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
Thou hast sent H7971 widows H490 away empty, H7387 and the arms H2220 of the fatherless H3490 have been broken. H1792
If I have seen H7200 any perish H6 for want of clothing, H3830 or any poor H34 without covering; H3682 If his loins H2504 have not blessed H1288 me, and if he were not warmed H2552 with the fleece H1488 of my sheep; H3532
And it shall come to pass in that day, H3117 that the great H1419 trumpet H7782 shall be blown, H8628 and they shall come H935 which were ready to perish H6 in the land H776 of Assyria, H804 and the outcasts H5080 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 and shall worship H7812 the LORD H3068 in the holy H6944 mount H2022 at Jerusalem. H3389
The Lord G2962 give G1325 mercy G1656 unto the house G3624 of Onesiphorus; G3683 for G3754 he G404 oft G4178 refreshed G404 me, G3165 and G2532 was G1870 not G3756 ashamed G1870 of my G3450 chain: G254 But, G235 when he was G1096 in G1722 Rome, G4516 he sought G2212 me G3165 out G2212 very diligently, G4706 and G2532 found G2147 me. The Lord G2962 grant G1325 unto him G846 that he may find G2147 mercy G1656 of G3844 the Lord G2962 in G1722 that G1565 day: G2250 and G2532 in how many things G3745 he ministered unto me G1247 at G1722 Ephesus, G2181 thou G4771 knowest G1097 very well. G957
For G1063 we have G2192 great G4183 joy G5485 and G2532 consolation G3874 in G1909 thy G4675 love, G26 because G3754 the bowels G4698 of the saints G40 are refreshed G373 by G1223 thee, G4675 brother. G80
And thou shalt rejoice H8055 before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 thou, and thy son, H1121 and thy daughter, H1323 and thy manservant, H5650 and thy maidservant, H519 and the Levite H3881 that is within thy gates, H8179 and the stranger, H1616 and the fatherless, H3490 and the widow, H490 that are among H7130 you, in the place H4725 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath chosen H977 to place H7931 his name H8034 there.
In any case H7725 thou shalt deliver H7725 him the pledge H5667 again H7725 when the sun H8121 goeth down, H935 that he may sleep H7901 in his own raiment, H8008 and bless H1288 thee: and it shall be righteousness H6666 unto thee before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God. H430
And thou shalt speak H6030 and say H559 before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 A Syrian H761 ready to perish H6 was my father, H1 and he went down H3381 into Egypt, H4714 and sojourned H1481 there with H4962 a few, H4592 and became there a nation, H1471 great, H1419 mighty, H6099 and populous: H7227
Then he said H559 unto them, Go your way, H3212 eat H398 the fat, H4924 and drink H8354 the sweet, H4477 and send H7971 portions H4490 unto them for whom nothing is prepared: H3559 for this day H3117 is holy H6918 unto our Lord: H113 neither be ye sorry; H6087 for the joy H2304 of the LORD H3068 is your strength. H4581 So the Levites H3881 stilled H2814 all the people, H5971 saying, H559 Hold your peace, H2013 for the day H3117 is holy; H6918 neither be ye grieved. H6087 And all the people H5971 went their way H3212 to eat, H398 and to drink, H8354 and to send H7971 portions, H4490 and to make H6213 great H1419 mirth, H8057 because they had understood H995 the words H1697 that were declared H3045 unto them.
O let the nations H3816 be glad H8055 and sing for joy: H7442 for thou shalt judge H8199 the people H5971 righteously, H4334 and govern H5148 the nations H3816 upon earth. H776 Selah. H5542
Give H5414 strong drink H7941 unto him that is ready to perish, H6 and wine H3196 unto those that be of heavy H4751 hearts. H5315 Let him drink, H8354 and forget H7911 his poverty, H7389 and remember H2142 his misery H5999 no more. Open H6605 thy mouth H6310 for the dumb H483 in the cause H1779 of all such as are appointed H1121 to destruction. H2475 Open H6605 thy mouth, H6310 judge H8199 righteously, H6664 and plead H1777 the cause of the poor H6041 and needy. H34
Then G1161 Peter G4074 arose G450 and went with G4905 them. G846 When he G3739 was come, G3854 they brought him G321 into G1519 the upper chamber: G5253 and G2532 all G3956 the widows G5503 stood by G3936 him G846 weeping, G2799 and G2532 shewing G1925 the coats G5509 and G2532 garments G2440 which G3745 Dorcas G1393 made, G4160 while she was G5607 with G3326 them. G846 But G1161 Peter G4074 put G1544 them all G3956 forth, G1854 and kneeled down, G5087 G1119 and prayed; G4336 and G2532 turning G1994 him to G4314 the body G4983 said, G2036 Tabitha, G5000 arise. G450 And G1161 she opened G455 her G846 eyes: G3788 and G2532 when she saw G1492 Peter, G4074 she sat up. G339 And G1161 he gave G1325 her G846 his hand, G5495 and lifted G450 her G846 up, G450 and G1161 when he had called G5455 the saints G40 and G2532 widows, G5503 presented G3936 her G846 alive. G2198
For G3754 the administration G1248 of this G5026 service G3009 not G3756 only G3440 supplieth G2076 G4322 the want G5303 of the saints, G40 but G235 is abundant G4052 also G2532 by G1223 many G4183 thanksgivings G2169 unto God; G2316 Whiles by G1223 the experiment G1382 of this G5026 ministration G1248 they glorify G1392 God G2316 for G1909 your G5216 professed G3671 subjection G5292 unto G1519 the gospel G2098 of Christ, G5547 and G2532 for your liberal G572 distribution G2842 unto G1519 them, G846 and G2532 unto G1519 all G3956 men; And G2532 by their G846 prayer G1162 for G5228 you, G5216 which long after G1971 you G5209 for G1223 the exceeding G5235 grace G5485 of God G2316 in G1909 you. G5213
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).