Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Job 1-3

Job
1.1 & 1.8 & 2.3 
blameless
      תָּם (tām) perfect.
the verb’s fundamental idea of completeness
tāmam moves naturally toward that which is ethically sound, upright (Ps 19:13 [H 14]). The “perfect” (tāmîm) decision, as made by lots, is the correct one (I Sam 14:41). As made by men, it is the right one (Jud 9:16, 19). Asaph praised the completeness (tōm) or integrity of King David’s heart (Ps 78:72). tāmam is used with the commandments of God meaning to fulfill them (Josh 4:10). The AV translates Job 22:3, “if you make your ways perfect.”
---Harris, R. L., Harris, R. L., Archer, G. L., & Waltke, B. K. (1999). Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed.) (974). Chicago: Moody Press.
and upright
1. Literally. “To go straight or direct in the way” (I Sam 6:12),
2. Ethically. Uprightness as the manner of life is a characteristic of the blameless (Prov 11:5) and of the man of discernment (Ps 119:128, “I have lived uprightly”). 
This definition of upright, "to go straight" is especially interesting in comparison to what "straight" means in today's culture when referring to people's behavior.
I used to think that their were four descriptions of Job, but today I am not so sure that we don't have just two (If you see the first two and last two as descriptions of the same things.
feared God and shunned evil.  The first causes the second.

2.3  incited Me against him to destroy him without cause.  Now this has set me to thinking.
3.25  It is curious to me that he seems to have had a premenition or concern that this would happen.