Job 29: Job remembers his former days
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Job longs for the months of old, when God watched over him, his children were around him, and he went out to the city gate. He tells how young men hid, the aged stood, and princes and nobles fell silent when he came, how he rescued the poor, the fatherless and the widow, and how he once said he would die in his own house. He says men listened and waited for his counsel as for the rain.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Job speaks the whole chapter: verse 1 says "Job again took up his parable, and said". In verses 18 to 20 Job quotes what he said back then: "I will die in my own house". Those words are Job's own, from before. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Job again took up his parable, and said,
In plain English: Job again took up his parable (or: his discourse), and said,
The Hebrew word: "Parable" is mashal, which the dictionary gives as "properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)". It is in 3 verses of Job, , and this one, and the WEB says "parable" in 2 of them, here and 27:1.
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2“Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
In plain English: "Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,
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3when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
In plain English: when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
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4as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
In plain English: as I was in the days of my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent (the Hebrew says: over my tent),
The Hebrew word: "Friendship" is sod, which the dictionary gives as "a session, i.e. company of persons (in close deliberation); by implication, intimacy, consultation, a secret". It is in 21 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "friendship" in 3 of them, this one among them. It says "council" in 6, "secret" in 3 and "counsel" in 2.
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5when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
In plain English: when the Almighty was still with me, and my children (the Hebrew says: my young ones) were around me,
The Hebrew word: "The Almighty" is Shaddai, which the dictionary gives as "the Almighty". It is in 48 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "Almighty" in all 48. It is in 31 verses of Job, and this is one of them.
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6when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
In plain English: when my steps were washed with butter (or: curds), and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
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7when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
In plain English: when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street (or: the open square).
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8The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
In plain English: The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
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9The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
In plain English: The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
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10The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
In plain English: The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
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11For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,
In plain English: For when the ear heard me, it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me (the Hebrew says: it bore witness for me),
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12because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
In plain English: because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
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13the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
In plain English: the blessing of the one who was about to perish came on me, and I made the widow's heart sing for joy.
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14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
In plain English: I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was like a robe and a diadem (or: a turban).
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15I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
In plain English: I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
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16I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.
In plain English: I was a father to the needy. I investigated the cause of the one whom I didn't know.
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17I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
In plain English: I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
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18Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.
In plain English: Then I said, 'I will die in my own house (the Hebrew says: in my nest), I will count my days as the sand (or: I will make my days many like the sand).
The Hebrew words: "House" is qen in the Hebrew, which the dictionary gives as "a nest (as fixed), sometimes including the nestlings; figuratively, a chamber or dwelling". "Count" is the Hebrew rabah, which the dictionary gives as "to increase (in whatever respect)", so the line can also read that Job would make his days many, like the sand.
What changes: With "nest" the line is about dying in his own dwelling, as the WEB says. With "increase" it is about having many days, as many as the grains of sand, and not about counting them.
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19My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
In plain English: My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
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20My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’
In plain English: My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.'
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21“Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
In plain English: "Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
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22After my words they didn’t speak again. My speech fell on them.
In plain English: After my words they didn't speak again. My speech fell on them (the Hebrew says: dropped on them).
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23They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
In plain English: They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank (the Hebrew says: opened wide) as for the spring rain.
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24I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn’t reject the light of my face.
In plain English: I smiled on them (or: I laughed at them) when they had no confidence (or: when they did not believe it). They didn't reject the light of my face (the Hebrew says: they did not make it fall).
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew reads "I laughed to them, they did not believe". The WEB turns it into "I smiled on them when they had no confidence". The Hebrew is short, and "to them" can be read as "at them" or "with them". "They did not believe" has no word for what they did not believe.
What changes: With the WEB, Job smiled on people who had no confidence. With "they did not believe", Job smiled and they did not believe it. The text does not rule between them.
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25I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
In plain English: I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king among the troops, as one who comforts the mourners.
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