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Job 21-37 (Word Biblical Commentary)

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Though I by no means want to underscore some of the values of Clines proposals on the arrangement, I do want to point out the very unlikelihood of his presupposition. Clines thinks that 27:7-23 is in fact spoken by Sophar and that 28 is spoken by Elihu (32-37). Elihu's speech is thereupon transposed between 27 and 28. Accounting for such a great transposition he believes that a major mistake was made on a great Job-scroll, in analogy to the great Isaiah scroll. Counting the number of words in Job 1-27 and Job 32-37 and 28-31 and comparing them to the seams in the Isaiah scroll, the number of word in each column, he believes by accident Elihu's part was sawn after 28-31 to which it should have preceded. This Qumran scroll was thereupon taken by the Masoretes to compose our current book. First, we hardly have evidence that Masoretes depended so strongly on text that we have now found in Qumran and we have a lot of counterevidence instead. Second if the biblical scrolls in Qumran were adopted in the community, we should not forget the rivalry with the Jerusalem priestly class with its own temple text authority with regard to the handing down of text down to the ben Asher generation. Third and most of all, Job has been poorly preserved in Qumran. Is it more than a historical conjecture to suppose that once there was no such paucity, because there was a large scroll, that we now no longer possess?
I am confident that Clines' work on Job will serve pastors and exegetes, but I would be cautious to adopt some of his proposals

In 1989, the first volume of David Clines' commentary on the Book of Job was published, covering the first twenty chapters. In 2006, the second volume was released, covering the book through Chapter 37. This month, after some delay (on the publisher's part, according to the book's front matter) the third and final volume is released. And Job scholar's everywhere rejoiced!

Having taken two courses on the Book of Job (one as an undergrad at the University of Wisconsin and another as a grad student at Fuller), I came to appreciate David Clines as a thoughtful, engaging, and provocative scholar. That last adjective is the one I like best, particularly when dealing with Job - such a puzzling piece of ancient literature perfectly suited for deconstruction and philosophizing.

The commentary series' layout is not the most user-friendly, but it is thorough and readable. In each of the three volumes comprising this monster work, Clines engages deeply into the text of Job (analyzing words, phrases, language construction, etc.), the story of Job (the setting, the social and cultural norms, the plot and direction the book takes), but also the meaning of Job (historically, ethically, and philosophically).

This final volume, specifically, takes up the final portion of Job's story, beginning with Chapter 38 - "then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm..." Along with commentary on the closing chapters of Job, Clines has included emendations and additions to the previous volumes, along with a massive (almost 250 pages) bibliography, cataloguing what must be nearly all available work on the Book of Job.

Clines' reading of Job challenges the conventional notion that the Book helps readers understand the problem of evil, arguing instead that all the responses Job receives to his pleas - from his wife, from his friends, and from God - do not provide answers or reasons for suffering and pain. In closing, Clines suggests that the story of Job concludes existentially and post-theologically: Job is present with his restored life to live out his years having given up on his theological pursuits, resolving that "there is more to life than justice - more perhaps even than theology in general" (1242).

Disclosure of material connection in compliance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: I received a copy of this book for review, though the opinions I have expressed are my own.

I was NOT given a copy to review by the publisher; I am happy that I bought it. This study has been dear to me. I purchased Volume 1 several years ago and then Volume 2 in 2006. I have been anxiously waiting for Volume 3 as the entire story of Job builds to a climax in the final four chapters - without the finale we fail to understand the book.

I read the concluding arguments with interest and was very surprised at what seemed to be an evolution in Dr. Clines' theology that occurred between the initial volume published in 1989 and the final volume of November 2011. The "Argument" section of the introduction in Volume 1 (pg xxxvii) laid out the outline of how the Book of Job dealt with the doctrine of retribution. Here Clines looks forward to the narrator's epilogue in chapter 42 such that, "...the issues of the moral governance of the world and the doctrine of retribution are still on the agenda. What this concluding episode does for these issues is, surprisingly, to reinstate the dogma of retribution as the principle according to which the world operates." God calling Job's friends to account for their words and demanding a sacrifice under the threat of punishment is certainly retribution according to Clines in 1989. In light of this, Clines ends the "Argument" section with the claim that the Book of Job ultimately affirms the doctrine of retribution, "Even if in every instance it does not explain human fates, in the main it is affirmed by the Book of Job as the truth about the moral universe."

This changed. Clines' views expressed in Volume 3 contradict his statements of 22 years earlier. In writing the final volume Clines now rejects the doctrine of retribution, "What Yahweh can and does accept is that he does not govern the world according to the dictates of retributive justice." He goes on to state "...they (Jobs friends) in defending the doctrine of retribution, were advocates of a theology hostile to the divine designs." This is a huge shift in Clines' own understanding of what he claimed were the main arguments of the Book of Job in his initial volume. In fact, in the "Comments" section specifically dealing with verses 42:7-9, Clines never even mentions his initial view that God threatening Job's friends with punishment for their words as having anything to do with the arguments regarding retributive justice. It disappears. It is almost as if the conclusion being advocated is, "The only place for retributive justice is to punish those who affirm retributive justice." I am disappointed that the reasons for this evolution were not explored or addressed. I would have found them very interesting.

