Job 29:17

17 I all-brake the great teeth of the wicked man (I broke the teeth of the wicked), and I took away the prey from his teeth.

Job 29:17 Meaning and Commentary

Job 29:17

And I brake the jaws of the wicked
Their jaw teeth, or grinders, alluding to beasts of prey, who have such teeth, very large; the meaning may be, that Job confuted the arguments which wicked men made use of in their own defence, and against the poor, exposed the weakness of them, and made them ineffectual to answer their purposes; disabled tyrants and cruel oppressors from doing any further hurt and damage to the fatherless and helpless; was an instrument in the hand of God of breaking the power, and weakening the hands of such persons, and hindering them from doing the mischief they otherwise would; see ( Proverbs 30:14 ) ( Psalms 3:7 ) ( 58:6 ) ;

and plucked the spoil out of his teeth;
as David took the lamb out of the mouth of the bear and lion that came into his father's flock, and carried it off: thus Job delivered the poor out of the hands of such monsters in nature, comparable to beasts of prey, and saved them from being utterly ruined by them, and obliged them to restore unto them what they had in an unrighteous manner taken from them.

Job 29:17 In-Context

15 I was eye to a blind man, and foot to a crooked man. (I was an eye for the blind, and feet for the lame.)
16 I was a father of poor men; and I inquired most diligently the cause, which I knew not. (I was a father to the poor; and I inquired most diligently into their case, or their trouble, of which I knew not.)
17 I all-brake the great teeth of the wicked man (I broke the teeth of the wicked), and I took away the prey from his teeth.
18 And I said, I shall die in my nest; and as a palm tree I shall multiply my days. (And I said, I shall die in my nest; and my days shall be numbered like the sand/like the phoenix.)
19 My root is opened beside (the) waters, and dew shall dwell in my reaping (and dew shall stay on my branches).
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.