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Job 29
Modern English Version
Job 29
Modern English Version
Job’s Final Defense
29 Moreover Job continued his discourse:
2 “Oh, that I were as in months past,
as in the days when God watched over me;
3 when His lamp shone upon my head,
and when by His light I walked through darkness;
4 as I was in the days of my autumn youth,
when the friendly counsel of God was over my tent;
5 when the Almighty was still with me,
when my children were around me;
6 when my steps were bathed in butter,
and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me!
7 “When I went out to the gate of the city,
when I took my seat in the square,
8 the young men saw me and hid themselves,
and the aged arose and stood up.
9 The princes refrained from talking,
and put their hand on their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace,
and their 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 delivered the poor who cried,
and the fatherless, and him who had none to help him.
13 The blessing of the perishing man came upon me,
and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my judgment was like a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes for the blind,
and I was feet for the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor,
and I searched out the case that I did not know.
17 I broke the jaws of the wicked
and plucked the victim from his teeth.
18 “Then I said, ‘I will die in my nest,
and I will multiply my days as the sand.
19 My root was spread out by the waters,
and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
20 My glory was fresh in me,
and my bow was 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 like dew.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
and they opened their mouth wide as for 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,
and lived as a king in the army,
as one who comforts mourners.
Job 29
New International Version
Job 29
New International Version
Job’s Final Defense
29 Job continued his discourse:(A)
2 “How I long for the months gone by,(B)
for the days when God watched over me,(C)
3 when his lamp shone on my head
and by his light I walked through darkness!(D)
4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
when God’s intimate friendship(E) blessed my house,(F)
5 when the Almighty was still with me
and my children(G) were around me,(H)
6 when my path was drenched with cream(I)
and the rock(J) poured out for me streams of olive oil.(K)
7 “When I went to the gate(L) of the city
and took my seat in the public square,
8 the young men saw me and stepped aside(M)
and the old men rose to their feet;(N)
9 the chief men refrained from speaking(O)
and covered their mouths with their hands;(P)
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,(Q)
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.(R)
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
and those who saw me commended me,(S)
12 because I rescued the poor(T) who cried for help,
and the fatherless(U) who had none to assist them.(V)
13 The one who was dying blessed me;(W)
I made the widow’s(X) heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness(Y) as my clothing;
justice was my robe and my turban.(Z)
15 I was eyes(AA) to the blind
and feet to the lame.(AB)
16 I was a father to the needy;(AC)
I took up the case(AD) of the stranger.(AE)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
and snatched the victims(AF) from their teeth.(AG)
18 “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,
my days as numerous as the grains of sand.(AH)
19 My roots will reach to the water,(AI)
and the dew will lie all night on my branches.(AJ)
20 My glory will not fade;(AK)
the bow(AL) will be ever new in my hand.’(AM)
21 “People listened to me expectantly,
waiting in silence for my counsel.(AN)
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;(AO)
my words fell gently on their ears.(AP)
23 They waited for me as for showers
and drank in my words as the spring rain.(AQ)
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
the light of my face(AR) was precious to them.[a](AS)
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;(AT)
I dwelt as a king(AU) among his troops;
I was like one who comforts mourners.(AV)
Footnotes
- Job 29:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
Modern English Version (MEV)
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.