I am grateful to Dr. Clines for his tenacity and diligence in making all three volumes available. They have been a significant help to me in understanding the Word of God. Thank you.

Professor David Clines, Emeritus Professor of Biblical Studies at the University of Sheffield completes his massive commentary on Job with this tome. In the volume, Clines examines Job 38-42, Yahweh's response to Job and Job's replies. He brings his expertise in Hebrew literature to bear as he illuminates this last portion of text and the format of the Word Biblical Commentary series provides him the space to explore some difficult sections and deal with them thoroughly.

As with other volumes from the series, the text is divided into appropriate sections of study. Each section opens with a specific bibliography that is followed by the author's personal translation of the original language. Subsequent to the bibliography and translation, are two sections in which the author deals with specific textual notes and issues of form and structure. These can be a bit technical but it is great for experiencing the intricacies of the Hebrew text. After spending some time specifically with the language and writing style, Clines moves into the Comment section. Here is where you find the running verse-by-verse commentary on Job. Yet, to his credit, Clines does not immediately move into verse-by-verse but rather deals with the section in smaller subsections to help the reader see the movement of the passage. Finally, comes the Explanation section where Clines sums up the work he's been doing. If you find yourself pressed for time, this is a great place to start - you'll get the flow of what he's saying and it may alert you to things you'd like to go back and study further.

The sections Clines identifies here (in agreement with almost every other commentator on Job) are: 1) Yahweh's first speech, 2) Job's response, 3) Yahweh's second speech, 4) Job's response, 5) Epilogue. He argues (in his previous volume, Job 21-37, and mentioned in this volume) for a rearranged order of the speeches prior to this section. He argues that Elihu's speech in chapters 32-37 should originally came before Job's final speech in 29-31 (p. 1088), so that when the LORD asks "Who is this..." it is in reference to Job's demand for answers. Reading along as Clines analyzes the speech-response pattern of the book is delightful. One almost cannot help but be filled with greater reverence for our incredibly powerful and very personal God.

Fully the last half of this volume is an extensive bibliography of possibly every written work on the book of Job as well as specific items addressed within it. Clines analyzes literature from the patristic fathers all the way up to the 21st century. He also includes works on Job in music, dance and drama. It's an incredible list.

WBC is a technical commentary series and Clines certainly rises to those expectations. He does a great job of mining the riches of the language and presenting the gems of his work. He cites Biblical and extra-biblical literature in defense of his linguistic work. But he also does a nice job of (as my professor says) putting some of the cookies on the bottom shelf. It wouldn't be the first choice of commentary for a lay-person, but they would not come away from it empty-handed.

To say the least, The Word Biblical Commentary Series is an industry standard for Bible Commentaries. It has a long history of trusted scholarship and the series is a must have for the serious student of the Bible. This volume, Job 38-42 by David Clines is no exception. This volume wraps up his commentary on the book of Job and brings excellent scholarship to the final chapters in Job. What is impressive in this volume is the extensive bibliography (about 250 pages). This volume offers the author's translation of the text and verse by verse commentary with a running dialog with other voices on this subject. There are extensive critical notes on the Hebrew text for textual criticism as well as a number of helpful excurses on difficult obscure Hebrew terms.

This volume covers an incredible section of Scripture where the LORD responds to Job. Here the LORD answers Job out of the whirlwind and reminds Job of the splendor and majesty of the LORD. The response of Yahweh contains some of the most incredible descriptions of the works of God in all of the Scriptures. Cline offers insight into this section of Scripture that is helpful and makes a wonderful addition to a scholar's library.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book through the Booksneeze program for the purpose of reviewing.

Clines concludes his comprehensive work on Job with this volume. While the volume is large (it weighs in at slightly over 500 pages) for a commentary on five chapters of the Bible, there is much more than just commentary here. The first two hundred pages of the work focus on the Biblical text itself, providing a fresh translation as Clines works within the Hebrew text. The work, like most WBC volumes, is written in a way that scholars and pastors alike will gain benefit. There are portions that a lay level reader may struggle to grasp, but this is a necessary result from working from the original languages and using technical terms in some areas. Clines' commentary is strong, and reflects a knowledgeable and capable understanding of the scriptures. The final three hundred pages are study tools, including the usual scripture and author indexes. However, Clines does something interesting in that he includes a two hundred and fifty page Bibliography in which he lists just about everything ever written on the book of Job. The Bibliography in sorted in various ways, and includes a section sorted by subjects found within the book, which is particularly interesting. The works are listed without comment, but just the amount of resources listed is impressive.

I would give Clines' commentary 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the third volume in David J.A. Clines's monumental study of Job. The first volume came out in 1989, the second in 2006, and though the final volume was delivered to the publisher in 2008, it has finally seen the light of day here at the end of 2011. It consists of commentary on Job 38-42 (God's response to Job, and the epilogue) in the first half of the book, and an extensive bibliography takes up the second half.

