ONE OF THE BEAUTIES of Scripture is that, from one verse to the next, its subject matter may range from cosmological truth to personal tragedy. The entire Book of Job is a case in point. And within that book there is a verse that seems to contain both extremes in the confines of only six words!
This one verse in the Book of Job has such of wealth of meaning, and even more in the multiple ways different Bible versions have translated it.
That verse is found in Job’s reply to his accusing friends in the fourteenth verse of the sixth chapter. (I’m not going to show the text here, but if you click this link you can see all the translations.)
Caution: Poetry Ahead
If you think poetry is hard to interpret, Hebrew poetry is even harder! And I must admit, though I studied Hebrew at the postgraduate level, I was a very poor student of it. It appears at times the same words have different meanings in different contexts. I suppose it’s the same in English, but the additional differences of time, culture, and literary styles make it even more difficult with ancient Hebrew.
However, in this case I find that, no matter what translation is used, it has something to teach us. In fact, as the Amplified Bible does, putting all the translations in would perhaps be the most enlightening (though exasperating to an editor!)
A Quick Shot of Hebrew
Let’s take a quick look at the literal, word-for-word shape of the verse. (I’ll even throw in the Hebrew — only six words — so you can say you read Hebrew!)
לַמָּ֣ס = To him despairing (literally melting, failing, collapsing)
מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ = by his friend
חָ֑סֶד = kindness
וְיִרְאַ֖ת = and fear
שַׁדַּ֣י = the Almighty
יַעֲזֽוֹב׃ = he forsakes
Okay! That makes it simple, right? Now you see how so many different translations developed? Twenty-six different versions of scripture translate this verse in almost 26 different ways.
But let’s sort them out a bit. The first part is relatively simple and similar in all translations (although, for some reason, the NIV and ESV ignore the “despairing” part!), resulting in something like this: “A despairing man should have the kindness of his friend …”
But the two dozen translations I looked at come to three basic solutions for the back half of the verse:
- … [if he doesn’t, he] abandons or forsakes the fear of the Almighty
- … so that he does not abandon or forsake the fear of the Almighty
- … even if he abandons or forsakes the fear of the Almighty
So, All Three Are Right?
Like a Swiss Army knife, all these translations are helpful! Or should I say, all parts are sharp and to the point. (1) Because God has commanded us to show loving care to our friend in need, when we do not, we forsake the fear of the Almighty. (2) We should show that loving care to our despairing friend to keep him or her from giving up and throwing over the faith, and (3) even if it appears our friend has given up his or her faith in God, your kindness may actually bring that person back to the faith.
The Point Is …
Do you see how important the faithful, unaccusing kindness of a friend can be? In a way, you become the presence and proof of God himself to that fainting, despairing person. That, my friend, is a mighty calling!
(Job 6:14)
Image by Willgard Krause from Pixabay