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Selected Verse: Job 1:5 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Job 1:5	Strong Concordance	And it was so, when the days [03117] of their feasting [04960] were gone about [05362], that Job [0347] sent [07971] and sanctified [06942] them, and rose up early [07925] in the morning [01242], and offered [05927] burnt offerings [05930] according to the number [04557] of them all: for Job [0347] said [0559], It may be [0194] that my sons [01121] have sinned [02398], and cursed [01288] God [0430] in their hearts [03824]. Thus did [06213] Job [0347] continually [03117].
	King James	And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
when the days of their feasting were gone about--that is, at the end of all the birthdays collectively, when the banquets had gone round through all the families. cursed God--The same Hebrew word means to "curse," and to "bless"; GESENIUS says, the original sense is to "kneel," and thus it came to mean bending the knee in order to invoke either a blessing or a curse. Cursing is a perversion of blessing, as all sin is of goodness. Sin is a degeneracy, not a generation. It is not, however, likely that Job should fear the possibility of his sons cursing God. The sense "bid farewell to," derived from the blessing customary at parting, seems sufficient (Gen 47:10). Thus UMBREIT translates "may have dismissed God from their hearts"; namely, amid the intoxication of pleasure (Pro 20:1). This act illustrates Job's "fear of God" (Job 1:1).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

when the days of their feasting were gone about--that is, at the end of all the birthdays collectively, when the banquets had gone round through all the families.

