1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
1 Moreover Job H347 continued H3254 H5375 his parable, H4912 and said, H559
2 Oh that H5414 I were as in months H3391 past, H6924 as in the days H3117 when God H433 preserved H8104 me;
3 When his candle H5216 shined H1984 upon my head, H7218 and when by his light H216 I walked H3212 through darkness; H2822
4 As I was in the days H3117 of my youth, H2779 when the secret H5475 of God H433 was upon my tabernacle; H168
5 When the Almighty H7706 was yet with me, when my children H5288 were about H5439 me;
6 When I washed H7364 my steps H1978 with butter, H2529 and the rock H6697 poured me out H6694 rivers H6388 of oil; H8081
7 When I went out H3318 to the gate H8179 through the city, H7176 when I prepared H3559 my seat H4186 in the street! H7339
8 The young men H5288 saw H7200 me, and hid H2244 themselves: and the aged H3453 arose, H6965 and stood up. H5975
9 The princes H8269 refrained H6113 talking, H4405 and laid H7760 their hand H3709 on their mouth. H6310
10 The nobles H5057 held H2244 their peace, H6963 and their tongue H3956 cleaved H1692 to the roof of their mouth. H2441
11 When the ear H241 heard H8085 me, then it blessed H833 me; and when the eye H5869 saw H7200 me, it gave witness H5749 to me:
12 Because I delivered H4422 the poor H6041 that cried, H7768 and the fatherless, H3490 and him that had none to help H5826 him.
13 The blessing H1293 of him that was ready to perish H6 came H935 upon me: and I caused the widow's H490 heart H3820 to sing for joy. H7442
14 I put H3847 on righteousness, H6664 and it clothed H3847 me: my judgment H4941 was as a robe H4598 and a diadem. H6797
15 I was eyes H5869 to the blind, H5787 and feet H7272 was I to the lame. H6455
16 I was a father H1 to the poor: H34 and the cause H7379 which I knew H3045 not I searched out. H2713
17 And I brake H7665 the jaws H4973 of the wicked, H5767 and plucked H7993 the spoil H2964 out of his teeth. H8127
18 Then I said, H559 I shall die H1478 in my nest, H7064 and I shall multiply H7235 my days H3117 as the sand. H2344
19 My root H8328 was spread out H6605 by the waters, H4325 and the dew H2919 lay all night H3885 upon my branch. H7105
20 My glory H3519 was fresh H2319 in me, H5978 and my bow H7198 was renewed H2498 in my hand. H3027
21 Unto me men gave ear, H8085 and waited, H3176 and kept silence H1826 at H3926 my counsel. H6098
22 After H310 my words H1697 they spake not again; H8138 and my speech H4405 dropped H5197 upon them.
23 And they waited H3176 for me as for the rain; H4306 and they opened H6473 their mouth H6310 wide as for the latter rain. H4456
24 If I laughed H7832 on them, they believed H539 it not; and the light H216 of my countenance H6440 they cast not down. H5307
25 I chose H977 out their way, H1870 and sat H3427 chief, H7218 and dwelt H7931 as a king H4428 in the army, H1416 as one that comforteth H5162 the mourners. H57
1 And Job again took up his parable, and said,
2 Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me;
3 When his lamp shined upon my head, And by his light I walked through darkness;
4 As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was upon my tent;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were about me;
6 When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured me out streams of oil!
7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city, When I prepared my seat in the street,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged rose up and stood;
9 The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth;
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11 For when the ear heard `me', then it blessed me; And when the eye saw `me', it gave witness unto me:
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, The fatherless also, that had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
17 And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand:
19 My root is spread out to the waters, And the dew lieth all night upon my branch;
20 My glory is fresh in me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled upon them.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; And they opened their mouth wide `as' for the latter rain.
24 I smiled on them, when they had no confidence; And the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25 I chose out their way, and sat `as' chief, And dwelt as a king in the army, As one that comforteth the mourners.
1 And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: --
2 Who doth make me as `in' months past, As `in' the days of God's preserving me?
3 In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk `through' darkness.
4 As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.
5 When yet the Mighty One `is' with me. Round about me -- my young ones,
6 When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock `is' with me rivulets of oil.
7 When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.
8 Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen -- they stood up.
9 Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.
10 The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.
11 For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth `to' me.
12 For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.
13 The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.
14 Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.
15 Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame `am' I.
