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New American Standard Bible (1995)
Job 9:26
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They sweep by like boats made of papyrus,like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
They have passed away as the swift ships, As the eagle that swoops on the prey.
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.
They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey.
They glide past like paper boats. They attack like eagles swooping down to feed.
They glide by like reed boats, like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.
"They pass by like the [swift] boats made of reeds, Like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.
"They slip by like reed boats, Like an eagle that swoops on its prey.
They have passed away as the swift ships, As the eagle that swoops on the prey.
They are passed as wt the most swift ships, and as the eagle that flyeth to the pray.
They sweep by like reed boats,Like an eagle that swoops on its food.
They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
Each day passes swifter than a sailing ship or an eagle swooping down.
They skim by like skiffs built of reeds, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.
They go by as quickly as papyrus boats, as fast as an eagle swooping down on its prey.
They are passed away like ships of the enemy; like the eagle that swoops on the prey.
My life passes like the swiftest boat, as fast as an eagle swooping down on a rabbit.
They go by like papyrus skiffs, like an eagle swoops down on its prey.
they have passed away like the reed ships; as an eagle swoops on food.
They are passed awaye, as the shippes that be good vnder sale, and as the Aegle that haisteth to the pray.
They are passed away as the swift ships; As the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.
They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.
They are passed away as the swift ships; as the vulture that swoopeth on the prey.
They are passed away as the ships: as the Eagle that hasteth to the pray.
They are passed away as the shippes that be good vnder sayle, & as the eagle that fleeth to the pray.
Or again, is there a trace of their path left by ships? or is there one of the flying eagle as it seeks its prey?
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.
Thei passiden as schippis berynge applis, as an egle fleynge to mete.
They are passed away as the swift ships; As the eagle that swoops on the prey.
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle [that] hasteth to the prey.
They pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey.
It disappears like a swift papyrus boat, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
They go by like fast boats, like an eagle coming down to catch its food.
They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey.
They have passed away with boats of paper-reed, like a vulture which rusheth upon food.
They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey.
They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
swift ships: Heb. ships of desire, or, ships of Ebeh
as the eagle: Job 39:27-30, 2 Samuel 1:23, Proverbs 23:5, Jeremiah 4:13, Lamentations 4:19, Habakkuk 1:8
Reciprocal: Job 10:20 - my days few Job 14:2 - fleeth Job 17:11 - My days Job 39:29 - she Psalms 39:5 - Behold Psalms 89:47 - Remember Psalms 90:5 - Thou Isaiah 38:12 - have cut James 4:14 - a vapour
Cross-References
And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.
"Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as I gave the green plant.
and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that comes out of the ark, even every beast of the earth.
But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father's nakedness.
He also said, "Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.
But Isaac replied to Esau, "Behold, I have made him your master, and all his relatives I have given to him as servants; and with grain and new wine I have sustained him. Now as for you then, what can I do, my son?"
"By your sword you shall live, And your brother you shall serve; But it shall come about when you become restless, That you will break his yoke from your neck."
"There is none like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to your help, And through the skies in His majesty.
How blessed are the people who are so situated; How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord !
whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
They are passed away as the swift ships,.... Those that are lightest built, and run swiftest. Bar Tzemach thinks such vessels as are rowed with oars are meant, which may be called "ships of will or desire" b, as the words may be rendered, because they may be rowed at pleasure, and be carried to any place where and when a man thinks fit; whereas those that are not depend upon the wind, and that must be waited for; or they design such ships that are so swift in their motion, that they arrive to the haven as soon as men can well wish for and desire. Some render it "pirate ships", or "ships of enmity" c; such as are designed for spoil and plunder, and which are light ones, not loaded with goods, and therefore move swiftly: the Targum is,
"ships burdened with precious fruits;''
and the Vulgate Latin version is,
"ships carrying apples:''
now ships loaded with such sort of goods, with perishing commodities, are obliged to make their port as soon as possible. Some leave the word untranslated, and call them "ships of Ebeh" d; which, according to Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and others, is either the name of a place, or of a river in Arabia, which ran with a rapid stream, and in which ships were carried with great celerity. Bolducius relates from a traveller of his acquaintance, who finished his travels in 1584, that he saw such a river about Damascus, not far from the sepulchre of Job; but that must be the river Chrysorrhoas, now called Barrady; but there were two rivers of this name Ebeh; one near Cufa, and another in Wasith, a country of Babylon, as Golius observes e. Others take the word to have the signification of reed or papyrus, which grew on the banks of the Nile, and of which ships were made, :-; and render the words "ships of reeds" or "of papyrus" f, and which, being light, were very swift:
as the eagle [that] hasteth to the prey; the eagle is the swiftest of birds, and therefore persons and things exceeding swift are compared unto them, see Habakkuk 1:8; and it flies the most swiftly when being hungry, and in sight of its prey, and is nearest to it, and flaps upon it, which is the thing referred to, and so may be rendered, "that flies upon the prey" g. Job uses these metaphors, which are the most appropriate, to show how fleeting his days of prosperity were, and how soon gone: and a climax may be observed in the words; a runner, though he runs swiftly, a ship moves faster than he, and an eagle, just about to seize its prey, flies swifter than that.
