Job 37:21

THE EVIDENCE OF PAGAN MYTHOLOGY IN ELIHU'S SPEECH

"And now men see not the light which is bright in the skies;

But the wind passeth and cleareth them.

Out of the north cometh golden splendor:

God hath upon him terrible majesty.

Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out:

He is excellent in power;

And in justice and plenteous righteousness, he will not afflict.

Men do therefore fear him:

He regardeth not any that are wise of heart."

"This conclusion of Elihu's speech is exceedingly obscure and ambiguous ... We cannot discern with any certainty allusions to certain remarkable observations or theories of natural phenomena."[13]

This is the paragraph which in all probability exposes Elihu's speech as having elements of pagan mythology in it.

"Out of the north cometh golden splendor" (Job 37:22). The sun does not rise out of the north; and this verse has puzzled translators for centuries; but Pope has this: "With the recovery of the Ugaritic mythological texts, we are now in a better position to understand this. A major motif of the Baal cycle of myths is the building of a splendiferous place of gold, silver and lapis lazuli on the height of mount Zaphon. The golden splendor mentioned in this verse, ... suggesting the glory of the lightning that comes from the mythical golden palace of the storm god on Mount Zaphon.[14] This mythological `Mount Zaphon' was supposed to be located in the far north; and Pope rendered Job 37:22 thus:

"From Zaphon comes gold; Around God is awful majesty."

C. F. Keil confirmed that the word "golden" in this verse is literally gold,[15] thus supporting in that particular Pope's rendition.

This writer does not presume to accept Pope's translation here; but if true, it is fully in keeping with our low estimate of the value of Elihu's speeches.