cursed God--The same Hebrew word means to "curse," and to "bless"; GESENIUS says, the original sense is to "kneel," and thus it came to mean bending the knee in order to invoke either a blessing or a curse. Cursing is a perversion of blessing, as all sin is of goodness. Sin is a degeneracy, not a generation. It is not, however, likely that Job should fear the possibility of his sons cursing God. The sense "bid farewell to," derived from the blessing customary at parting, seems sufficient (Gen 47:10). Thus UMBREIT translates "may have dismissed God from their hearts"; namely, amid the intoxication of pleasure (Pro 20:1). This act illustrates Job's "fear of God" (Job 1:1).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about - Dr. Good renders this, "as the days of such banquets returned." But this is not the idea intended. It is, when the banquets had gone round as in a circle through all the families, "then" Job sent and sanctified them. It was not from an anticipation that they "would" do wrong, but it was from the apprehension that they "might" have sinned. The word rendered "were gone about" (נקף nâqaph) means properly to join together, and then to move round in a circle, to revolve, as festivals do; see the notes at Isa 29:1 : "Let the festivals go round." Here it means that the days of their banqueting had gone round the circle, or had gone round the several families. Septuagint "When the days of the entertainment (or drinking, πότου potou) were finished." A custom of feasting similar to this prevails in China. "They have their fraternities which they call the brotherhood of the months; this consists of months according to the number of the days therein, and in a circle they go abroad to eat at one another's houses by turns. If one man has not conveniences to receive the fraternity in his own house, he may provide for them in another; and there are many public houses well furnished for this purpose." See Semedo's History of China, i chapter 13, as quoted by Burder in Rosenmuller's Morgenland. "in loc." That Job sent - Sent for them, and called them around him. He was apprehensive that they might have erred, and he took every measure to keep them pure, and to maintain the influence of religion in his family. And sanctified them - This expression, says Schultens, is capable of two interpretations. It may either mean that he "prepared" them by various lustrations, ablutions, and other ceremonies to offer sacrifice; or that he offered sacrifices for the purpose of procuring expiation for sins which they might actually have committed. The former sense, he remarks, is favored by the use of the word in Exo 19:10; Sa1 16:5, where the word means to prepare themselves by ablutions to meet God and to worship him. The latter sense is demanded by the connection. Job felt as every father should feel in such circumstances, that there was reason to fear that God had not been remembered as he ought to have been, and he was therefore more fervent in his devotions, and called them around him, that their own minds might be affected in view of his pious solicitude. What father is there who loves God, and who feels anxious that his children should also, who does not feel special solicitude if his sons and his daughters are in a situation where successive days are devoted to feasting and mirth? The word here rendered "sanctified" (קדשׁ qâdash) means properly to be pure, clean, holy; in Pihel, the form used here, to make holy, to sanctify, to consecrate, as a priest; and here it means, that he took measures to make them holy on the apprehension that they had sinned; that is, he took the usual means to procure for them forgiveness. The Septuagint renders it ἐκάθαριζεν ekatharizen, he purified them. And rose up early in the morning - For the purpose of offering his devotions, and procuring for them expiation. It was customary in the patriarchal times to offer sacrifice early in the morning. See Gen 22:3; Exo 32:6. And offered burnt-offerings - Hebrew "and caused to ascend;" that is, by burning them so that the smoke ascended toward heaven. The word rendered "burnt-offerings" (עולה ‛ôlâh) is from עלה ‛âlâh, "to ascend" (the word used here and rendered "offered"), and means that which was made to ascend, to wit, by burning. It is applied in the Scriptures to a sacrifice that was wholly consumed on the altar, and answers to the Greek word ὁλόκαυστον holokauston, "Holocaust." See the notes at Isa 1:11. Such offerings in the patriarchal times were made by the father of a family, officiating as priest in behalf of his household. Thus, Noah officiated, Gen 8:20; and thus also Abraham acted as the priest to offer sacrifice, Gen 12:7-8; Gen 13:18; Gen 22:13. In the earliest times, and among pagan nations, it was supposed that pardon might be procured for sin by offering sacrifice. In Homer there is a passage which remarkably corresponds with the view of Job before us; Iliad 9:493: The gods (the great and only wise) Are moved by offerings, vows, and sacrifice; Offending man their high compassion wins, And daily prayers atone for daily sins. Pope According to the number of them all - Sons and daughters. Perhaps an additional sacrifice for each one of them. The Septuagint renders this, "according to their numbers, καί μόσχον ἕνα περὶ ἁμαπτίας περὶ τῶν ψυχῶν αὐτῶν kai moschon hena peri hamartias peri tōn psuchōn autōn - a young bullock for sin or a sin-offering for their souls." It may be that my sons have sinned - He had no positive or certain proof of it. He felt only the natural apprehension which every pious father must, that his sons might have been overtaken by temptation, and perhaps, under the influence of wine, might have been led to speak reproachfully of God, and of the necessary restraints of true religion and virtue. And cursed God in their hearts - The word here rendered curse is that which is usually rendered "bless" ברך bārak. It is not a little remarkable that the same word is used in senses so directly opposite as to "bless" and "to curse." Dr. Good contends that the word should be always rendered "bless," and so translates it in this place, "peradventure my sons may have sinned, "nor" blessed God in their hearts," understanding the Hebrew prefix ו (v) as a disjunctive or negative participle. So too in Job 2:9, rendered in our common translation, "curse God and die," he translates it, "blessing God and dying." But the interpretation which the connection demands is evidently that of cursing, renouncing, or forgetting; and so also it is in Job 2:9. This sense is still more obvious in Kg1 21:10 : "Thou didst "blaspheme" ברך bārak God and the king." So also Kg1 21:13 of the same chapter - though here Dr. Good contends that the word should be rendered "bless," and that the accusation was that Naboth "blessed" or worshipped the