Job 29:12

12 for I delivered the poor man crying [out], and the fatherless child, that had no helper. (for I saved the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless child who had no helper.)

Job 29:12 Meaning and Commentary

Job 29:12

Because I delivered the poor that cried
This honour and esteem he had not because of his grandeur and riches, because of his worldly wealth and substance, but because of the goodness of his disposition, and because of the good he did to men, his acts of pity and compassion to the poor, and of the justice he did to all men; the poor and the afflicted, when they cried to him for help, he delivered them out of the hands of their oppressors:

and the fatherless;
the care and defence of which belongs to judges and civil magistrates, see ( Psalms 82:1-4 ) ;

[and him that] had none to help him;
as the poor and fatherless seldom have; there is power on the side of the oppressors of them, but they have few or none to take their parts, and to be their comforters, ( Ecclesiastes 4:1 ) ; in these instances Job imitated God, and was a follower of him, as a dear child of his; who, when this and the other poor man cries unto him, he hears, saves, and delivers out of all their troubles; he is the helper, yea, the father of the fatherless, and the judge of the widow; and, when there is no help from men, he is a present help in times of need.

Job 29:12 In-Context

10 dukes refrained their voice, and their tongue cleaved to their throat. (rulers refrained their voices, and their tongues cleaved to the roofs of their mouths.)
11 The ear that heard me, blessed me, and the eye that saw me, yielded witnessing to me (bare witness for me/testified for me);
12 for I delivered the poor man crying [out], and the fatherless child, that had no helper. (for I saved the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless child who had no helper.)
13 The blessing of a man (who was ready) to perish came (up)on me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.
14 I was clothed with rightfulness; and I clothed me as with a cloak, and with my doom a diadem. (I was clothed in righteousness, yea, it covered me; and my judgement was like a robe, and a crown.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.