Job 29
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
We must not despise correction. The prudent king. The flatterer. The just judge. Contend not with a fool. The prince who opens his ears to reports. The poor and the deceitful. The pious king. The insolent servant. The humiliation of the proud. Of the partner of a thief. The fear of man. The Lord the righteous Judge.
Open source ↗(Job 29:1-25) 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.
Open source ↗Moreover, Job continued his parable,.... Or "added to take it up" (q), that is, he took it up again, and went on with his discourse; he made a pause for awhile, waiting to observe whether any of his three friends would return an answer to what he had said; but perceiving they were not inclined to make any reply, he began again, and gave an account of his former life, in order to show that he was far from being the wicked man, or being so accounted by others, as his friends had represented him: and said; as follows. (q) "addidit assumere", Montanus, Bolducius, Mercerus; "addidit tollere", Drusius.
Open source ↗1 Then Job continued to take up his proverb, and said: 2 O that I had months like the times of yore, Like the days when Eloah protected me, 3 When He, when His lamp, shone above my head, By His light I went about in the darkness; 4 As I was in the days of my vintage, When the secret of Eloah was over my tent, 5 When the Almighty was still with me, My children round about me; 6 When my steps were bathed in cream, And the rock beside me poured forth streams of oil. Since the optative מי־יתּן (comp. on Job 23:3) is connected with the acc. of the object desired, Job 14:4; Job 31:31, or of that respecting which anything is desired, Job 11:5, it is in itself possible to explain: who gives (makes) me like the months of yore; but since, when מי־יתּנני occurs elsewhere, Isa 27:4; Jer 9:1, the suff. is meant as the dative (= מי־יתן לי, Job 31:35), it is also here to be explained: who gives me (= O that one would give me, O that I had) like (instar) the months of yore, i.e., months like those of the past, and indeed those that lie far back in the past; for ירחי־קדם means more than עברוּ (אשׁר) ירחים. Job begins to describe the olden times, that he wishes back, with the virtually genitive relative clause: "when Eloah protected me" (Ges. 116, 3). It is impossible to take בּהלּו as Hiph.: when He caused to shine (Targ. בּאנהרוּתיהּ); either בּההלּו (Olsh.) or even בּהלּו (Ew. in his Comm.) ought to be read then. On the other hand, הלּו can be justified as the form for inf. Kal of הלל (to shine, vid., Job 25:5) with a weakening of the a to i (Ew. 255, a), and the suff. may, according to the syntax, be taken as an anticipatory statement of the object: when it, viz., His light, shone above my head; comp. Exo 2:6 (him, the boy), Isa 17:6 (its, the fruit-tree's, branches), also Isa 29:23…
Open source ↗Losers may have leave to speak, and there is nothing they speak of more feelingly than of the comforts they are stripped of. Their former prosperity is one of the most pleasing subjects of their thoughts and talk. It was so to Job, who begins here with a wish (Job 29:2): O that I were as in months past! so he brings in this account of his prosperity. His wish is, 1. "O that I were in as good a state as I was in then, that I had as much wealth, honour, and pleasure, as I had then!" This he wishes, from a concern he had, not so much for his ease, as for his reputation and the glory of his God, which he thought were eclipsed by his present sufferings. "O that I might be restored to my prosperity, and then the censures and reproaches of my friends would be effectually silenced, even upon their own principles, and for ever rolled away!" If this be our end in desiring life, health, and prosperity, that God may be glorified, and the credit of our holy profession rescued, preserved, and advanced, the desire is not only natural, but spiritual. 2. "O that I were in as good a frame of spirit as I was in then!" That which Job complained most of now was a load upon his spirits, through God's withdrawing from him; and therefore he wishes he now had his spirit as much enlarged and encouraged in the service of God as he had then and that he had as much freedom and fellowship with him as then thought himself happy in. This was in the days of his youth (Job 29:4), when he was in the prime of his time for the enjoyment of those things and could relish them with the highest gust. Note, Those that prosper in the days of their youth know not what black and cloudy days they are yet reserved for. Two things made the months past pleasant to Job: - I. That he had comfort in his God. This was the…
Open source ↗29:1–31:40 Job contrasts his former happiness, honor, and wealth (ch 29) with his loss of social dignity and divine friendship (ch 30). He concludes his speech with wide-ranging oaths of innocence (ch 31).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
אִיּוֹב (ʼÎyôwb, H347) — Ijob, the patriarch famous for his patience יָסַף (yâçaph, H3254) — to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing) נָשָׂא (nâsâʼ, H5375) — to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative מָשָׁל (mâshâl, H4912) — properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage,… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude)
Open source ↗נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) יֶרַח (yerach, H3391) — a lunation, i.e. month קֶדֶם (qedem, H6924) — the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity);… יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… אֱלוֹהַּ (ʼĕlôwahh, H433) — a deity or the Deity שָׁמַר (shâmar, H8104) — properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to,…
