Job 29:5-15

5 When the Almighty was yet with me, When my children were around me;

6 When my steps were bathed with cream, And the rock poured out rivers of oil for me!

7 "When I went out to the gate by the city, When I took my seat in the open square,

8 The young men saw me and hid, And the aged arose and stood;

9 The princes refrained from talking, And put their hand on their mouth;

10 The voice of nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

11 When the ear heard, then it blessed me, And when the eye saw, then it approved me;

12 Because I delivered the poor who cried out, The fatherless and the one who had no helper.

13 The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban.

15 I was eyes to the blind, And I was feet to the lame.

Job 29:5-15 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Masoretic Text reads wrath; ancient versions and some Hebrew manuscripts read cream (compare Job 20:17).