gods, even Moloch - where he supposes the word מלך melek, should be pointed מלך môlek and read "Molech." But the difficulty is not removed by this, and after all it is probable that the word here, as in Job 2:9, means to "curse." So it is understood by nearly all interpreters. The Vulgate indeed renders it singularly enough, "Lest perhaps my sons have sinned, and have blessed God (et benedixerint Deo) in their hearts." The Septuagint, "Lest perhaps my sons in their mind have thought evil toward God" - κακὰ ἐνεόησαν πρὸς Θεόν kaka enenoēsan pros Theon. The Chaldee, "Lest my sons have sinned and provoked yahweh (יהוה וארגיזדקדם) in their hearts." Assuming that this is the sense of the word here, there are three ways of accounting for the fact that the same word should have such opposite significations. (1) One is that proposed by Taylor (Concor.), that pious persons of old regarded blasphemy as so abominable that they abhorred to express it by the proper name, and that therefore by an "euphemism" they used the term "bless" instead of "curse." But it should be said that nothing is more common in the Scriptures than words denoting cursing and blasphemy. The word אלה 'âlâh, in the sense of cursing or execrating, occurs frequently. So the word גדף gâdaph, means to blaspheme, and is often used; Kg2 19:6, Kg2 19:22; Isa 37:6, Isa 37:23; Psa 44:16. Other words also were used in the same sense, and there was no necessity of using a mere "euphemism" here. (2) A second mode of accounting for this double use of the word is. that this was the common term of salutation between friends at meeting and parting. It is then supposed to have been used in the sense of the English phrase "to bid farewell to." And then, like that phrase, to mean "to renounce, to abandon, to dismiss from the mind, to disregard." The words χαίρειν chairein, in Greek, and "valere" in Latin, are used in this way. This explanation is suggested by Schultens, and is adopted by Rosenmuller and Noyes, who refer to the following places as parallel instances of the use of the word. Virg. Ecl. 8, 58. "Vivite Sylvoe" - a form, says the Annotator on Virgil (Delphin), of bidding farewell to, like the Greek χαίρετε chairete - "a form used against those whom we reject with hatred, and wish to depart." Thus, Catull. 11. 17: Cum suis vivat, valeatque moechis. So Aesch. Agam. 574: Καὶ πολλὰ χαίρειν ξυμφοραῖς καταξιῶ Kai polla chairein cumforais kataciō. Thus, Plutarch, Dion. p. 975. So Cicero in a letter to Atticus (Psa 8:8), in which he complains of the disgraceful flight of Pompey, applies to him a quotation from Aristophanes; πολλὰ χαίρειν εἰπὼν τῷ καλῷ polla chairein eipōn tō kalō - "bidding farewell to honour he fled to Brundusium;" compare Ter. And. 4:2. 14. Cicero de Nat. Deor. 1. 44. According to this interpretation, it means that Job apprehended they had renounced God in their hearts. that is, had been unmindful of him, and had withheld from him the homage which was due. - This is plausible: but the difficulty is in making out the use of this sense of the word in Hebrew. That the word was used as a mode of "parting salutation" among the Hebrews is undoubted. It was a solemn form of invoking the divine blessing when friends separated; compare Gen 28:3; Gen 47:10. But I find no use of the word where it is applied to separation in the sense of "renouncing," or bidding farewell to "in a bad sense;" and unless some instances of this kind can be adduced, the interpretation is unsound, and though similar phrases are used in Greek, Latin, and other languages, it does not demonstrate that this use of the word obtained in the Hebrew. (3) A third, and more simple explanation is that which supposes that the original sense of the word was "to kneel." This, according to Gesenius, is the meaning of the word in Arabic. So Castell gives the meaning of the word - "to bend the knees for the sake of honour;" that is, as an act of respect. So in Syriac, "Genua flexit̂ procubuit." So "Genu." the "knee." Then it means to bend the knee for the purpose of invoking God, or worshipping. In the Piel, the form used here, it means (1) to bless God, to celebrate, to adore; (2) to bless men - that is, to "invoke" blessings on them; to greet or salute them - in the sense of invoking blessings on them when we meet them; Sa1 15:13; Gen 47:7; Sa2 6:20; or when we part from them; Gen 47:10; Kg1 8:66; Gen 24:60; (3) to "invoke evil," in the sense of "cursing others." The idea is, that punishment or destruction is from God, and hence, it is "imprecated" on others. In one word, the term is used, as derived from the general sense of kneeling, in the sense of "invoking" either blessings or curses; and then in the general sense of blessing or cursing. This interpretation is defended by Selden, de jure Nat. et Gent. Lib. II. 100:11:p. 255, and by Gesenius, Lexicon. The idea here is, that Job apprehended that his sons, in the midst of mirth, and perhaps revelry, had been guilty of irreverence, and perhaps of reproaching God inwardly for the restraints of virtue and piety. What is more common in such scenes? What was more to be apprehended? Thus did Job continually - It was his regular habit whenever such an occasion occurred. He was unremitted in his pious care; and his solicitude lest his sons should have sinned never ceased - a beautiful illustration of the appropriate feelings of a pious father in regard to his sons. The Hebrew is, "all day;" that is, at all times.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about - Dr. Good renders this, "as the days of such banquets returned." But this is not the idea intended. It is, when the banquets had gone round as in a circle through all the families, "then" Job sent and sanctified them. It was not from an anticipation that they "would" do wrong, but it was from the apprehension that they "might" have sinned. The word rendered "were gone about" (נקף nâqaph) means properly to join together, and then to move round in a circle, to revolve, as festivals do; see the notes at Isa 29:1 : "Let the festivals go round." Here it means that the days of their banqueting had gone round the circle, or had gone round the several families. Septuagint "When the days of the entertainment (or drinking, πότου potou) were finished." A custom of feasting similar to this prevails in China. "They have their fraternities which they call the brotherhood of the months; this consists of months according to the number of the days therein, and in a circle they go abroad to eat at one another's houses by turns. If one man has not conveniences to receive the fraternity in his own house, he may provide for them in another; and there are many public houses well furnished for this purpose." See Semedo's History of China, i chapter 13, as quoted by Burder in Rosenmuller's Morgenland. "in loc."

