Job 29

1 Job again took up his parable, and said, ‡ Job 27:1Job 13:12Num 23:7

2 “Oh that I were as in the months of old, ‡ Jer 31:28Job 1:1-5Job 1:10Job 7:3Jud 1:1Psa 37:28

as in the days when God watched over me;

3 when his lamp shone on my head, ‡ Psa 18:28Jhn 8:12Eph 5:8Jhn 12:46Job 18:6Job 11:17Job 22:28Pro 24:20 +9

and by his light I walked through darkness,

4 as I was in my prime, ‡ Psa 25:14Pro 3:32Job 1:10Job 15:8Psa 27:5Psa 91:1Col 3:3

when the friendship of God was in my tent,

5 when the Almighty was yet with me, ‡ Psa 128:3Psa 127:3-5Deu 33:27-29Jos 1:9Psa 30:7Sng 2:4Sng 3:1-2Jdg 6:12-13 +9

and my children were around me,

6 when my steps were washed with butter, ‡ Psa 81:16Job 20:17Deu 32:13-14Deu 33:24Gen 49:11

and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,

7 when I went out to the city gate, ‡ Deu 16:18Rut 4:1-2Zec 8:16Rut 4:11Deu 21:19Job 31:21

when I prepared my seat in the street.

8 The young men saw me and hid themselves. ‡ Lev 19:321Pe 5:5Pro 16:31Rom 13:7Tit 3:11Pe 2:17Pro 20:8Rom 13:3-4

The aged rose up and stood.

9 The princes refrained from talking, ‡ Job 21:5Job 40:4Pro 10:19Jas 1:19Pro 30:32Jdg 18:19Job 4:2Job 7:11

and laid their hand on their mouth.

10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, ‡ Psa 137:6Ezk 3:26

and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, ‡ Luk 4:22Job 31:20Pro 29:2Luk 11:27

and when the eye saw me, it commended me,

12 because I delivered the poor who cried, ‡ Psa 72:12Pro 21:13Exo 22:22-24Jas 1:27Deu 10:18Pro 24:11-12Psa 68:5Psa 82:2-4 +6

and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,

13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, ‡ 2Ti 1:16-18Isa 27:13Job 22:9Job 31:19-20Phm 1:72Co 9:12-14Act 9:39-41Deu 16:11 +6

and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. ‡ Isa 61:10Isa 59:17Psa 132:9Eph 6:14Job 27:6Rev 19:81Th 5:82Co 6:7 +4

My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

15 I was eyes to the blind, ‡ Num 10:31Mat 11:51Co 12:12-31

and feet to the lame.

16 I was a father to the needy. ‡ Pro 29:7Psa 68:5Est 2:7Job 24:4Job 31:18Pro 25:21Ki 3:16-28Deu 13:14 +4

I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.

17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous ‡ Psa 3:7Pro 30:141Sa 17:35Psa 124:6Psa 58:8Psa 124:3

and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

18 Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, ‡ Psa 30:6-7Gen 32:12Jer 49:16Job 42:16-17Job 5:26Oba 1:4Psa 91:16Gen 41:49 +2

I will count my days as the sand.

19 My root is spread out to the waters. ‡ Jer 17:8Psa 1:3Hos 14:5-7Job 18:16

The dew lies all night on my branch.

20 My glory is fresh in me. ‡ Gen 49:24Isa 40:312Co 4:16Gen 45:13Psa 103:5Psa 18:34Psa 3:3Job 19:9 +1

My bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 “Men listened to me, waited, ‡ Job 29:9-10Job 32:11-12

and kept silence for my counsel.

22 After my words they didn’t speak again. ‡ Deu 32:2Ezk 20:46Isa 52:15Mat 22:46Sng 4:11Amo 7:16Job 32:15-16Job 33:31-33 +1

My speech fell on them.

23 They waited for me as for the rain. ‡ Hos 6:3Psa 72:6Zec 10:1

Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.

24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence. ‡ Psa 126:1Psa 4:6Psa 89:15Gen 45:26Luk 24:41

They didn’t reject the light of my face.

25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief. ‡ 2Co 1:3-41Th 3:2-3Gen 14:14-17Gen 41:40Isa 35:3-4Isa 61:1-3Jdg 11:81Ch 13:1-4 +6

I lived as a king in the army,

as one who comforts the mourners.