16 A father I `am' to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
17 And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
18 And I say, `With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'
19 My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.
20 My honour `is' fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.
21 To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
22 After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,
23 And they wait as `for' rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide `As' for the latter rain.
24 I laugh unto them -- they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.
25 I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.
1 And Job continued his parable and said,
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when +God preserved me;
3 When his lamp shone over my head, [and] by his light I walked through darkness;
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret counsel of +God was over my tent,
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, my young men round about me;
6 When my steps were bathed in milk, and the rock poured out beside me rivers of oil! ...
7 When I went out to the gate by the city, when I prepared my seat on the broadway,
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged arose [and] stood up;
9 Princes refrained from talking, and laid the hand on their mouth;
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
11 When the ear heard [me], then it blessed me, and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me;
12 For I delivered the afflicted that cried, and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 The blessing of him that was perishing came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was as a mantle and a turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame;
16 I was a father to the needy, and the cause which I knew not I searched out;
17 And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
18 And I said, I shall die in my nest, and multiply my days as the sand;
19 My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew will lie all night on my branch;
20 My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow be renewed in my hand.
21 Unto me they listened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel:
22 After my words they spoke not again, and my speech dropped upon them;
23 And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 [If] I laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and they troubled not the serenity of my countenance.
25 I chose their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth mourners.
1 Job again took up his parable, and said,
2 "Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me;
3 When his lamp shone on my head, And by his light I walked through darkness;
4 As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was in my tent;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me;
6 When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured out streams of oil for me!
7 When I went forth to the city gate, When I prepared my seat in the street,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, The aged rose up and stood;
9 The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth;
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it commended me:
12 Because I delivered the poor who cried, And the fatherless also, who had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind, And feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I didn't know, I searched out.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, 'I shall die in my own house, I shall number my days as the sand.
19 My root is spread out to the waters, The dew lies all night on my branch;
20 My glory is fresh in me, My bow is renewed in my hand.'
21 "Men listened to me, waited, And kept silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they didn't speak again; My speech fell on them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn't reject the light of my face.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, As one who comforts the mourners.
1 And Job again took up the word and said,
2 If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!
3 When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.
4 As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;
5 While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;
6 When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.
7 When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,
8 The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;
9 The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;
10 The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.
11 For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;
12 For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.
13 The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.
14 I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.
16 I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.
17 By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.
18 Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;
19 My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,
20 My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.
21 Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.
22 After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;
23 They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.
24 I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.
25 I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 29
Commentary on Job 29 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 29
Job 29:1-25.
1. Job pauses for a reply. None being made, he proceeds to illustrate the mysteriousness of God's dealings, as set forth (Job 28:1-28) by his own case.
2. preserved me—from calamity.
3. candle—when His favor shone on me (see on Job 18:6 and Ps 18:28).
darkness—By His safeguard I passed secure through dangers. Perhaps alluding to the lights carried before caravans in nightly travels through deserts [Noyes].
4. youth—literally, "autumn"; the time of the ripe fruits of my prosperity. Applied to youth, as the Orientalists began their year with autumn, the most temperate season in the East.
secret—when the intimate friendship of God rested on my tent (Pr 3:32; Ps 31:20; Ge 18:17; Joh 15:15). The Hebrew often means a divan for deliberation.
6. butter—rather, "cream," literally, "thick milk." Wherever I turned my steps, the richest milk and oil flowed in to me abundantly. Image from pastoral life.
When I washed my steps—Literal washing of the feet in milk is not meant, as the second clause shows; Margin, "with me," that is, "near" my path, wherever I walked (De 32:13). Olives amidst rocks yield the best oil. Oil in the East is used for food, light, anointing, and medicine.
7-10. The great influence Job had over young and old, and noblemen.
through … street!—rather, When I went out of my house, in the country (see Job 1:1, prologue) to the gate (ascending), up to the city (which was on elevated ground), and when I prepared my (judicial) seat in the market place. The market place was the place of judgment, at the gate or propylæa of the city, such as is found in the remains of Nineveh and Persepolis (Isa 59:14; Ps 55:11; 127:5).
8. hid—not literally; rather, "stepped backwards," reverentially. The aged, who were already seated, arose and remained standing (Hebrew) until Job seated himself. Oriental manners.
9. (Job 4:2; see on Job 21:5).
Refrained talking—stopped in the middle of their speech.
10. Margin, "voice—hid," that is, "hushed" (Eze 3:26).
Tongue cleaved, &c.—that is, awed by my presence, the emirs or sheiks were silent.
11. blessed—extolled my virtues (Pr 31:28). Omit "me" after "heard"; whoever heard of me (in general, not in the market place, Job 29:7-10) praised me.
gave witness—to my honorable character. Image from a court of justice (Lu 4:22).
the eye—that is, "face to face"; antithesis to
ear—that is, report of me.
