Job 36:11

If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

Word-by-Word Analysis

אִֽם

H518

used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not

יִשְׁמְע֗וּ

H8085

If they obey

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

וְֽיַ֫עֲבֹ֥דוּ

H5647

and serve

to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc

יְכַלּ֣וּ

H3615

him they shall spend

to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitive (to complete, prepare, consume)

יְמֵיהֶ֣ם

H3117

their days

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

בַּטּ֑וֹב

H2896

in prosperity

good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good

וּ֝שְׁנֵיהֶ֗ם

H8141

and their years

a year (as a revolution of time)

בַּנְּעִימִֽים׃

H5273

in pleasures

delightful (objective or subjective, literal or figurative)

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

How does the salvation theme in this verse connect to the overarching narrative of Scripture, and what does this reveal about God's character and purposes?
How does this passage contribute to our understanding of from physical deliverance in the Old Testament to spiritual redemption in the New, and what implications does this have for Christian discipleship?
What systematic theological implications arise from this verse's treatment of salvation, and how does it contribute to a biblical theology of soteriology and the doctrine of salvation?