Job 2:12

“And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, etc.] Either when at some distance from Job’s house, and he being without in the open air, as some think; or as they entered his house, he being at the further part of the room, or in another further on, which they could see into: and knew him not; at first sight; until they came nearer to him, his garments being rent, and his head shaved, and his body covered all over with boils; so that he was so deformed and disfigured that they could not know him at first, and could scarcely believe him to be the same person: they lifted up their voice and wept: they wept and cried aloud, being greatly affected with the sight of him, and their hearts…”

“toward heaven--They threw ashes violently upwards, that they might fall on their heads and cover them--the deepest mourning (Jos 7:6; Act 22:23).”

“And when they lifted up their eyes afar off - “When they saw him at the distance at which they could formerly recognize him without difficulty, disease had so altered his appearance that at first sight they knew him not” - Noyes. They lifted up their voice - This is a common expression in the Scriptures, to denote grief; Genesis 27:38; Genesis 29:11; Judges 2:4; Rth 1:9; 1 Samuel 24:16, “et soepe al.” We learn to suppress the expressions of grief. The ancients gave vent to their sorrows aloud. - They even hired persons to aid them in their lamentations; and it became a professional business of women to devote themselves to the office of making an outcry on occasions of mourning. The same…”

“2:12 they scarcely recognized him: This expression indicates the extreme suffering Job had experienced (cp. Isa 52:14; 53:3). • Job’s friends mourned by wailing loudly, just as they would have done for a dead man. • Throwing dust sometimes expressed anger or disdain (see 2 Sam 16:13; Acts 22:23), but here it signaled mourning (see Josh 7:6; 1 Sam 4:12; Neh 9:1; Lam 2:10).”

“knew him: Job 19:14; Rut 1:19-21; Lam 4:7, Lam 4:8 their voice: Gen 27:34; Jdg 2:4; Sa1 11:4, Sa1 30:4; Sa2 13:36; Est 4:1 they rent: Job 1:20 sprinkled dust upon: Neh 9:1; Lam 2:10; Eze 27:30; Rev 18:19 Job 2:13”

“Their Arrival: 12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and threw dust upon their heads toward heaven. They saw a form which seemed to be Job, but in which they were not able to recognise him. Then they weep and rend their outer garments, and catch up dust to throw up towards heaven ( Sa1 4:12), that it may fall again upon their heads. The casting up of dust on high is the outwards sign of intense suffering, and, as von Gerlach rightly remarks, of that which causes him to cry to heaven. Job 2:13”