That Job sent - Sent for them, and called them around him. He was apprehensive that they might have erred, and he took every measure to keep them pure, and to maintain the influence of religion in his family.

And sanctified them - This expression, says Schultens, is capable of two interpretations. It may either mean that he "prepared" them by various lustrations, ablutions, and other ceremonies to offer sacrifice; or that he offered sacrifices for the purpose of procuring expiation for sins which they might actually have committed. The former sense, he remarks, is favored by the use of the word in Exo 19:10; Sa1 16:5, where the word means to prepare themselves by ablutions to meet God and to worship him. The latter sense is demanded by the connection. Job felt as every father should feel in such circumstances, that there was reason to fear that God had not been remembered as he ought to have been, and he was therefore more fervent in his devotions, and called them around him, that their own minds might be affected in view of his pious solicitude. What father is there who loves God, and who feels anxious that his children should also, who does not feel special solicitude if his sons and his daughters are in a situation where successive days are devoted to feasting and mirth? The word here rendered "sanctified" (קדשׁ qâdash) means properly to be pure, clean, holy; in Pihel, the form used here, to make holy, to sanctify, to consecrate, as a priest; and here it means, that he took measures to make them holy on the apprehension that they had sinned; that is, he took the usual means to procure for them forgiveness. The Septuagint renders it ἐκάθαριζεν ekatharizen, he purified them.

And rose up early in the morning - For the purpose of offering his devotions, and procuring for them expiation. It was customary in the patriarchal times to offer sacrifice early in the morning. See Gen 22:3; Exo 32:6.

And offered burnt-offerings - Hebrew "and caused to ascend;" that is, by burning them so that the smoke ascended toward heaven. The word rendered "burnt-offerings" (עולה ‛ôlâh) is from עלה ‛âlâh, "to ascend" (the word used here and rendered "offered"), and means that which was made to ascend, to wit, by burning. It is applied in the Scriptures to a sacrifice that was wholly consumed on the altar, and answers to the Greek word ὁλόκαυστον holokauston, "Holocaust." See the notes at Isa 1:11. Such offerings in the patriarchal times were made by the father of a family, officiating as priest in behalf of his household. Thus, Noah officiated, Gen 8:20; and thus also Abraham acted as the priest to offer sacrifice, Gen 12:7-8; Gen 13:18; Gen 22:13. In the earliest times, and among pagan nations, it was supposed that pardon might be procured for sin by offering sacrifice. In Homer there is a passage which remarkably corresponds with the view of Job before us; Iliad 9:493:

The gods (the great and only wise)

Are moved by offerings, vows, and sacrifice;

Offending man their high compassion wins,

And daily prayers atone for daily sins.

Pope

According to the number of them all - Sons and daughters. Perhaps an additional sacrifice for each one of them. The Septuagint renders this, "according to their numbers, καί μόσχον ἕνα περὶ ἁμαπτίας περὶ τῶν ψυχῶν αὐτῶν kai moschon hena peri hamartias peri tōn psuchōn autōn - a young bullock for sin or a sin-offering for their souls."

It may be that my sons have sinned - He had no positive or certain proof of it. He felt only the natural apprehension which every pious father must, that his sons might have been overtaken by temptation, and perhaps, under the influence of wine, might have been led to speak reproachfully of God, and of the necessary restraints of true religion and virtue.

