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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Job 21:29

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

Job, seeing that the friends will not admit him as an impartial judge, as they consider his calamities prove his guilt, begs them to ask the opinion of travelers (Lamentations 1:12), who have the experience drawn from observation, and who are no way connested with him. Job opposes this to Bildad (Job 8:8) and Zophar (Job 20:4).

Tokens - rather, intimations (e.g., inscriptions, proverbs, signifying the results of their observation), testimony. Literally, signs or proofs in confirmation of the words which I have spoken (Isaiah 7:11).

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See also Job 21:29 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 21:29. _HAVE YE NOT ASKED THEM THAT GO BY THE WAY?_] This appears to be Job's answer. Consult travellers who have gone through different countries; and they will tell you that they have see...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    HAVE YE NOT ASKED THEM THAT GO BY THE WAY? - Travelers, who have passed into other countries, and who have had an opportunity of making observations, and of learning the opinions of those residing the...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 21 JOB'S REPLY _ 1. Hear my solemn words--then mock on (Job 21:1)_ 2. His testimony concerning the experiences of the wicked (Job 21:7) 3. Your answers are nothing but falsehoods (Job 21:27...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB 21. JOB'S REPLY. Zophar was graphic and vigorous, but had nothing to say. Nevertheless his speech suggests to Job his next argument. The facts are quite the opposite of what Zophar has said: the w...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    HAVE YE NOT. ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ App-6....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Travellers give a different account of the fate of the wicked; they tell that he is spared in the day of destruction: 29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way, And do ye not regard their tokens,...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _them that go by the way_ The travellers; here those who have travelled far, or come from a distance, and are full of experience. _do ye not know their tokens_ Or, REGARD. Their "tokens" are no doubt...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Finally, still pursuing his argument, Job turns to the insinuations of his friends against himself, which lie under their descriptions of the fate of the wicked. He knows what they mean when they say,...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    BEHOLD, I KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS— By the _day of destruction,_ and _the day of wrath,_ mentioned in the 30th verse, I believe it will appear, from the context, can be meant no other than the future day of...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    5. So, your argument that I am wicked because I suffer is false. (Job 21:27-34) TEXT 21:27-34 27 BEHOLD, I KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS, And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me. 28 For ye say, Where is...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB'S SIXTH SPEECH Zophar, like the other friends, had insisted on the certain retribution for sin which befalls the wicked in this life. Now at length these views draw from Job a direct contradictio...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOB, A SERVANT OF GOD Job _KEITH SIMONS_ Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible. This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 21 JOB REPLIES TO ZOPHAR’S...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Perhaps Job’s friends did not know any evil people who were successful. Today we often read about such people in the newspapers. Then, people would hear the news from travellers....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THEIR TOKENS — _i.e., the marks and evidences of their experience, and the conclusions at which they had arrived. _...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הֲ לֹ֣א שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּם עֹ֣ובְרֵי דָ֑רֶךְ וְ֝ אֹ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    XVIII. ARE THE WAYS OF THE LORD EQUAL? Job 21:1 Job SPEAKS WITH less of personal distress and a more collected mind than before Job begins a reply to Zophar. His brave hope of vindication has forti...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “SHALL ANY TEACH GOD?” Job 21:1 After a brief introduction, in which he claims the right to reply, Job 21:1, Job brings forward a new argument. He affirms that his friends are wrong in assuming that...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here, as in the first cycle, Job answered not merely Zophar, but the whole argument. First of all, he set over against their statement and illustrations the fact patent to all that often the wicked ar...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Have ye (q) not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens, (q) Who through long travailing have experience and tokens of it, that is, that the wicked prosper, and the godly live...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XXI. _ Way. Travellers, who have seen foreign countries, (Vatable) or any one that may be passing, (Sanchez) will answer this objection (Haydock) in my favour. (Menochius) --- They will all a...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (27) В¶ Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me. (28) For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked? (29) H...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4 THROUGH 31. As to the friends of Job, they do not call for any extended remarks. They urge the doctrine that God's earthly government is a full measure and...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    HAVE YE NOT ASKED THEM THAT GO BY THE WAY?.... Did you not ask every traveller you met with on the road the above question? not which was the way to Job's house, which they knew very well, but in what...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens, Ver. 29. _Have ye not asked them that go by the way?_] The cause of their rash judgment, Job showeth here to be their ignor...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Have ye not asked them that go by the way?_ In these verses we have an answer to the preceding question; as if he had said, Even the travellers that pass along the road can inform you: it is so vulga...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Have ye not asked them that go by the way, inquiring of travelers well acquainted with history and human destinies! AND DO YE NOT KNOW THEIR TOKENS, they should not fail to note and to know what such...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Job Rebukes his Friends for their One-Sidedness....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB SILENCES ZOPHAR (vv.1-34). The callous cruelty of Zophar's speech would surely cause some men to be bitterly angry, but while Job was incensed by such treatment, he did not lose his temper. He...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "HAVE YOU NOT ASKED THE WAYFARING MEN": But their claims do not agree with the evidence, as anyone with traveling experience would confirm. "All they needed to do to see who was right was to ask trave...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    27-34 Job opposes the opinion of his friends, That the wicked are sure to fall into visible and remarkable ruin, and none but the wicked; upon which principle they condemned Job as wicked. Turn to wh...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    These are the words, either, 1. Of Job's friends, who thus continue their former discourse by a second inquiry; or rather, 2. Of Job himself, who answers one question with another. You may learn this...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 21:29 asked H7592 (H8804) travel H5674 (H8802) road H1870 know H5234 (H8762) signs H226 go by -...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Job's answer to Zophar in which he denies any secret sin. CHARACTERS: God, Job, three friends. CONCLUSION: The providences of God in the government of this world are sometimes hard to be u...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 21:2. _Consolations._ נחם _nicham,_ though mostly translated consolation, comfort &c., as in Isaiah 40:1; is in several places understood of a change of mind, or of repentance. So in Judges 21., w...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _But Job answered and said._ JOB’S THIRD ANSWER There is more logic and less passion in this address than in any of Job’s preceding speeches. He felt the dogma of the friends to be opposed-- I. To...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 21:1 Job’s response closes the second cycle of the dialogue with his friends. ⇐ ⇔...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _JOB’S REPLY TO ZOPHAR’S SECOND SPEECH_ The ungodly, instead of experiencing the miseries indicated by Zophar, often, perhaps generally, enjoy continued ease and prosperity in this life. I. INTRODUC...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOB 21:1 Job answers Zophar, as he had answered Bildad, in a single not very lengthy chapter. After a few caustic introductory remarks (verses 2-4), he takes up the challenge which Zophar...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    By Chuck Smith This time shall we turn to the book of Job, chapter 21. Zophar has just concluded in chapter 20 his second speech in which, again, he sort of just gives some of the traditions and quote...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Psalms 129:8...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Them — Any person that passes along the high — way, every one you meet with. It is so vulgar a thing, that no man of common sense is ignorant of it. Tokens — The examples, or evidences, of this truth,...

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