b אניות אבה "navibus desiderii", Mercerus, Drusius, Schmidt; so Ben Gersom. c "Naves inimicitiarum, i.e. "piraticae, vel hostiles"; as some in Drusius; so Broughton. d "Navibus Ebeh", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Bolducius, Codurcus. e Lexic. Arab. p. 2. f "Naves arundinis", Michaelis, "navibus papyraceis", Schultens, Ikenius, in ib. g יטוש על אכל "involans in escam", Junius Tremellius "involat in escam", Piscator, Schultens.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
They are passed away as the swift ships - Margin, Ships of desire; or ships of Ebeh. Hebrew אבה אניה 'onı̂yâh 'êbeh. Vulgate, Naves poma portantes. Septuagint, “Is there any track left by ships in their passage?” The Chaldee renders it as the Vulgate, “Ships bearing good fruit;” that is, as such fruit was perishable, haste was required in order to reach the place of destination. Our translators were evidently perplexed by the word אבה 'êbeh, as appears by their placing two different phrases in the margin. “Ships of desire,” denotes the value or desirableness of such ships; and the phrase, “Ships of Ebeh,” denotes their confession of ignorance as to the meaning of the word. Gesenius explains the word to mean reed, bulrush, or papyrus - from an Arabic use of the word, and supposes that the reference is to the light vessels made of the papyrus, which were used on the Nile; see the note at Isaiah 18:2. Such vessels would be distinguished for the ease with which they might be rowed, and the rapidity of their motion. Chardin supposes that the reference is to vessels that were made to go on the Euphrates or the Tigris, and that were borne along with the rapid current. The supposition of an allusion to any boat or vessel under full sail, will be in accordance with the language here, though the probability is, that the reference is to the light vessels, made of reeds, that might be propelled with so much fleetness. Sails were frequently used, also, for such vessels.
As the eagle that hasteth to the prey - A striking emblem of rapidity. Few things can be more rapid than the motion of the eagle, as he darts upon his victim.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 9:26. As the swift ships — אניות אבה oniyoth ebeh. Ships of desire, or ships of Ebeh, says our margin; perhaps more correctly, inflated ships, the sails bellying out with a fair brisk wind, tide favourable, and the vessels themselves lightly freighted.
The Vulgate has, Like ships freighted with apples. Ships laden with the best fruits. - TARGUM. Ships well adapted for sailing. - ARABIC. Shipes that be good under sale. - COVERDALE. Probably this relates to the light fast-sailing ships on the Nile, which were made of reeds or papyrus.
Perhaps the idea to be seized is not so much the swiftness of the passage, as their leaving no trace or track behind them. But instead of אבה ebeh, איבה eybah, hostile ships or the ships of enemies, is the reading of forty-seven of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and of the Syriac version. If this be the true reading what is its sense? My days are gone off like the light vessels of the pirates, having stripped me of my property, and carried all irrecoverably away, under the strongest press of sail, that they may effect their escape, and secure their booty.
The next words, As the eagle that hasteth to the prey, seem at least to countenance, if not confirm, the above reading: the idea of robbery and spoil, prompt attack and sudden retreat, is preserved in both images.