And cursed God in their hearts - The word here rendered curse is that which is usually rendered "bless" ברך bārak. It is not a little remarkable that the same word is used in senses so directly opposite as to "bless" and "to curse." Dr. Good contends that the word should be always rendered "bless," and so translates it in this place, "peradventure my sons may have sinned, "nor" blessed God in their hearts," understanding the Hebrew prefix ו (v) as a disjunctive or negative participle. So too in Job 2:9, rendered in our common translation, "curse God and die," he translates it, "blessing God and dying." But the interpretation which the connection demands is evidently that of cursing, renouncing, or forgetting; and so also it is in Job 2:9. This sense is still more obvious in Kg1 21:10 : "Thou didst "blaspheme" ברך bārak God and the king." So also Kg1 21:13 of the same chapter - though here Dr. Good contends that the word should be rendered "bless," and that the accusation was that Naboth "blessed" or worshipped the gods, even Moloch - where he supposes the word מלך melek, should be pointed מלך môlek and read "Molech." But the difficulty is not removed by this, and after all it is probable that the word here, as in Job 2:9, means to "curse." So it is understood by nearly all interpreters. The Vulgate indeed renders it singularly enough, "Lest perhaps my sons have sinned, and have blessed God (et benedixerint Deo) in their hearts." The Septuagint, "Lest perhaps my sons in their mind have thought evil toward God" - κακὰ ἐνεόησαν πρὸς Θεόν kaka enenoēsan pros Theon. The Chaldee, "Lest my sons have sinned and provoked yahweh (יהוה וארגיזדקדם) in their hearts." Assuming that this is the sense of the word here, there are three ways of accounting for the fact that the same word should have such opposite significations.

(1) One is that proposed by Taylor (Concor.), that pious persons of old regarded blasphemy as so abominable that they abhorred to express it by the proper name, and that therefore by an "euphemism" they used the term "bless" instead of "curse." But it should be said that nothing is more common in the Scriptures than words denoting cursing and blasphemy. The word אלה 'âlâh, in the sense of cursing or execrating, occurs frequently. So the word גדף gâdaph, means to blaspheme, and is often used; Kg2 19:6, Kg2 19:22; Isa 37:6, Isa 37:23; Psa 44:16. Other words also were used in the same sense, and there was no necessity of using a mere "euphemism" here.

(2) A second mode of accounting for this double use of the word is. that this was the common term of salutation between friends at meeting and parting. It is then supposed to have been used in the sense of the English phrase "to bid farewell to." And then, like that phrase, to mean "to renounce, to abandon, to dismiss from the mind, to disregard." The words χαίρειν chairein, in Greek, and "valere" in Latin, are used in this way. This explanation is suggested by Schultens, and is adopted by Rosenmuller and Noyes, who refer to the following places as parallel instances of the use of the word. Virg. Ecl. 8, 58. "Vivite Sylvoe" - a form, says the Annotator on Virgil (Delphin), of bidding farewell to, like the Greek χαίρετε chairete - "a form used against those whom we reject with hatred, and wish to depart." Thus, Catull. 11. 17: Cum suis vivat, valeatque moechis. So Aesch. Agam. 574:

Καὶ πολλὰ χαίρειν ξυμφοραῖς καταξιῶ

Kai polla chairein cumforais kataciō.

Thus, Plutarch, Dion. p. 975. So Cicero in a letter to Atticus (Psa 8:8), in which he complains of the disgraceful flight of Pompey, applies to him a quotation from Aristophanes; πολλὰ χαίρειν εἰπὼν τῷ καλῷ polla chairein eipōn tō kalō - "bidding farewell to honour he fled to Brundusium;" compare Ter. And. 4:2. 14. Cicero de Nat. Deor. 1. 44. According to this interpretation, it means that Job apprehended they had renounced God in their hearts. that is, had been unmindful of him, and had withheld from him the homage which was due. - This is plausible: but the difficulty is in making out the use of this sense of the word in Hebrew. That the word was used as a mode of "parting salutation" among the Hebrews is undoubted. It was a solemn form of invoking the divine blessing when friends separated; compare Gen 28:3; Gen 47:10. But I find no use of the word where it is applied to separation in the sense of "renouncing," or bidding farewell to "in a bad sense;" and unless some instances of this kind can be adduced, the interpretation is unsound, and though similar phrases are used in Greek, Latin, and other languages, it does not demonstrate that this use of the word obtained in the Hebrew.

