Job 23:11

I have followed closely in His tracks,

   Keeping His way without swerving.

 

My favorite part of this verse is swerving. None of my Christian sources used it, but every Jewish one did. My guess is that some guy in 1611 did not know the word swerve and impacted millions or billions by his ignorance. One of the characteristics I try to display is not having a foul mouth. Beyond the spiritual implications, I was always of the impression smart people could express themselves better without using bad words. I might be getting dumber as I age.

“Followed closely” was also “held fast”, “kept”, “held”, “followed” and even “closely followed”. Those sources that left out the closely part seemed to miss a major idea, in my opinion. “His tracks” was also “His steps”, “His footsteps”, and “His footprints”. None felt on target, but I do not know whatever word might be better. Hopefully, it does not negatively impact billions of people.

“Swerving” was also “turning aside” or “declining”. Somehow I think the alternatives do not impede the point. “Keeping His way” was a little tougher to decide on. My sources had:

* I have kept His way

* I have kept to His way

* His way I have kept

* Kept His way

* I held to His way

* His way I kept

The differences seem trivial, but it gave me pause.

I am reminded of my goal to go back through each of these to see where I changed the outcome based on my later review. I now wonder how I will accomplish this review for these that I am writing about right after I amalgamate. I wonder if the wait between the two adds value or if waiting to review that a long time will provide that same sense of freshness. Of course, if I keep this up, I will eventually catch up to where I am, and it will be the same anyway. (I am convinced these years later, that the gap produces value.)

I will restart my study of what did Jesus actually do again between now and next Monday. I have all my colored highlighters ready and my new book and what seems like an endless supply of pens. I have what may be an odd compulsion to buy colored pens and markers and highlighters to allow me the illusion of distinguishing among one thing or another. Similar to my departed friend’s drive to collect cars like my in every possible color, I recently noticed that my Hot Wheels Porsche 911 GT3 RS portion of my collection is by far the most colorful with nine different versions. I also found I had like eight of one color of one version of a 911 Hot Wheel that did not even say what model it was. I have the impression that was an over purchase of gift bag goodies for my youngest daughter’s birthday party one year.

I get the impression I am hopping from idea to idea and have exhausted my daily dose of brain power. In the end, this verse to me is about how Job tried to follow the call of God in his life, and while he was not perfect, he did the best that could be expected. I want that for me. I know I will never be perfect, but I want to follow the path before me as best I can and to keep returning to it when I found I have strayed. I want to end referencing one of my favorite Tow Mater phrases. I always know where I am going because I know where I have been.

(Written 2/9/23, Posted 10/7/26, Job 559/~1070)