Job 29:1-6

Job's Summary Defense

1 And Job again 1took up his discourse, and said:
2 "Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,
3 when his 2lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
4 as I was in my prime,[a] when the 3friendship of God was upon my tent,
5 when the Almighty was yet with me, when my 4children were all around me,
6 when my steps were 5washed with 6butter, and 7the rock poured out for me streams of 8oil!

Job 29:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 29

In this chapter Job gives an account of his former and wishes it was with him now as then; and which he describes with respect to his own person, and the favours he personally enjoyed, whether temporal or spiritual, Job 29:1-4; with respect to his family and domestic affairs, Job 29:5,6; with regard to the esteem he had from men of every age and station, Job 29:7-11; the reasons of which were the mercy and compassion he showed to the poor, the fatherless, and the widow, and the justice he administered in the execution of his office as a magistrate, Job 29:12-17; in which honour and prosperity he expected to have lived and died, Job 29:18-20; and which he further describes by the respect he had among men, and the power and authority he exercised over them, Job 29:21-25.

Cross References 8

  • 1. Job 27:1; See Numbers 23:7
  • 2. Job 18:6; 2 Samuel 21:17; Psalms 18:28
  • 3. Psalms 25:14; Proverbs 3:32; See Job 15:8
  • 4. Job 1:2; [Psalms 128:3]
  • 5. [Genesis 49:11]
  • 6. Job 20:17
  • 7. Deuteronomy 32:13, 14; Psalms 81:16
  • 8. [Deuteronomy 33:24]

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.