(3) A third, and more simple explanation is that which supposes that the original sense of the word was "to kneel." This, according to Gesenius, is the meaning of the word in Arabic. So Castell gives the meaning of the word - "to bend the knees for the sake of honour;" that is, as an act of respect. So in Syriac, "Genua flexit̂ procubuit." So "Genu." the "knee." Then it means to bend the knee for the purpose of invoking God, or worshipping. In the Piel, the form used here, it means

(1) to bless God, to celebrate, to adore;

(2) to bless men - that is, to "invoke" blessings on them; to greet or salute them - in the sense of invoking blessings on them when we meet them; Sa1 15:13; Gen 47:7; Sa2 6:20; or when we part from them; Gen 47:10; Kg1 8:66; Gen 24:60;

(3) to "invoke evil," in the sense of "cursing others." The idea is, that punishment or destruction is from God, and hence, it is "imprecated" on others. In one word, the term is used, as derived from the general sense of kneeling, in the sense of "invoking" either blessings or curses; and then in the general sense of blessing or cursing. This interpretation is defended by Selden, de jure Nat. et Gent. Lib. II. 100:11:p. 255, and by Gesenius, Lexicon. The idea here is, that Job apprehended that his sons, in the midst of mirth, and perhaps revelry, had been guilty of irreverence, and perhaps of reproaching God inwardly for the restraints of virtue and piety. What is more common in such scenes? What was more to be apprehended?

Thus did Job continually - It was his regular habit whenever such an occasion occurred. He was unremitted in his pious care; and his solicitude lest his sons should have sinned never ceased - a beautiful illustration of the appropriate feelings of a pious father in regard to his sons. The Hebrew is, "all day;" that is, at all times.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
When - When each of them had had his turn. Satisfied - He exhorted them to examine their own consciences, to repent of any thing, which had been amiss in their feasting, and compose their minds for employments of a more solemn nature. Early - Thereby shewing his ardent zeal in God's service. May be - His zeal for God's glory, and his true love to his children, made him jealous. Cursed - Not in a gross manner, which it is not probable either that they should do, or that Job should suspect it concerning them, but despised or dishonoured God; for both Hebrew and Greek words signifies cursing, are sometimes used to note only, reviling or setting light by a person. Hearts - By slight and low thoughts of God, or by neglecting to give God the praise for the mercies which they enjoyed. Thus - It was his constant course at the end of every feasting time, to offer a sacrifice for each. Parents should be particular in their addresses to God, for the several branches of their family; praying for each child, according to his particular temper, genius and disposition.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
When the days of their feasting were gone about - At the conclusion of the year, when the birthday of each had been celebrated, the pious father appears to have gathered them all together, that the whole family might hold a feast to the Lord, offering burnt-offerings in order to make an atonement for sins of all kinds, whether presumptuous or committed through ignorance. This we may consider as a general custom among the godly in those ancient times. And cursed God in their hearts - וברכו אלהים uberechu Elohim. In this book, according to most interpreters, the verb ברך barach signifies both to bless and to curse; and the noun אלהים Elohim signifies the true God, false gods, and great or mighty. The reason why Job offered the burnt-offerings appears to have been this: in a country where idolatry flourished, he thought it possible that his children might, in their festivity, have given way to idolatrous thoughts, or done something prescribed by idolatrous rites; and therefore the words may be rendered thus: It may be that my children have blessed the gods in their hearts. Others think that the word ברך barach should be understood as implying farewell, bidding adieu - lest my children have bidden adieu to God, that is, renounced him, and cast off his fear. To me this is very unlikely. Mr. Mason Good contends that the word should be understood in its regular and general sense, to bless; and that the conjunction ו vau should be translated nor. "Peradventure my sons may have sinned, nor blessed God in their hearts." This version he supports with great learning. I think the sense given above is more plain, and less embarrassed. They might have been guilty of some species of idolatry. This is possible even among those called Christians, in their banquets; witness their songs to Bacchus, Venus, etc., which are countless in number, and often sung by persons who would think themselves injured, not to be reputed Christians. Coverdale, in his translation, (1535), renders the passage thus: Peradventure my sonnes have done some offense, and have been unthankful to God in their hertes. Thus did Job continually - At the end of every year, when all the birthday festivals had gone round.

