Job chapter 29
Job remembers his former blessings. His mind was illumined by the light of God, he was a respected judge, and he took care of those who were less fortunate.
JOB REMEMBERS HIS FORMER BLESSINGS
VERSE 1. Job again took up his parable, and said,
VERSE 2. “Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
Oh that I were as in the months of old. Job recalls the good old days. He lived a life of real righteousness. He was a true man of God. He had countless joys and experiences.
But now, he’s lost everything. He’s mortally ill and putrid. Three men keep mocking him. All of the former days are gone. All he has left is memories.
For people who suffer, memorizes are precious commodities.
the months of old. This suggests that Job’s disease state lasted for at least several months.
VERSE 3. when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
his lamp shone on my head. Job remembers when his mind was illumined by the light of God.
by his light I walked through darkness. Job remembers when the LORD God lit up the path for him.
VERSE 4. as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
VERSE 5. when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
VERSE 6. when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
VERSE 7. when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
I went out to the city gate. Job had enjoyed social prestige as a judge. Elders held their court sessions at the city gate.
VERSE 8. The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
VERSE 9. The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
VERSE 10. The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
VERSE 11. For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me:
VERSE 12. Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
I delivered the poor who cried. Job had taken care of the needy.
the fatherless also. Job had taken care of orphans.
VERSE 13. the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
him who was ready to perish. Job had taken care of people who were dying.
the widow. Job had taken care of widows.
VERSE 14. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
VERSE 15. I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
eyes to the blind. Job had taken care of blind people.
feet to the lame. Job had taken care of people who were disabled.
VERSE 16. I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I didn’t know, I searched out.
VERSE 17. I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous. The NIV translation says “the fangs of the wicked.”
That is, Job overturned oppressors.
VERSE 18. Then I said, ‘I shall die in my own house, I shall count my days as the sand.
VERSE 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.’
VERSE 21. “Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
Men listened to me. Job’s counsel was welcomed.
VERSE 22. After my words they didn’t speak again. My speech fell on them.
VERSE 23. They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
waited for me as for the rain. People eagerly drank in the words of Job like the soil drinking in the spring rain.
VERSE 24. I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn’t reject the light of my face.
I smiled on them. Job had encouraged other people by his warm smile.
However, Job’s three “friends” never uplifted him with warm smiles. All they offered him was harsh words of condemnation.
VERSE 25. I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
comforts the mourners. Job had comforted those who grieved.
JOB
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Job’s Dark Night
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.