bandy-legged): hhanı̂f, which is derived from it, is a so-called Arab. ḍidd, ἐναντιόσημον, which may mean both one inclining to the good and true (one who is orthodox), and in this sense it is a surname of Abraham, and one inclining to evil. Beidhâwi explains it by mâïl, inclining one's self to; the synonym, but used only in a good sense, is Arab. 'l-‛âdl, el-‛âdil.)
still accords with the use of the word) a hypocrite, one who judges thus of himself in his own heart, would not so come forward to answer for himself before God (Hahn). It can be explained: that a godless person has no access to God; but the other explanation givers a truer thought. הוא is here used as neuter, like Job 15:9; Job 31:28 comp. Job 41:3, Exo 34:10. Correctly lxx, καὶ τοῦτό μοι ἀποβήσεται εἰς σωτηρίαν. יְשׁוּעָה here (comp. Job 30:15) has not, however, the usual deeper meaning which it has in the prophets and in Psalms. It means here salvation, as victory in a contest for the right. Job means that he has already as good as won the contest, by so urgently desiring to defend himself before God. This excites a feeling in favour of his innocence at the onset, and secures him an acquittal.