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¹ There was a man [0376] in the land [0776] of Uz [05780], whose name [08034] was Job [0347]; and that man [0376] was perfect [08535] and upright [03477], and one that feared [03373] God [0430], and eschewed [05493] evil [07451].

¹ Wine [03196] is a mocker [03887], strong drink [07941] is raging [01993]: and whosoever is deceived [07686] thereby is not wise [02449].

¹⁰ And Jacob [03290] blessed [01288] Pharaoh [06547], and went out [03318] from before [06440] Pharaoh [06547].

⁶⁰ And they blessed [01288] Rebekah [07259], and said [0559] unto her, Thou [0859] art our sister [0269], be thou [01961] the mother of thousands [0505] of millions [07233], and let thy seed [02233] possess [03423] the gate [08179] of those which hate [08130] them.

⁶⁶ On the eighth [08066] day [03117] he sent [07971] the people [05971] away [07971]: and they blessed [01288] the king [04428], and went [03212] unto their tents [0168] joyful [08056] and glad [02896] of heart [03820] for all the goodness [02896] that the LORD [03068] had done [06213] for David [01732] his servant [05650], and for Israel [03478] his people [05971].

¹⁰ And Jacob [03290] blessed [01288] Pharaoh [06547], and went out [03318] from before [06440] Pharaoh [06547].

²⁰ Then David [01732] returned [07725] to bless [01288] his household [01004]. And Michal [04324] the daughter [01323] of Saul [07586] came out [03318] to meet [07125] David [01732], and said [0559], How glorious [03513] was the king [04428] of Israel [03478] to day [03117], who uncovered [01540] himself to day [03117] in the eyes [05869] of the handmaids [0519] of his servants [05650], as one [0259] of the vain fellows [07386] shamelessly [01540] uncovereth [01540] himself!

⁷ And Joseph [03130] brought in [0935] Jacob [03290] his father [01], and set him [05975] before [06440] Pharaoh [06547]: and Jacob [03290] blessed [01288] Pharaoh [06547].

¹³ And Samuel [08050] came [0935] to Saul [07586]: and Saul [07586] said [0559] unto him, Blessed [01288] be thou of the LORD [03068]: I have performed [06965] the commandment [01697] of the LORD [03068].

¹⁰ And Jacob [03290] blessed [01288] Pharaoh [06547], and went out [03318] from before [06440] Pharaoh [06547].

³ And God [0410] Almighty [07706] bless [01288] thee, and make thee fruitful [06509], and multiply [07235] thee, that thou mayest be a multitude [06951] of people [05971];

⁸ The fowl [06833] of the air [08064], and the fish [01709] of the sea [03220], and whatsoever passeth through [05674] the paths [0734] of the seas [03220].

¹⁶ For the voice [06963] of him that reproacheth [02778] and blasphemeth [01442]; by reason [06440] of the enemy [0341] and avenger [05358].

²³ Whom hast thou reproached [02778] and blasphemed [01442]? and against whom hast thou exalted [07311] thy voice [06963], and lifted up [05375] thine eyes [05869] on high [04791]? even against the Holy One [06918] of Israel [03478].

⁶ And Isaiah [03470] said [0559] unto them, Thus shall ye say [0559] unto your master [0113], Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], Be not afraid [03372] of [06440] the words [01697] that thou hast heard [08085], wherewith the servants [05288] of the king [04428] of Assyria [0804] have blasphemed [01442] me.

²² Whom hast thou reproached [02778] and blasphemed [01442]? and against whom hast thou exalted [07311] thy voice [06963], and lifted up [05375] thine eyes [05869] on high [04791]? even against the Holy [06918] One of Israel [03478].

⁶ And Isaiah [03470] said [0559] unto them, Thus shall ye say [0559] to your master [0113], Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], Be not afraid [03372] of [06440] the words [01697] which thou hast heard [08085], with which the servants [05288] of the king [04428] of Assyria [0804] have blasphemed [01442] me.

