In the Garden
Villa Valmarana ai Nani, Vicenza, Italy
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The Great Equalizer
One person dies full of innocence, completely tranquil and at peace . . . Another dies with a bitter heart, and he has never enjoyed good. Together in the dust they lie, and the worm will cover them. Job 21:23, 25-26 Robert Alter The worm – Alter’s sobering remark puts Job and Qohelet on the…
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Medley Music
But I know my redeemer lives, and in the end he will stand up on earth and after they flay my skin, from my flesh I shall behold God. Job 19:25-26 Robert Alter My redeemer – Job never met Samuel Medley, but if he had, perhaps we would have corrected the lyrics Medley used in…
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The Cost (rewind with additions)
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:27-28 NIV Do good/bless – So you want to follow the Messiah. You want to live by his instructions, obey him as your master, incorporate his…
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Divine Rape (Revisited)
O Lord, You have deceived me and I was deceived; You have overcome me and prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. Jeremiah 20:7 NASB 1995 Deceived/overcome – Sometimes the translator’s morality gets in the way of communicating the crass and deliberately offensive speech of the Bible’s prophets. Of course,…
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Prophet Incognito
You enticed me, O Lord, and I was enticed. You were stronger than I, and You prevailed. I became a laughingstock all day long, all of them mocking me. Jeremiah 20:7 Robert Alter Laughingstock – We examined this verse some time ago, noting that the verb translated here as “enticed” can also mean “seduced.” Robert…
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My Immortal Enemy
I was tranquil—he shook me to pieces, seized my nape and broke me apart, set me up as a target from Him. Job 16:12 Robert Alter Shook me to pieces – If you’re reading Job, remember this: don’t look for answers, listen to the feelings! If you read with the expectation that you will tease…
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Forgiveness and Purity
What is man, that he would be pure, or he who is born of a woman, that he would be righteous? Job 15:14 NASB Pure – Baruch Levine emphasizes one of the most important characteristics of the Hebrew view of law when he writes: . . . the laws of the Torah did not permit Israelites to…
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Follow Your Heart
What does your heart teach you and what do your eyes hint? Job 15:12 Chabad Heart teach – If you read this from the perspective of modern religion, you’d conclude that Eliphaz is telling us to look deeply into our “hearts” and follow the intuitions we find there. Ah, but nothing could be further from…
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The God Who Feels
Are the consolations of God too little for you, or the word spoken gently to you? Job 15:11 NASB Consolations – You will recall Wilson’s comment about the use of the term nāḥam: “When nāḥam is used of God, however, the expression is anthropopathic and there is not ultimate tension. From man’s limited, earthly, finite perspective it only appears…
