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Job Chapter 29

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry 25 Verses

What is Job 29 about?

The suffering of a righteous man and the profound questions it raises about God's justice, sovereignty, and human understanding. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1And Job again took up his parable, and said,
2Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me;
3When his lamp shined upon my head, And by his light I walked through darkness;
4As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was upon my tent;
5When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were about me;
6When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured me out streams of oil!
7When I went forth to the gate unto the city, When I prepared my seat in the street,
8The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged rose up and stood;
9The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth;
10The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11For when the ear heard [me], then it blessed me; And when the eye saw [me], it gave witness unto me:
12Because I delivered the poor that cried, The fatherless also, that had none to help him.
13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; And I caused the widow`s heart to sing for joy.
14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
15I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame.
16I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
17And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18Then I said, I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand:
19My root is spread out to the waters, And the dew lieth all night upon my branch;
20My glory is fresh in me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.
21Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.
22After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled upon them.
23And they waited for me as for the rain; And they opened their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain.
24I smiled on them, when they had no confidence; And the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25I chose out their way, and sat [as] chief, And dwelt as a king in the army, As one that comforteth the mourners.
← Job 28Job 30 →

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“Moreover, Job continued his parable, etc.] Or “added to take [it] up” f1023, 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.”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“(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.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“Moreover, Job continued his parable - See the notes at Job 27:1. It is probable that Job had paused to see if anyone would attempt a reply. As his friends were silent, he resumed his remarks and went into a more full statement of his sufferings. The fact that Job more than once paused in his addresses to give his friends an opportunity to speak, and that they were silent when they seemed called upon to vindicate their former sentiments, was what particularly roused the wrath of Elihu and induced him to answer; Job 32:2-5. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 2
“Preserved - From all those miseries which now I feel. Job 29:3”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“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).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“continued: Heb. added to take up, Job 27:1 Job 29:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“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…”
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