Job Chapter 42    

“take back what I said.” The Hebrew is maas (#03988 מָאַס), and it means to reject, refuse, despise. In this case, the verb has no object, so some translators think Job was rejecting himself or despising himself, but given the context it is much more likely that Job rejected what he said and took back his words. That certainly seems to be the case from the last half of the verse. Similar translations can be found in the HCSB, NAB, NASB, and NLT.

“accepted Job’s prayer.” The Hebrew reads, “accepted the face of Job,” which in this case and context is idiomatic for accepting his prayer.

“a ring of gold.” The custom was that rings were worn by women in the nose, or by both men and women in their ears. It was not usual for a common person to wear a ring on his or her finger.

“1,000 yoke.” A yoke consisted of two oxen, so Job had 2,000 oxen.

“seven sons and three daughters.” Job’s flocks and herds were doubled from what he had in chapter one (Job 1:3), but he had the same number of children that he had in chapter one (Job 1:2). His children will be doubled at the resurrection, when all 14 sons and six daughters will be raised.

“Jemimah.” “Dove.” Keziah means “cassia,” which was used as a perfume. “Keren-happuch” refers to a container for holding the black powder that women used to paint their eyes, and those containers were often made of animal horn. Some have suggested the translation, “horn of eye paint.”

“After this Job lived 140 years.” On its own, the grammar of the Hebrew text is unclear as to whether Job lived a total of 140 years, or whether he lived 140 years after his sickness, and the commentaries are divided or ambiguous about it. In any case, since Job lived after Noah’s Flood, which was the time when human lives were much shorter than they were before the Flood, if Job even lived for 140 years, that would have been a long and full life.

However, when we do the math, the numbers indicate that the 140 years refers to the span of Job’s natural life. According to Job 42:16, Job lived to see four generations after him, which would mean that he would see his great-great-grandchildren. In biblical times it was common for a girl to be married by 15, so she would be a grandmother at 32, and a great-grandmother at 48. So Job could have great-great-grandchildren some 64 years (or perhaps even a little less) after his tragic sickness. So if Job got sick in his early-to-mid seventies, which is very possible, he could see his great-great-grandchildren by age 140. On the other hand, if Job live 140 years after his sickness, he should have been alive to see six generations of children born even if none of the daughters gave birth until they were 20. So in 140 years under normal circumstances, Job would have seen his great-great-great-great grandchildren, two generations longer than the text says he was alive to see. So the evidence is that 140 years was the total lifespan of Job.