Andrew R. Davis
Research Subjects
Research Interests
Andrew R. Davis has a total of 1 co-authors. Here are the top co-authors by number of shared publications:
- Tod Linafelt
Georgetown Univ, Washington, DC 20057 USA
1 shared publication
Latest Publications
- 1 January 2013
- Published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH in Vetus Testamentum
- Vol. 63 (4) , 627-639
Translating חנם in Job 1:9 and 2:3: On the Relationship between Job’s Piety and His Interiority
: The adverb חנם occurs twice (1:9 and 2:3) in the prose narrative of the book of Job. Despite their close proximity, there is a tendency among translators and commentators to interpret the two occurrences differently. Against the consensus that understands חנם in 1:9 as indicating ends (“for no reason”) and in 2:3 as indicating origins (“without cause”), we argue that one can and should interpret חנם in both cases to mean “without effect.” In our reading of 2:3, then, God is saying to the Adversary “You incited me against him, to destroy him with no effect,” that is, with no achieved purpose. The first round of testing has failed to solve the central question driving the opening narrative—namely, the motivation for Job’s piety—and so has been judged by God to have been חנם, thus making another round of testing necessary.
- 1 January 2013
- Published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH in Vetus Testamentum
- Vol. 63 (4) , 627-639
Translating חנם in Job 1:9 and 2:3: On the Relationship between Job’s Piety and His Interiority
: The adverb חנם occurs twice (1:9 and 2:3) in the prose narrative of the book of Job. Despite their close proximity, there is a tendency among translators and commentators to interpret the two occurrences differently. Against the consensus that understands חנם in 1:9 as indicating ends (“for no reason”) and in 2:3 as indicating origins (“without cause”), we argue that one can and should interpret חנם in both cases to mean “without effect.” In our reading of 2:3, then, God is saying to the Adversary “You incited me against him, to destroy him with no effect,” that is, with no achieved purpose. The first round of testing has failed to solve the central question driving the opening narrative—namely, the motivation for Job’s piety—and so has been judged by God to have been חנם, thus making another round of testing necessary.