Meaning of blameless and upright as relates to Job

[junebugz]

I was hoping someone who has done some work with Job 1:8 and/or 2:3 could give me some or the meaning/literal interpretation of the description of Job. Being blameless and upright. Obviously, it does not/cannot mean sinless but what exactly does it mean?

Just curious.

 

[ischus]

The two words there are tam and yashar. Job is called blameless because of his character, not his actions. As you say, it does not mean sinless. Job himself admits that he has sinned. It could also mean that Job is innocent up to this point or in this matter, but as you know, he won't be so innocent as the story goes on.

The word for upright (yashar) is also used of Israel. In fact, God's special nickname for Isreal is Yeshurun--"upright one" (or beloved one) [Deut.32:15; 33:5; 33:36; Isa.44:2]. Israel was never sinless, and they rarely had a respectable behavior or character. Yet God called them His Yeshurun, his upright ones. This was because God didn't see them for who they were, but for who they could become through Him and because of Him. Some even consider the very name "Israel" (Yisra'el) to be a cognate of yashar.