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Trans. thus, "For I know that my Goel lives, and (my) Vindicator will arise upon the earth." The Fathers, both Oriental, and Occidental, regarded this passage as a proof text, not only of the imortality of the soul, but also of the resurrection of the body. Some even saw in it a conclusive proof of the divinity of Christ. This view prevailed through the Middle Ages. But this interpretation is now generally rejected by critics and commentators, though it was at one time almost universal. Two views need to be considered.

I. JOB HOPED FOR RESTORATION IN THIS LIFE. This view has never been popular. Some scholars support it on the following grounds: —

1. The language requires such an interpretation.

2. Whatever there is in the passage which can be applied to a resurrection body, can also be referred with equal force to a restored body in this life.

3. If this passage refers to a future life, it is strange that this glorious doctrine is not more fully presented: Elihu passes it over in silence. Not a word is to be found regarding it in the sublime discourses of the Almighty.

4. The question of restoration to the favour of God in another existence is not even incidentally raised.

5. There is no force in the assertion often made that we cannot limit Job's expectation for deliverance to this life without lowering the evidence and power of his faith. This is mere rhetoric. Instead of his faith being lowered, it is enhanced.

6. It would have been more satisfactory to Job to have been delivered from the unjust charges laid against him, and to have been justified by the Almighty, who could not err, in the presence of his friends and acquaintances, on the very scene of the conflict here on earth.

7. Certainly this would have been of more advantage to Job's contemporaries, for whom the new revelation was intended.

8. The denouement, or final issue, favours this view.

II. JOB DID NOT EXPECT DELIVERANCE IN THIS LIFE, BIT IN A DISEMBODIED STATE, AFTER DEATH. The following arguments for this view have been adduced.

1. This is evident from the plain meaning of the text. The two clauses in ver, 26 are not antithetic, for the second has the same thought as the first, and must read, "And after my skin is thus destroyed, and without my flesh (body) I shall see God." After my skin, without my flesh, and dust, are parallelistic equivalents.

2. That Job did not expect deliverance in this life is also shown by his desire to have his protestations of innocency engraved on the rock forever.

3. That Job expected no restoration here on earth is clear from his own words in other portions of the book...After carefully weighing the arguments pro and con, we are forced to the conclusion that Job expected restoration in this life. This is the most natural interpretation. It also accords with the development of doctrine in the Old Testament, for it is an intermediate step between Mosaism and Christianity in regard to suffering and retribution in this life. And in accepting this view, no one is forced to the conclusion that Job had no hope or knowledge of immortality, but only that the future life is not referred to in this passage.

(W. W. Davis, Ph. D.)

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KJV: For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

WEB: But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth.