Daniel Whedon 20. My friends scorn me מליצי רעי is almost invariably rendered, My scorners are my friends. But the word melits, in its root, signifies not only to “mock,” but “to speak in a foreign tongue,” (Gesenius,) whence the meaning of interpreter, intercessor, which is the rendering it bears in the other places where it occurs, (Genesis 42:23; 2 Chronicles 32:31 margin; Job 33:23, and Isaiah 43:27 margin;) also in the Targum peraklit, “advocate.” This leads Arnheim, Carey, and Prof. Lee to... read more
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Job 16:20
20. My friends scorn me מליצי רעי is almost invariably rendered, My scorners are my friends. But the word melits, in its root, signifies not only to “mock,” but “to speak in a foreign tongue,” (Gesenius,) whence the meaning of interpreter, intercessor, which is the rendering it bears in the other places where it occurs, (Genesis 42:23; 2 Chronicles 32:31 margin; Job 33:23, and Isaiah 43:27 margin;) also in the Targum peraklit, “advocate.” This leads Arnheim, Carey, and Prof. Lee to... read more