Job 29:24

_IF I LAUGHED ON THEM, THEY BELIEVED IT NOT; AND THE LIGHT OF MY COUNTENANCE THEY CAST NOT DOWN._ When I relaxed from my wonted gravity (a virtue much esteemed in the East), and smiled on them, they could hardly credit it; and yet, notwithstanding my condescension, they did not cast aside reverence in consequence of my cheerfulness of countenance. But the parallelism is better in Umbriet's translation: 'I smiled kindly on those who trusted not' - i:e., in times of danger I cheered those in despondency. 'And they could not cast down (by their despondency) my serenity of counteance' (flowing from trust in God). (Proverbs 16:15; Psalms 104:15.) The opposite phrase (Genesis 4:5, "countenance fallen")....

18-25 Being thus honoured and useful, Job had hoped to die in peace and honour, in a good old age. If such an expectation arise from lively faith in the providence and promise of God, it is well; but if from conceit of our own wisdom, and dependence on changeable, earthly things, it is ill grounded, and turns to sin. Every one that has the spirit of wisdom, has not the spirit of government; but Job had both. Yet he had the tenderness of a comforter. This he thought upon with pleasure, when he was himself a mourner. Our Lord Jesus is a King who hates iniquity, and upon whom the blessing of a world ready to perish comes. To Him let us give ear....

Verse Job 29:24. _I LAUGHED ON THEM, THEY BELIEVED_ IT _NOT_] Similar to that expression in the Gospel, Luke 24:41: _And while they believed not for joy, and wondered, he said ___. Our version is sufficiently perspicuous, and gives the true sense of the original, only it should be read in the _indicative_ and not in the _subjunctive_ mood: _I laughed on them - they believed it not_. We have a similar phrase: _The news was too good to be true_. _THE LIGHT OF MY COUNTENANCE_] This evidence of my benevolence and regard. A _smile_ is, metaphorically, _the light of the countenance_. _THEY CAST NOT DOWN._] They gave me no occasion to change my sentiments or feelings towards them. I could still smile upon th

IF I LAUGHED ON THEM THEY BELIEVED IT NOT - There is considerable variety in the interpretation of this member of the verse. Dr. Good renders it, “I smiled upon them, and they were gay.” Herder, If I laughed at them, they were not offended.” Coverdale,” When I laughed, they knew well it was not earnest.” Schultens, “I will laugh at them, they are not secure.” But Rosenmuller, Jun. et Trem., Noyes and Umbreit, accord with the sense given in our common translation. The Hebrew literally is, “Should I laugh upon them, they did not confide;” and, according to Rosenmuller, the meaning is, “Such was the reverence for my gravity, that if at any time I relaxed in my severity of manner, they would scarcely believe it, nor did they omit any of their reverence toward me, as if familiarity with the great should produce contempt.” Grotius explains it to mean, “Even my jests, they thought, contained so...

EXPOSITION JOB 29:1 From these deep musings upon the nature of true wisdom, and the contrast between the ingenuity and cleverness of man and the infinite knowledge of God, Job turns to another contrast, which he pursues through two chapters (Job 29:1; Job 30:1.)—the contrast between what he was and what he is—between his condition in the period of his prosperity and that to which he has been reduced by his afflictions. The present chapter is concerned only with the former period; and gives a graphic description of the life led, in Job's time and country, by a great chieftain, the head of a tribe, not of mere nomads, but of perseus who had attained to a considerable amount of civilization. The picture i

[IF] I LAUGHED ON THEM, THEY BELIEVED [IT] NOT,.... Not that he at any time laughed at them, by way of derision; but when in a cheerful frame of mind, or in a merry mood, he used freedom and familiarity, and jested with them; but they could not believe that he did jest, or was in jest, he being a man always of such gravity and seriousness, that they concluded the smile on his countenance, and the pleasant turn of his expression, had a serious meaning in them; or such familiarity with them was so pleasing to them, that they could scarcely for joy believe that he did condescend to indulge such an air of pleasantry: or as Mr. Broughton renders it, and so some others to the same sense, "they would not be bold" i; familiarity with them did not breed contempt, as it sometimes does; they did not presume upon it, and grow bold and insolent, and make him their equal, and jest with him again; but...

CHAPTER 29 _ 1. His past prosperity and honors (Job 29:1)_ 2. The good works he did (Job 29:11) Job 29:1. The words spoken by Job were wholesome words, showing that his mind was moving in another channel, but now he reverts to the old complaint in self-occupation, self-pity and self-vindication. What a horrible thing this old self? And before the sun can scatter his dark night, that self must be laid into the dust of self-abhorrence. And so we hear him review the past. Some 20 times he says “I” in this chapter. It reminds one of the man in Romans 7:1 with his “I.” Retrospect is good if it is done with praise and in humility. Not onc

JOB 29. JOB'S FORMER HAPPY DAYS. Job 29:1. Job longs that he might once again live as of old under God's favour. In Job 29:4 secret means intimacy (_cf._ Psalms 25:14). JOB 29:7. Job describes the reverence done to him by not only the young, but even the aged and the honourable. The gate of the city is the place of assembly, the counsel-house. Job lives on his country estate, but goes into the city to give counsel. JOB 29:21 should probably now follow (Budde, Peake). These verses continue the subject of...

Return to the main thought of the passage, his place among men, his brothers....

IF I LAUGHED ON THEM, &C.— _If I was merry with them, they could scarce contain themselves; yet dropped they not their reverence for me._ The word rendered _they could scarce contain themselves,_ signifies properly, to stand firm on the legs. The sense is, they could not refrain from bodily expressions of joy. The latter clause is rendered by Mr. Heath paraphrastically. It is literally, _and they caused not the light of my countenance to fall._ See Houb....