Job 26 | TNotes

26:2 ^a Job’s friends had not helped him (12:2 ^b; 16:4 ^c). Bildad’s denial that acquittal was possible hit Job’s most sensitive nerve (10:1-7 ^d; 13:3 ^e, 13-19 ^f; 16:18-21 ^g; 19:23-27 ^h; 23:2-7 ⁱ).
26:4 ^j Eliphaz (4:15 ^k), Zophar (20:3 ^l), and Elihu (32:18 ^m; 33:4 ⁿ) all claimed to be prompted by the proper spirit (see Jer 29:8-9 ^o; 1 Cor 12:10 ^p; 1 Jn 4:1 ^q).
Summary for Job 26:5-6: 26:5-6 ^r The underworld (Hebrew Sheol), the abode of all the dead, is located beneath the waters of the sea.

• The place of destruction (Hebrew Abaddon) existed specifically for the wicked.
26:7 ^s The Hebrew tsapon (“north,” Gen 13:14 ^t) sometimes refers to the northern mountain of the Canaanite gods (the Canaanite equivalent of Olympus); here the NLT understands it to refer to the sky, stretched out over empty space (see Gen 1:6-8 ^u; Ps 104:2-3 ^v; Isa 40:22-23 ^w).
26:10 ^x created the horizon: See Gen 1:6-10 ^y; Ps 104:6-9 ^z; Prov 8:29 ^aa.
26:11 ^ab Mountains at the edge of the horizon might be the foundations (or “pillars,” Judg 16:25-26 ^ac) of heaven or the earth (Job 9:6 ^ad). They were thought to reach from below the waters of the sea (Jon 2:6 ^ae) and up to the clouds to support the vaults of heaven.
26:12 ^af the sea grew calm (cp. Exod 14:21 ^ag; Mark 4:39 ^ah): Or the sea was stirred up (cp. Isa 51:15 ^ai; Jer 31:35 ^aj). In either interpretation, God performed a miracle on behalf of his people.

• crushed the great sea monster: God’s dominance over the sea demythologized popular beliefs about the sea’s divinity. See also Pss 74:13-14 ^ak; 89:9-10 ^al; Isa 27:1 ^am; 51:9-10 ^an.
26:13 ^ao His Spirit (or wind): God’s authority clears the skies after a storm (26:12 ^ap).

• The gliding serpent corresponds to Yam and Rahab (see study note on 7:12); it provides background for the image of Satan as a dragon (Isa 27:1 ^aq; also Ps 74:13-14 ^ar; see Gen 3:15 ^as; Rom 16:20 ^at; Rev 12:9 ^au; 20:2 ^av).