Open source ↗נִיר (nîyr, H5216) — a lamp (i.e. the burner) or light (literally or figuratively) הָלַל (hâlal, H1984) — to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make ashow, to… רֹאשׁ (rôʼsh, H7218) — the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of… אוֹר (ʼôwr, H216) — illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.) יָלַךְ (yâlak, H3212) — to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses) חֹשֶׁךְ (chôshek, H2822) — the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death,…
Open source ↗יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… חֹרֶף (chôreph, H2779) — properly, the crop gathered, i.e. (by implication) the autumn (and winter) season;… סוֹד (çôwd, H5475) — a session, i.e. company of persons (in close deliberation); by implication, intimacy,… אֱלוֹהַּ (ʼĕlôwahh, H433) — a deity or the Deity אֹהֶל (ʼôhel, H168) — a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)
Open source ↗שַׁדַּי (Shadday, H7706) — the Almighty נַעַר (naʻar, H5288) — (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a… סָבִיב (çâbîyb, H5439) — (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without…
Open source ↗רָחַץ (râchats, H7364) — to lave (the whole or a part of a thing) הָלִיךְ (hâlîyk, H1978) — a walk, i.e. (by implication) a step חֶמְאָה (chemʼâh, H2529) — curdled milk or cheese צוּר (tsûwr, H6697) — properly, a cliff (or sharp rock, as compressed); generally, a rock or boulder;… צוּק (tsûwq, H6694) — to pour out, i.e. (figuratively) smelt, utter פֶּלֶג (peleg, H6388) — a rill (i.e. small channel of water, as in irrigation) שֶׁמֶן (shemen, H8081) — grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richness
Open source ↗יָצָא (yâtsâʼ, H3318) — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and… שַׁעַר (shaʻar, H8179) — an opening, i.e. door or gate קֶרֶת (qereth, H7176) — a city כּוּן (kûwn, H3559) — properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a… מוֹשָׁב (môwshâb, H4186) — a seat; figuratively, a site; abstractly, a session; by extension an abode (the place or… רְחֹב (rᵉchôb, H7339) — a width, i.e. (concretely) avenue or area
Open source ↗נַעַר (naʻar, H5288) — (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a… רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… חָבָא (châbâʼ, H2244) — to secrete יָשִׁישׁ (yâshîysh, H3453) — an old man קוּם (qûwm, H6965) — to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative) עָמַד (ʻâmad, H5975) — to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)
Open source ↗שַׂר (sar, H8269) — a head person (of any rank or class) עָצָר (ʻâtsâr, H6113) — to inclose; by analogy, to hold back; also to maintain, rule, assemble מִלָּה (millâh, H4405) — a word; collectively, a discourse; figuratively, a topic שׂוּם (sûwm, H7760) — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and… כַּף (kaph, H3709) — the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of… פֶּה (peh, H6310) — the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech);…
Open source ↗נָגִיד (nâgîyd, H5057) — a commander (as occupying the front), civil, military or religious; generally… חָבָא (châbâʼ, H2244) — to secrete קוֹל (qôwl, H6963) — a voice or sound לָשׁוֹן (lâshôwn, H3956) — the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or… דָּבַק (dâbaq, H1692) — properly, to impinge, i.e. cling or adhere; figuratively, to catch by pursuit חֵךְ (chêk, H2441) — properly, the palate or inside of the mouth; hence, the mouth itself (as the organ of…
Open source ↗אֹזֶן (ʼôzen, H241) — broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man) שָׁמַע (shâmaʻ, H8085) — to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively,… אָשַׁר (ʼâshar, H833) — to be straight (used in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy);… עַיִן (ʻayin, H5869) — an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape) רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… עוּד (ʻûwd, H5749) — to duplicate or repeat; by implication, to protest, testify (as by reiteration);…
Open source ↗מָלַט (mâlaṭ, H4422) — properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness);… עָנִי (ʻânîy, H6041) — depressed, in mind or circumstances שָׁוַע (shâvaʻ, H7768) — properly, to be free; but used only causatively and reflexively, to halloo (for help,… יָתוֹם (yâthôwm, H3490) — a bereaved person עָזַר (ʻâzar, H5826) — to surround, i.e. protect or aid
Open source ↗בְּרָכָה (Bᵉrâkâh, H1293) — benediction; by implication prosperity אָבַד (ʼâbad, H6) — properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy) בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) אַלְמָנָה (ʼalmânâh, H490) — a widow; also a desolate place לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the… רָנַן (rânan, H7442) — properly, to creak (or emit a stridulous sound), i.e. to shout (usually for joy)
Open source ↗לָבַשׁ (lâbash, H3847) — properly, wrap around, i.e. (by implication) to put on agarment or clothe (oneself, or… צֶדֶק (tsedeq, H6664) — the right (natural, moral or legal); also (abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity מִשְׁפָּט (mishpâṭ, H4941) — properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a… מְעִיל (mᵉʻîyl, H4598) — a robe (i.e. upper and outer garment) צָנִיף (tsânîyph, H6797) — a head-dress (i.e. piece of cloth wrapped around)
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Job continued his discourse:
Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.
And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’