Jan
24
Dead or Alive?
Filed Under Devotional
- Pray
- Read Job 8:1-10
“Ask the former generations and find out what their fathers learned” Job 8:8
- Observe
At first, I thought this was some sort of communication with the dead, but then i realized that Bildad was talking about the ‘preceding’ (still alive) and not the ‘former’ (no longer alive). I think the NIV translators failed to realize the implications of deadness in the English phrase ‘former generations’. Then again, maybe the Hebrew does imply the deadness, too. I think this is an important distinction. I do not want to falsely accuse Bildad of advising a seance with the dead.
- Do
Look up the Hebrew behind the phrase ‘former generations’ in Job 8:8.
- Share
My personal research showed the following:
‘former’ Strongs #8037 ri’son = before in time and/or higher in importance
no implication of deadness necessary depending on how much time is involved.