12-17. The grounds on which Job was praised (Job 29:11), his helping the afflicted (Ps 72:12) who cried to him for help, as a judge, or as one possessed of means of charity. Translate: "The fatherless who had none to help him."
13. So far was I from sending "widows" away empty (Job 22:9).
ready to perish—(Pr 31:6).
14. (Isa 61:10; 1Ch 12:18).
judgment—justice.
diadem—tiara. Rather, "turban," "head-dress." It and the full flowing outer mantle or "robe," are the prominent characteristics of an Oriental grandee's or high priest's dress (Zec 3:5). So Job's righteousness especially characterized him.
15. Literally, "the blind" (De 27:18); "lame" (2Sa 9:13); figuratively, also the spiritual support which the more enlightened gives to those less so (Job 4:3; Heb 12:13; Nu 10:31).
16. So far was I from "breaking the arms of the fatherless," as Eliphaz asserts (Job 22:9), I was a "father" to such.
the cause which I knew not—rather, "of him whom I knew not," the stranger (Pr 29:7 [Umbreit]; contrast Lu 18:1, &c.). Applicable to almsgiving (Ps 41:1); but here primarily, judicial conscientiousness (Job 31:13).
17. Image from combating with wild beasts (Job 4:11; Ps 3:7). So compassionate was Job to the oppressed, so terrible to the oppressor!
jaws—Job broke his power, so that he could do no more hurt, and tore from him the spoil, which he had torn from others.
18. I said—in my heart (Ps 30:6).
in—rather, "with my nest"; as the second clause refers to long life. Instead of my family dying before me, as now, I shall live so long as to die with them: proverbial for long life. Job did realize his hope (Job 42:16). However, in the bosom of my family, gives a good sense (Nu 24:21; Ob 4). Use "nest" for a secure dwelling.
sand—(Ge 22:17; Hab 1:9). But the Septuagint and Vulgate, and Jewish interpreters, favor the translation, "the phœnix bird." "Nest" in the parallel clause supports the reference to a bird. "Sand" for multitude, applies to men, rather than to years. The myth was, that the phœnix sprang from a nest of myrrh, made by his father before death, and that he then came from Arabia (Job's country) to Heliopolis (the city of the Sun) in Egypt, once in every five hundred years, and there burnt his father [Herodotus, 2:73]. Modern research has shown that this was the Egyptian mode of representing hieroglyphically a particular chronological era or cycle. The death and revival every five hundred years, and the reference to the sun, implies such a grand cycle commencing afresh from the same point in relation to the sun from which the previous one started. Job probably refers to this.
19. Literally, "opened to the waters." Opposed to Job 18:16. Vigorous health.
20. My renown, like my bodily health, was continually fresh.
bow—Metaphor from war, for, my strength, which gains me "renown," was ever renewed (Jer 49:35).
21. Job reverts with peculiar pleasure to his former dignity in assemblies (Job 29:7-10).
22. not again—did not contradict me.
dropped—affected their minds, as the genial rain does the soil on which it gently drops (Am 7:16; De 32:2; So 4:11).
23. Image of Job 29:22 continued. They waited for my salutary counsel, as the dry soil does for the refreshing rain.
opened … mouth—panted for; Oriental image (Ps 119:131). The "early rain" is in autumn and onwards, while the seed is being sown. The "latter rain" is in March, and brings forward the harvest, which ripens in May or June. Between the early and latter rains, some rain falls, but not in such quantities as those rains. Between March and October no rain falls (De 11:14; Jas 5:7).
24. When I relaxed from my wonted gravity (a virtue much esteemed in the East) and smiled, they could hardly credit it; and yet, notwithstanding my condescension, they did not cast aside reverence for my gravity. But the parallelism is better in Umbreit's translation, "I smiled kindly on those who trusted not," that is, in times of danger I cheered those in despondency. And they could not cast down (by their despondency) my serenity of countenance (flowing from trust in God) (Pr 16:15; Ps 104:15). The opposite phrase (Ge 4:5, 6). "Gravity" cannot well be meant by "light of countenance."
25. I chose out their way—that is, I willingly went up to their assembly (from my country residence, Job 29:7).
in the army—as a king supreme in the midst of his army.
comforteth the mourners—Here again Job unconsciously foreshadows Jesus Christ (Isa 61:2, 3). Job's afflictions, as those of Jesus Christ, were fitting him for the office hereafter (Isa 50:4; Heb 2:18).