Job 38–42 (Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 18B | WBC)

by David J. A. Clines

Publisher:

Thomas Nelson

, 2011

Overview

Job 38–42 is the final volume in professor David Cline's monumental study of Job. This volume is devoted entirely to the response of the Lord from the tempest to Job and the replies of Job (Job 38–42), presenting the Lord's own explanation of his manifold purposes in creation and bringing to an unexpected conclusion Job's dramatic quest for justice.

Difficult portions of the Hebrew text are thoroughly handled, but the commentary is written for the non-technical reader and scholar alike. Clines uncovers the driving force of the argument and the drama of the book. Explanation sections at the end of each chapter brilliantly summarize the views of the speakers and offer thoughtful reflections on their theological value.

Key Features

• Provides a complete new translation and verse by verse commentary on the book of Job, in constant dialogue with other commentators
• Includes extensive schoarly notes on the Hebrew text of the book and its many obscure terms
• Contains an unparalleled bibliography gives sweeping coverage of all aspects of the book of Job from scholarly books to art, literature, and music

Contents

Top Highlights

“In a nutshell, the view that will be argued here is that (1) in a legal sense, Job ‘submits,’ i.e., he withdraws his lawsuit against Yahweh, (2) since he has done no wrong, he cannot ‘repent,’ but having been in mourning, he now brings the period of mourning to an end by ‘accepting consolation,’ for his lost children as well as for the loss of his honor, a consolation that is being offered to him both from the friends and (in his own way) from Yahweh, and (3) the consolation he accepts is ‘for’ the ‘dust and ashes’ that have been the visible expression of his state of mourning.” (Page 1218)

“Whatever its mother is, it is not depicted as God’s handiwork at creation, but as an independent being.” (Page 1102)

“The genre of the speech as a whole is that of the disputation speech.” (Page 1087)

“In this speech, Job has three remarks to make: (1) he acknowledges the omnipotence of Yahweh (v 2), (2) he accepts that he has intruded into the area of ‘marvels,’ in which he has no competence (v 3b), (3) now that he has heard the utterances Yahweh has addressed personally to him (v 5), he abandons his suit against God (v 6a) together with his mourning and he intends to resume his normal life (v 6b) (if that is what that verse means). Remarks 2 and 3 are preceded by quotations he makes of the words of Yahweh, so that his remarks are presented as responses to particular utterances of Yahweh. Remark 1 is not so preceded, which may suggest that it is Job’s response to the divine speeches as a whole.” (Page 1212)

“The nodal verse is evidently the opening and headline sentence, ‘Who is this who obscures the Design by words without knowledge?’ (38:2). It leads us immediately to the essence of Yahweh’s argument, that Job’s appeal for justice has been a gross misunderstanding of Yahweh’s design for the universe, in which justice is far from being the supreme value.” (Page 1088)

Product Details

• Title: Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 18B: Job 38–42
• Author: David J. A. Clines
• Series: Word Biblical Commentary
• Volume: 18B
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Print Publication Date: 2011
• Logos Release Date: 2015
• Pages: 544
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Bible. O.T. Job 38-42 › Commentaries
• ISBNs: 9780310524304, 0785252673, 9780785252672, 031052430X
• Resource ID: LLS:WBC18BJOB
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T03:41:37Z

About David J. A. Clines

David J. A. Clines concentrated his studies on Hebrew lexicography and contemporary literary approaches to the Hebrew Bible. He studied classical languages in Sydney, Semitic Languages in Cambridge, and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Amsterdam.

Clines was emeritus professor of biblical studies at the University of Sheffield where he previously served as head of the department for seven years. Clines also served as president of the Society for Old Testament Study, publisher and director at Sheffield Academic Press for 25 years, and president of the Society of Biblical Literature.

Clines authored and edited several publications including Interested Parties: The Ideology of Writers and Readers of the Hebrew Bible, On the Way to Postmodern, Esther Scroll: The Story of the Story, and The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew.