Job 29:9

9 City officials stopped talking and covered their mouths with [their] hands.^[a]

Job 29:9 Meaning and Commentary

Job 29:9

The princes refrained talking
Who were in court before Job came in, and were either talking with one another about indifferent matters, or were giving their opinion in a case before them; but no sooner did Job make his appearance, but they left off talking, and would not proceed any further; they laid a restraint upon their words, and curbed themselves from speaking any more till they had heard his opinion:

and laid [their] hand on their mouth;
as a token of silence, ( Judges 18:19 ) .

Job 29:9 In-Context

7 When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the town square,

8 the young men saw me and withdrew, while older men stood to their feet.

9 City officials stopped talking and covered their mouths with [their] hands.

10 The noblemen's voices were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

11 When they heard me, they blessed me, and when they saw me, they spoke well of me.

Footnotes

• [a]. Jb 21:5; 32:6; Isa 52:15