⁹ Then said [0559] his wife [0802] unto him, Dost thou still retain [02388] thine integrity [08538]? curse [01288] God [0430], and die [04191].

¹³ And there came [0935] in two [08147] men [0582], children [01121] of Belial [01100], and sat [03427] before him: and the men [0582] of Belial [01100] witnessed [05749] against him, even against Naboth [05022], in the presence of the people [05971], saying [0559], Naboth [05022] did blaspheme [01288] God [0430] and the king [04428]. Then they carried him forth [03318] out [02351] of the city [05892], and stoned [05619] him with stones [068], that he died [04191].

¹⁰ And set [03427] two [08147] men [0582], sons [01121] of Belial [01100], before him, to bear witness [05749] against him, saying [0559], Thou didst blaspheme [01288] God [0430] and the king [04428]. And then carry him out [03318], and stone [05619] him, that he may die [04191].

⁹ Then said [0559] his wife [0802] unto him, Dost thou still retain [02388] thine integrity [08538]? curse [01288] God [0430], and die [04191].

¹³ And Abraham [085] lifted up [05375] his eyes [05869], and looked [07200], and behold behind [0310] him a ram [0352] caught [0270] in a thicket [05442] by his horns [07161]: and Abraham [085] went [03212] and took [03947] the ram [0352], and offered him up [05927] for a burnt offering [05930] in the stead [08478] of his son [01121].

¹⁸ Then Abram [087] removed his tent [0167], and came [0935] and dwelt [03427] in the plain [0436] of Mamre [04471], which is in Hebron [02275], and built [01129] there an altar [04196] unto the LORD [03068].

⁷ And the LORD [03068] appeared [07200] unto Abram [087], and said [0559], Unto thy seed [02233] will I give [05414] this [02063] land [0776]: and there builded [01129] he an altar [04196] unto the LORD [03068], who appeared [07200] unto him.
⁸ And he removed [06275] from thence unto a mountain [02022] on the east [06924] of Bethel [01008], and pitched [05186] his tent [0168], having Bethel [01008] on the west [03220], and Hai [05857] on the east [06924]: and there he builded [01129] an altar [04196] unto the LORD [03068], and called [07121] upon the name [08034] of the LORD [03068].

²⁰ And Noah [05146] builded [01129] an altar [04196] unto the LORD [03068]; and took [03947] of every clean [02889] beast [0929], and of every clean [02889] fowl [05775], and offered [05927] burnt offerings [05930] on the altar [04196].

¹¹ To what [04100] purpose is the multitude [07230] of your sacrifices [02077] unto me? saith [0559] the LORD [03068]: I am full [07646] of the burnt offerings [05930] of rams [0352], and the fat [02459] of fed beasts [04806]; and I delight [02654] not in the blood [01818] of bullocks [06499], or of lambs [03532], or of he goats [06260].

⁶ And they rose up early [07925] on the morrow [04283], and offered [05927] burnt offerings [05930], and brought [05066] peace offerings [08002]; and the people [05971] sat [03427] down to eat [0398] and to drink [08354], and rose up [06965] to play [06711].

³ And Abraham [085] rose up early [07925] in the morning [01242], and saddled [02280] his ass [02543], and took [03947] two [08147] of his young men [05288] with him, and Isaac [03327] his son [01121], and clave [01234] the wood [06086] for the burnt offering [05930], and rose up [06965], and went [03212] unto the place [04725] of which God [0430] had told [0559] him.

⁵ And he said [0559], Peaceably [07965]: I am come [0935] to sacrifice [02076] unto the LORD [03068]: sanctify [06942] yourselves, and come [0935] with me to the sacrifice [02077]. And he sanctified [06942] Jesse [03448] and his sons [01121], and called [07121] them to the sacrifice [02077].

¹⁰ And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Moses [04872], Go [03212] unto the people [05971], and sanctify [06942] them to day [03117] and to morrow [04279], and let them wash [03526] their clothes [08071],

¹ Woe [01945] to Ariel [0740], to Ariel [0740], the city [07151] where David [01732] dwelt [02583] ! add [05595] ye year [08141] to year [08141]; let them kill [05362] sacrifices [02282].