but Christ can fill. It will help us here if we can settle a question of right translation, for the margin reads (verse 26)

instead of `after my skin', `after I shall awake'.  The R.V. ignores this alternative, and so do nearly all

commentators. We believe nevertheless that the margin of the A.V. contains the true record of the words of Job, and

although it may seem a little like presumption on our part to express a very definite opinion, in view of the silence of

so many scholars since the A.V. was first presented, we believe we have discovered a way of demonstrating its truth

that will appeal to all readers. The words `my skin' are treated in the A.V. margin as though they were a part of the

verb `to awake' and both of these words are expressed by the same letters in the Hebrew, ayin, vav and resh, written

in English ur. Unaided reason fails to provide a solution, but a conviction that all Scripture is inspired led us to

collect every occurrence of the verb `to awake' in Job. The first occurrence of this verb is Job 3:8, where we read:

`Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning'.

The margin of the A.V. and the text of the R.V. read here instead of `their mourning' the word `leviathan'. Barnes

believes that here is a reference to necromancy and the calling up of fierce monsters `from the vast deep'. It is not

our present concern to explore this problem, but only to register the joy of having made a definite start for the last

reference to `awake' completes the correspondence, where again `leviathan' appears:

`None dare raise him (leviathan) up' (Job 41:10).

The complete arrangement of the occurrences in Job of ur `to awake' or `to raise' are here presented. It will be seen

that the passage in 14:12-14 demands its corresponding member, which is none other than the disputed passage in

Job 19.

A 3:8.

Raise up leviathan.

B 8:6.

Bildad's challenge.

C 14:12-14.

`So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor

be RAISED out of their sleep ... all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change

D 17:8.

The innocent raised up against the

C 19:26,27.

`After I shall AWAKE, though this body be destroyed, yet out of my flesh shall l see God'.

B 31:29.

Job's answer.

None dare raise him (leviathan) up.

A 41:10.

The LXX appears to have attempted some sort of compromise. It certainly endorses the idea of `raising up' for it

uses the Greek word anastesai but it adds the word derma `skin' (19:26). The Alexandrian version supplies the

word soma `body' and omits derma `skin'. We are therefore confident that the true rendering of Job 19:26 is `after I

shall awake, though this body be destroyed'. Having settled this point, let us now look at verse 23. Job was

evidently impressed by what he was about to say, which is of the most fundamental character, hence the words with

which he prefaced his references to the Redeemer and Resurrection:

`Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron

pen and lead in the rock for ever!' (Job 19:23,24).

Whatever was the palaeography and epigraphy in the days of Job, or his usage of the terms printing and book,

one thing is clear from his impassioned exclamations, writing and books, and stone memorials with incised

lead-filled letters were well known to him; and when mentioned by Moses and Joshua are shown to have been of

common usage long before their days. The word translated `Redeemer' is the Hebrew gaal, which in some verbal

forms becomes goel, the word usually employed to indicate the Hebrew `Kinsman-Redeemer'.

The principle duties of a goel or `Kinsman-Redeemer', were:

(1) To recover property alienated or forfeit, by sale or mortgage (Lev. 25:25).