Job 29

Job's Summary Defense

1 Job further continued his discourse, and said:

2 "Oh, that I were as in months a past,
As in the days when God b watched over me;
3 c When His lamp shone upon my head,
And when by His light I walked through darkness;
4 Just as I was in the days of my prime,
When d the friendly counsel of God was over my tent;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me,
When my children were around me;
6 When e my steps were bathed with 1 cream,
And f the rock poured out rivers of oil for me!
7 "When I went out to the gate by the city,
When I took my seat in the open square,
8 The young men saw me and hid,
And the aged arose and stood;
9 The princes refrained from talking,
And g put their hand on their mouth;
10 The voice of nobles was hushed,
And their h tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard, then it blessed me,
And when the eye saw, then it approved me;
12 Because i I delivered the poor who cried out,
The fatherless and the one who had no helper.
13 The blessing of a perishing man came upon me,
And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 j I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 I was k eyes to the blind,
And I was feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor,
And l I searched out the case that I did not know.
17 I broke m the fangs of the wicked,
And plucked the victim from his teeth.
18 "Then I said, n 'I shall die in my nest,
And multiply my days as the sand.
19 o My root is spread out p to the waters,
And the dew lies all night on my branch.
20 My glory is fresh within me,
And my q bow is renewed in my hand.'

21 " Men listened to me and waited,
And kept silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they did not speak again,
And my speech settled on them as dew.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
And they opened their mouth wide as for r the spring rain.
24 If I mocked at them, they did not believe it,
And the light of my countenance they did not cast down.
25 I chose the way for them, and sat as chief;
So I dwelt as a king in the army,
As one who comforts mourners.

  1. Cross References
    Job 1:1 - 5
    There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.
  2. Cross References
    Job 1:10
    Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
  3. Cross References
    Job 18:6
    The light is dark in his tent, And his lamp beside him is put out.
  4. Cross References
    Job 15:8
    Have you heard the counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
    Psalms 25:14
    The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.
    Proverbs 3:32
    For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD, But His secret counsel is with the upright.
  5. Cross References
    Genesis 49:11
    Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey's colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes.
    Deuteronomy 32:14
    Curds from the cattle, and milk of the flock, With fat of lambs; And rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, With the choicest wheat; And you drank wine, the blood of the grapes.
    Job 20:17
    He will not see the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and cream.
  6. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:13
    He made him ride in the heights of the earth, That he might eat the produce of the fields; He made him draw honey from the rock, And oil from the flinty rock.
    Psalms 81:16
    He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.
  7. Cross References
    Job 21:5
    Look at me and be astonished; Put your hand over your mouth.
  8. Cross References
    Psalms 137:6
    If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth - If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy.
  9. Cross References
    Job 31:16 - 23
    If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail.
    Psalms 72:12
    For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper.
    Proverbs 21:13
    Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard.
    Proverbs 24:11
    Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
  10. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 24:13
    You shall in any case return the pledge to him ...
    Job 27:5
    Far be it from me That I should say you are rig...
    Job 27:6
    My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let ...
    Psalms 132:9
    Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,...
    Isaiah 59:17
    For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, A...
    Isaiah 61:10
    I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul sha...
    Ephesians 6:14
    Stand therefore, having girded your waist with ...
  11. Cross References
    Numbers 10:31
    So Moses said, "Please do not leave, inasmuch as you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.
  12. Cross References
    Proverbs 29:7
    The righteous considers the cause of the poor, But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.
  13. Cross References
    Psalms 58:6
    Break their teeth in their mouth, O God! Break out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD!
    Proverbs 30:14
    There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And whose fangs are like knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men.
  14. Cross References
    Psalms 30:6
    Now in my prosperity I said, "I shall never be moved.
  15. Cross References
    Job 18:16
    His roots are dried out below, And his branch withers above.
  16. Cross References
    Psalms 1:3
    He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
    Jeremiah 17:7
    Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD.
    Jeremiah 17:8
    For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 49:24
    But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel).
    Psalms 18:34
    He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
  18. Cross References
    Zechariah 10:1
    Ask the LORD for rain In the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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