The great strength of this commentary is its comprehensiveness. Perhaps no reader will agree with all of Clines's interpretive decisions, but he does a good job of laying out the possibilities before he settles on a solution. While some readers might wish that Clines would "get to the point" a bit sooner (I did feel this way on occasion), the helpful aspect is that he leaves no stone unturned. Rather than offering a conclusion without justification, he interacts with other opinions. I came away with a much deeper knowledge of these five chapters, and how they have been interpreted, than I had before.

Finally, a note about the format of the commentary. I've read several reviews of various volumes in the Word series that are critical of the format. For each passage (e.g, Job 38:1-40:2), there is a bibliography, the author's translation, textual notes, notes on the form/structure/setting, verse-by-verse comment, and a final summary explanation. While the format is idiosyncratic, I think it is not so bad once you get used to it. If you are uninterested, for example, in the textual notes, they are all collected together so you can feel free to skip that section. Even if you don't care for the format, this is still a commentary worth consulting.

Note: Thanks to Thomas Nelson for a review copy. I was not asked to give a positive review.

Word Biblical Commentary
By David Clines
Job38-42

Several years ago my roommate talked me into buying the New Testament Series of the Word Biblical Commentaries. I was a little hesitant at first, but finally submitted to his guidance. Since then I would have to say, that there has never been a time that I wasn't thankful for purchasing the series. At the time I only purchased the New Testament. Looking back upon it, I wish I would've purchased the Old Testament also. I look to these commentaries frequently when writing sermons, papers, and devotional purposes. I do not always agree with everything proposed within this series, but that should be accepted when there are a few hundred thousand pages written from different denominations and biblical perspectives. There are several things I appreciate about the series. First, every author attempts to offer every perspective of interpretation on different passages. In the end the author will give his perspective on the issue. The authors tend to be fair representing the differing positions and in offering critiques. Second, I love the frequency of use of the original languages. These commentaries are both scholastic and pastoral. The commentaries definitely lean toward the scholastic bend, but there is much to glean from their interpretation and application of the passages. I would highly recommend this series, including David Clines Job Commentary. You may not agree with everything, but your knowledge of scripture will definitely increase from this work.
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 480
Binding Type: Paperback
Book Grade: A+

~The Reformed Reader~

David J.A. Clines is considered to be a top-notch biblical scholar and after some 20+ years his commentary set on the book of Job has been concluded in the Word Biblical Commentary18b: Job 38-42. To give a review of Clines work after considering this concluding piece would be like watching the final half hour of The Lord of the Rings and offering up comments. Yet even a cursory overview can shed some light on the overall weight and direction of this work, as well as its usefulness.

I would venture to say this concluding commentary speaks to the most interesting material in the book of Job, save perhaps for the first chapter which sets up the sorry state in which Job lives through most of the book. Clines shows his scholarship in his translation from the Hebrew of the chapters, along with translation notes that rival and may even surpass those of the NET Bible.

Although Clines is a scholar and this work is very thorough (the bibliography for the three-volume set on Job takes up half the book), he does stray from commonly-accepted understandings of the overall meaning and purpose of the book. I would say his excellent analysis of the "trees" has caused him to miss the "forest". He summarizes the result of the discourse between God and Job this way:

"Job is neither triumphant nor defeated. The divine speeches have in the end neither satisfied nor humiliated him. It is almost as if Yahweh had not spoken from the tempest, for Job has chosen not to hear in the divine speeches the sunny side of the world's structure and management, and he has learned nothing except to have his worst fears confirmed that he will not get justice from God. No doubt he is better off knowing where he stands and having nothing left to hope for."

In the end, Clines argues that Job gives up his quest for an answer to suffering and evil and instead lives his life to the fullest. His conclusions miss the point, and goes to show that a scholarly work is definitely helpful for understanding, but is not our final authority on matters of faith and practice: Sola Scriptura!

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze book review program. I was not obligated to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are mine.

David J.A. Clines' commentary on Job 38-42 is a masterful work. This is his third volume on Job in the Word Biblical Commentary series and it is truly a wonderful resource. I had such a great time reading through this commentary. The notes are quite detailed and would be wonderfully helpful for someone working through the Hebrew text of Job. The commentary is readable, though technical. I appreciate that the work does not use transliteration for the Hebrew text. Transliteration of texts is one of my pet peeves when it comes to commentaries.

What I appreciate most about this commentary is that it is a useful tool. It provides a great starting place for further study of the text. Each section is full of bibliographical data pointing the way to other resources to read for more information. The commentary contains two extensive bibliographies: chapter bibliographies including supplements to the ones included in Volumes 1, 2, and 3 and then a general bibliography. I love that Thomas Nelson allowed Dr. Clines to include a Corrigenda to Volumes 1 and 2. I think that's and important addition, especially for places where the Hebrew text was not correct.

It is a true joy to add this volume to our library. It made me what to spend some time brushing up on my Hebrew and for a mommy on no sleep that's saying something :o).

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."