Job 29:1-10

D. THE SOLILOQUY OF A SUFFERER (Job 29:1, Job 31:40)

1. Reminiscencehis former happy life (Job 29:1-25)

a. The outward aspect (Job 29:1-10)

TEXT 29:1-10

1 And Job again took up his parable, and said,

2 Oh that I were as in the months of old,

As in the days when God watched over me;

3 When his lamp shined upon my head,

And by his light I walked through darkness;

4 As I was in the ripeness of my days,

When the friendship of God was upon my tent;

5 When the Almighty was yet with me,

And my children were about me;

6 When my steps were washed with butter,

And the rock poured me out streams of oil!

7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city,

When I prepared my seat in the street,

8 The young men saw me and hid themselves,

And the aged rose up and stood;

9 The princes refrained from talking,

And laid their hand on their mouth;

10 The voice of the nobles was hushed,

And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

COMMENT 29:1-10

Job 29:1Job's debate with his friends[293] is at an end. Now we will listen to his final soliloquy. The speech is divided into three sections, one chapter each: A: (1) His former happinessJob 29:2-10; (2) His past graciousness to the needyJob 29:11-17; (3) His confidenceJob 29:18-20; (4) The esteem in which he was heldJob 29:21-25; B: (1) His present sufferingthrough the nobodys that despise himJob 30:1-8; (2) The indignities he is presently enduringJob 30:9-15; (3) His present dreadJob 30:16-23; (4) Contrast between his past and presentJob 30:24-25; C: His vindication: (1) His integrity sustainedJob 31:1-12; (2) Denial of abuse of powerJob 31:13-23; (3) Reaffirmation of his pietyJob 31:24-25; (4) Appeal that specific charges be made against himJob 31:25; and (5) Invocation of a curse upon himself if he has not been telling the truthJob 31:28-30 (compare with Job 27:1).

[293] For Traditionsgeschichte analysis of Job's friends, see H. P. Muller, Hiob und seine Freunde. Theo. Studien 103, 1970; and P. W. Skehan, Job's Final Plea (Job 29-31) and The Lord's Reply (Job 38-41), Biblica, 1964, pp. 51-62.

Job 29:2His thoughts move back into a happier time in his life. For the moment, the harsh realities of his existential situation[294] are suppressed. Nostalgia enthralls him. He is confronted by thinking of the time when God watched over himPsalms 91:11; Psalms 121:7 ff; and Mi. Job 6:24. The same verb is used of God's hostile surveillance of his lifeJob 10:14; Job 13:27; and Job 14:16.

[294] See J. Faur, Reflections on Job and Situation Morality, Judaism, 1970, pp. 219-225.

Job 29:3The lamp and light are metaphors of God's blessings and presencePsalms 18:28; Psalms 36:9; 2 Samuel 22:29. There is no word in Hebrew for the through of the A. V.; perhaps the reference is to God's glory, the kobad (Greek, doxa) which later developed into the Shekinah. The sense being if God is not present, there is nothing but spiritual darkness.

Job 29:4The word rendered ripeness in the A. V. symbolizes prosperity and maturity rather than decline. The root meaning of -hrp is be early, young.[295] Earlier in Job's life God's protective hedge was about (not upon as A. V.) his householdJob 1:10 and Job 31:31.[296]

[295] For analysis of this root, see A. C. M. Blommerde, Northwest Semitic Grammar and Job, 1969, p. 109.

[296] D. W. Thomas, JBL, 1946, pp. 63ff, for meaning of protection rather than friendship; also see Dhorme on the preposition, p. 416.

Job 29:5Job places his relationship with God about his most intimate human companionshipGenesis 28:20; Genesis 31:5; Psalms 23:4; Psalms 44:7. Job poignantly refers to the loss of his own children (Heb. na-'ar means young menGenesis 22:3 and 2 Samuel 18:29). Numerous children was a sign of God's favorPsalms 127:3-5; Psalms 128:3-4.

Job 29:6When Job was prosperous, his herds were fertile; butter flowed like mighty waters. Butter in the A. V. would better be rendered curdsJob 21:17. The olive-tree grows profusely in rocky soil,[297] and the olive presses are cut in the rockDeuteronomy 32:13; Deuteronomy 33:24; Psalms 81:16 b; and Song of Solomon 5:12. The rocks poured out for me (rather than lit. with me or poured me out of the A. V.). The line says in essence, when God watched over my household, blessings came from the most unexpected sources.

[297] See M. Dahood, Biblica et Orientalia, suggestion that rock should rather be bakam, 1965, p. 60.

Job 29:7The city gate was the central meeting place for the distribution of administrative justiceDeuteronomy 21:19; Ruth 4:1; Ruth 4:11; and 2 Kings 7:1; Job 7:18. Job's social prestige is clearly emphasized in that he has a prominent seat. The broad open place (Heb. rehobis street in A. V.) stood at the entrance of the city gate1 Kings 22:10. Job's former happiness was based on three relationships: (1) Fellowship with God; (2) Companionship of his own children; and (3) The respect of his community.

Job 29:8Job's public influence is projected by two images in this verse: (1) The young men withdrew (as hid in A. V.); and (2) While the older men remained standing in respect, until Job was settled in a prominent place. In this manner both showed respect for a righteous man.

Job 29:9Another image reveals the overt expression of respect for Job. The princes stopped in the midst of their conversations and waited respectfully to hear this evaluation. The Qumran Targum confirms this reading [And] nobles became silent of speech, and put hand [to their mouth].

Job 29:10Their voice became veiled (nehbauhushed and is same as in verse eight for hid), quiet is deferential respect. The image in line two expresses nervousness (tongue cleaved to the roof of the mouth) in the presence of JobLamentations 4:4; and Jesus on the cross.