Tafsiran yang Mengutip untuk Ayub 29:16

A Midrashic approach to the words שופטים ושוטרים, based on Tanchuma Shoftim 2. The judges and enforcers needed each other. Law enforcement (policemen) without judges is a non-starter, whereas “justice” i.e. a judicial system without an apparatus to enforce such decisions is a mockery. If the people during the time of King David had not feared the authority of Yoav his commander-in-chief, David could not have dispensed justice. This is why the prophet (Samuel II 8, 15-16) describes the system in these words: “David would mete out justice and righteousness to his whole people while Yoav, son of Tzeruyah, was in charge of the army.” David and Yoav acted in tandem. Anyone who did not accept the judgment handed down by David would be handed over to Yoav. The judgment would then be enforced. We have a verse in Job 29, 16-17 in which Job describes his function during his days of prominence, saying: “I was a father to the needy, and I looked into the case of the stranger. I broke the jaws of the wrongdoer, and I wrested prey from his teeth.” Job meant that even prey which had already been consumed by the robber who had been sentenced to make restitution he would try and recover.
The power of justice is great seeing that as long as men sit in judgment judging crime G’d (the attribute of Justice) does not bother to sit alongside of them but judges them by means of the attribute of Mercy. Should the system of justice on earth become corrupt, the attribute of Justice will judge mankind instead. We find an allusion to this in Psalms (Midrash Tehillim 62) ‘when justice is not practiced on earth it will be practiced in heaven;’ when it is not practiced on earth G’d will have to exercise His “vocation” of being a Judge. When man enacts Justice G’d is relieved of this duty. In appreciation of being relieved of this task G’d judges mankind with the attribute of Mercy. This is the deeper meaning of Leviticus 26,3: “if you will walk in My statutes....I will give your rain at its appropriate time.”

A Midrashic approach to the words שופטים ושוטרים, based on Tanchuma Shoftim 2. The judges and enforcers needed each other. Law enforcement (policemen) without judges is a non-starter, whereas “justice” i.e. a judicial system without an apparatus to enforce such decisions is a mockery. If the people during the time of King David had not feared the authority of Yoav his commander-in-chief, David could not have dispensed justice. This is why the prophet (Samuel II 8, 15-16) describes the system in these words: “David would mete out justice and righteousness to his whole people while Yoav, son of Tzeruyah, was in charge of the army.” David and Yoav acted in tandem. Anyone who did not accept the judgment handed down by David would be handed over to Yoav. The judgment would then be enforced. We have a verse in Job 29, 16-17 in which Job describes his function during his days of prominence, saying: “I was a father to the needy, and I looked into the case of the stranger. I broke the jaws of the wrongdoer, and I wrested prey from his teeth.” Job meant that even prey which had already been consumed by the robber who had been sentenced to make restitution he would try and recover.
The power of justice is great seeing that as long as men sit in judgment judging crime G’d (the attribute of Justice) does not bother to sit alongside of them but judges them by means of the attribute of Mercy. Should the system of justice on earth become corrupt, the attribute of Justice will judge mankind instead. We find an allusion to this in Psalms (Midrash Tehillim 62) ‘when justice is not practiced on earth it will be practiced in heaven;’ when it is not practiced on earth G’d will have to exercise His “vocation” of being a Judge. When man enacts Justice G’d is relieved of this duty. In appreciation of being relieved of this task G’d judges mankind with the attribute of Mercy. This is the deeper meaning of Leviticus 26,3: “if you will walk in My statutes....I will give your rain at its appropriate time.”