Job29
New American Standard
1Job again took up his discourse and said,
2“Oh that I were as in months gone by, As in the days when God watched over me;
3When His lamp shone over my head, And by His light I walked through darkness;
4Just as I was in the days of my youth, When the protection of God was over my tent;
5When the Almighty was still with me, And my children were around me;
6When my steps were bathed in cream, And the rock poured out streams of oil for me!
7When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat in the public square,
8The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the old men arose and stood.
9The leaders stopped talking And put their hands on their mouths;
10The voices of the prominent people were hushed, And their tongues stuck to their palates.
11For when an ear heard, it called me blessed, And when an eye saw, it testified in support of me,
12Because I saved the poor who cried for help, And the orphan who had no helper.
13The blessing of the one who was about to perish came upon me, And I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a headband.
15I was eyes to those who were blind, And feet to those who could not walk.
16I was a father to the poor, And I investigated the case which I did not know.
17I broke the jaws of the wicked And rescued the prey from his teeth.
18Then I thought, ‘I will die with my family, And I will multiply my days as the sand.
19My root is spread out to the waters, And dew lies on my branch all night.
20My glory is ever new with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21“To me they listened and waited, And they kept silent for my advice.
22After my words they did not speak again, And my speech dropped on them.
23They waited for me as for the rain, And opened their mouths as for the late rain.
24I smiled at them when they did not believe, And they did not look at my kindness ungraciously.
25I chose a way for them and sat as chief, And lived as a king among the troops, As one who comforted the mourners.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Job 29.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Job's former comforts. (1–6). The honour paid to Job, His usefulness. (7–17). His prospect of prosperity. (18–25).
vv1-6
Job proceeds to contrast his former prosperity with his present misery, through God's withdrawing from him. A gracious soul delights in God's smiles, not in the smiles of this world. Four things were then very pleasant to holy Job. 1. The confidence he had in the Divine protection. 2. The enjoyment he had of the Divine favour. 3. The communion he had with the Divine word. 4. The assurance he had of the Divine presence. God's presence with a man in his house, though it be but a cottage, makes it a castle and a palace. Then also he had comfort in his family. Riches and flourishing families, like a candle, may be soon extinguished. But when the mind is enlightened by the Holy Spirit, when a man walks in the light of God's countenance, every outward comfort is doubled, every trouble is diminished, and he may pass cheerfully by this light through life and through death. Yet the sensible comfort of this state is often withdrawn for a season; and commonly this arises from sinful neglect, and grieving the Holy Spirit: sometimes it may be a trial of a man's faith and grace. But it is needful to examine ourselves, to seek for the cause of such a change by fervent prayer, and to increase our watchfulness.
vv7-17
All sorts of people paid respect to Job, not only for the dignity of his rank, but for his personal merit, his prudence, integrity, and good management. Happy the men who are blessed with such gifts as these! They have great opportunities of honouring God and doing good, but have great need to watch against pride. Happy the people who are blessed with such men! it is a token for good to them. Here we see what Job valued himself by, in the day of his prosperity. It was by his usefulness. He valued himself by the check he gave to the violence of proud and evil men. Good magistrates must thus be a restraint to evil-doers, and protect the innocent; in order to this, they should arm themselves with zeal and resolution. Such men are public blessings, and resemble Him who rescues poor sinners from Satan. How many who were ready to perish, now are blessing Him! But who can show forth His praises? May we trust in His mercy, and seek to imitate His truth, justice, and love.
vv18-25
Being thus honoured and useful, Job had hoped to die in peace and honour, in a good old age. If such an expectation arise from lively faith in the providence and promise of God, it is well; but if from conceit of our own wisdom, and dependence on changeable, earthly things, it is ill grounded, and turns to sin. Every one that has the spirit of wisdom, has not the spirit of government; but Job had both. Yet he had the tenderness of a comforter. This he thought upon with pleasure, when he was himself a mourner. Our Lord Jesus is a King who hates iniquity, and upon whom the blessing of a world ready to perish comes. To Him let us give ear.
Key Words
אִיּוֹב: Ijob, the patriarch famous for his patience
יָסַף: to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing)
נָשָׂא: to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
מָשָׁל: properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
מִי: who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
נָתַן: to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
יֶרַח: a lunation, i.e. month
קֶדֶם: the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity); often used adverbially (before, anciently, eastward)
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
Cross References
Job 29Poole and JFB connect the rock pouring oil to Moses' blessing of Israel enjoying oil from flinty rocks.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Laying a hand on the mouth is a proverbial expression for keeping silence in awed or humble respect.
Supported by Matthew Poole
JFB links Job putting on righteousness and judgment as a robe to being clothed in garments of salvation.
Supported by JFB
Contrast Job being 'eyes to the blind' with the law's curse on those who mislead the blind.
Supported by JFB
The image of God's 'candle' or 'lamp' shining on the head to light up personal darkness.
Supported by JFB
The 'secret of God' upon Job's tent is equated with God's secret counsel being with the righteous.
Supported by JFB
Internal book parallel for the gesture of putting one's hand over the mouth in silent astonishment.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The tongue cleaving to the roof of the mouth denotes absolute silence and speechlessness under awe.
Supported by JFB
Direct contrast to Eliphaz's false accusation that Job had sent widows away empty without comfort.
Supported by JFB
Job's confident expectation of dying in his nest matches David's false security: 'I shall never be moved.'
Supported by JFB
Poole links washing steps in butter/oil to Asher dipping his foot in oil, signifying supreme material abundance.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The custom of rising up before the aged, which the elderly did voluntarily out of respect for Job.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Moses asking Hobab to be 'instead of eyes' is a literal parallel to guiding others through darkness.
Supported by JFB
Job searching out causes he knew not is the exact mark of a righteous person considering the poor.
Supported by JFB
The martial metaphor of breaking the jaws and teeth of wicked oppressors to rescue victims.
Supported by JFB