for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword This translation seems to assume that "wrath" here is that of men, such wrath as Job's friends shewed towards him. But the word is too strong to be taken in this sense. The Divine "wrath" or fury is meant. The phrase "punishments of the sword" means most naturally, the punishments inflicted by the sword. The whole expression would thus mean, for wrath(i. e. in wrath, or, wrathful) are the punishments of the swordthe "sword" being as before God's judicial sword. Others render, "transgressionsof the sword," i. e. such transgressions as bring down the Divine sword; but the phrase "transgressions of the sword are wrath," i. e. have to bear wrath as their reward or chastisement, (Delitzsch) is exceedingly cumbrous.

that … there is a judgment The reference is not to any final or general judgment, but to the fact that God does in truth judge and punish injustice, such as the friends were guilty of; cf. Job 13:10 seq. The translation assumes a form of the relative conjunction thatwhich nowhere else occurs in the Book of Job, and there may be some fault in the text. Ewald and others by a slight change of spelling obtain the meaning, that ye may know the Almighty.

Continues after advertising
Continues after advertising