occurs but once in the Septuagint version, and that is Job 9:33, 'Neither is

there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both'.  The

margin of both A.V. and R.V. read 'or Umpire'.  The choice of this term by

the translators is not very clear, some authorities say that a 'Daysman'

refers to a legal adviser or pleader who appeared daily at the law courts in

the earlier days, and who would be engaged to arbitrate in any dispute.  The

Septuagint in their translation of the Hebrew of Job 9:33 appear to have

given a paraphrase 'ho mesites ... kai elengchon', recognizing that in the

Hebrew there is something more suggested than one who mediates, as an

examination of the original will reveal.  The following literal rendering of

the Hebrew of Job 9:33 has been offered: 'There is not between us a

reprover', which is endorsed by the translation of the LXX version which

reads, 'Would that there were (one to be) our mediator and reprover'.  The

word mesites here is evidently the rendering of the Hebrew 'between us',

while the 'reprover' is a recognition of the primary meaning of the word

translated 'daysman' in our version.  It is evident, we trust, that an

examination of the Hebrew word translated 'Mediator' or 'Daysman' is

incumbent upon all who would endeavour to understand all that is implied by

the New Testament term.

Yakach.  The primary meaning of this word is 'to make manifest, to show

plainly'.  Gesenius suggests that the word is allied with nekach 'over

against' (Exod. 26:35), where something of the thought of balance is

resident, and which is also implicit in the office of the Mediator or Umpire.

Something of the meaning of the 'Daysman' of Job 9:33 will be seen when

we observe that yakach is translated:

'Come now, and let us reason together' (Isa. 1:18).

'That they may judge betwixt us both' (Gen. 31:37).

The word occurs seventeen times in the book of Job itself, and it will

be helpful to have some of the passages with the different translations

before us.

'What doth your arguing reprove?' (Infinitive of the verb).

'What doth your arguing reprove?' (Future of the verb) (Job 6:25).

'Do ye imagine to reprove words' (Job 6:26).

'I desire to reason with God' (Job 13:3).

'He will surely reprove you' (Job 13:10).

'I will maintain mine own ways' (Job 13:15).

'O that one might plead for a man with God' (Job 16:21).

'There was none of you that convinced Job' (Job 32:12).

When at length Elihu broke the silence, he said to Job:

'Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed

out of the clay.  Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither

shall my hand be heavy upon thee' (Job. 33:6,7).

Elihu evidently refers to Job's plaint:

'For He is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him, and we should

come together in judgment.  Neither is there any daysman betwixt us,

that might lay his hand upon us both.  Let Him take His rod away from

me, and let not His fear terrify me' (Job 9:32-34).