Job 29

General context

Job continues his parable with a wish to be as he was in months past, in the days when God preserved him, when God's candle shone on his head and by his light he walked through darkness. Those were the days of his youth, when the secret of God was on his tabernacle, when the Almighty was still with him and his children were about him, when he washed his steps with butter and the rock poured out rivers of oil. When he went out to the gate through the city and set his seat in the street, young men hid themselves, the aged stood up, princes stopped talking and laid a hand on their mouth, and nobles held their peace. The ear that heard him blessed him and the eye that saw him gave witness, because he delivered the poor who cried, the fatherless and the helpless; the blessing of the perishing came on him and he made the widow's heart sing. He put on righteousness like clothing; his judgment was a robe and a diadem. He was eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, a father to the poor, and he searched out cases he did not know; he broke the jaws of the wicked and took the spoil from their teeth. He expected to die in his nest and multiply his days as the sand, his root spread by the waters and dew on his branch, his glory fresh and his bow renewed. Men gave ear and waited in silence for his counsel, spoke no more after his words, and waited for him as for the latter rain. When he laughed on them they did not believe it, and they did not cast down the light of his countenance. He chose their way, sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one who comforts mourners.

Cited passages: Job 29:1, Job 29:2, Job 29:3, Job 29:4, Job 29:5, Job 29:6, Job 29:7, Job 29:8, Job 29:9, Job 29:10, Job 29:11, Job 29:12, Job 29:13, Job 29:14, Job 29:15, Job 29:16, Job 29:17, Job 29:18, Job 29:19, Job 29:20, Job 29:21, Job 29:22, Job 29:23, Job 29:24, Job 29:25

Job 29 (KJV)

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Historical context

The heading names Job, continuing his parable, and the whole chapter is his own account of his former life. The city, its gate and the street where he set his seat are not named. "Months past" and "the days of my youth" give no measure of time. His claims to have delivered the poor, the fatherless and the widow, and to have broken the jaws of the wicked, answer point for point the charges Eliphaz made in chapter 22, that Job sent widows away empty and broke the arms of the fatherless; both are speakers' claims, and this chapter contains no narration to decide between them. Job's memory that "my children were about me" is stated in the past, and the chapter does not explain their absence. The phrase "the secret of God was upon my tabernacle" is Job's and is not explained. The chapter says nothing about what caused the change from those months to the present.

Cited passages: Job 29:1, Job 29:7, Job 29:2, Job 29:4, Job 29:12, Job 29:13, Job 22:9, Job 29:5

Literary context

The chapter opens with "Oh that I were," matching the "Oh that I knew" that opened Job's earlier search for God, and the wish marks everything that follows as past. A run of "When" clauses builds the memory: candle, light, youth, secret, children, butter, oil, gate, seat. At the gate four groups fall silent in turn, young men, the aged, princes, nobles. A "Because" then gives the reason for the honour, a list of those he helped: the poor, the fatherless, the helpless, the perishing, the widow, the blind, the lame. Clothing carries the argument: "I put on righteousness, and it clothed me" answers Eliphaz's charge that Job "stripped the naked of their clothing." Verse 18 records what Job once expected, to die in his nest with days as many as sand, and the wish of verse 2 has already told the reader that expectation failed. The chapter closes as it began at the gate, with listeners silent and Job seated as chief and king, adding at the end that he was one who comforts mourners.

Cited passages: Job 29:2, Job 23:3, Job 29:3, Job 29:8, Job 29:10, Job 29:12, Job 29:15, Job 29:14, Job 22:6, Job 29:18, Job 29:21, Job 29:25

Key moments

1. Oh that I were (Job 29:2). Job wishes to be as he was in the months when God preserved him.
2. Children about me (Job 29:5). Job recalls when the Almighty was with him and his children surrounded him.
3. Silence at the gate (Job 29:8). Young men hide and the aged stand when Job takes his seat in the city.
4. Deliverer of the poor (Job 29:12). Job says he was honoured because he delivered the poor and the fatherless.
5. Clothed in righteousness (Job 29:14). Job says righteousness clothed him and his judgment was a robe and diadem.
6. Dying in the nest (Job 29:18). Job recalls expecting to die at home with days as many as sand.
7. Seated as chief (Job 29:25). Job remembers choosing the way for others and sitting as a king in the army.

For reflection

Job remembers that men "waited for me as for the rain" and that he "sat chief." How much of what he misses is God's presence, and how much is the standing he had among people?

People in this chapter

• Job