Job 29:7-25
Expanded Bible
7 I would go to the city gate
and sit in the public square [C indicating Job was a city leader/elder].
8 When the young men saw me, they would ·step aside [or hide],
and the old men would stand up in respect.
9 The ·leading men [princes] ·stopped speaking [L grew silent]
and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 The voices of the ·important men [nobles] ·were quiet [grew silent],
as if their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 ·Anyone [L Any ear] who heard me ·spoke well of [L blessed] me,
and ·those who [L the eye that] saw me ·praised [L bore testimony to] me,
12 because I ·saved [rescued] the poor who ·called out [L cried for help]
and the orphan who had no one to help.
13 The ·dying [L perishing] person blessed me,
and I made the widow’s heart ·sing [L shout for joy].
14 I ·put on right living as if it were clothing [L clothed myself with righteousness and it clothed me];
I wore ·fairness [justice] like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes for the blind
and feet for the lame.
16 I was like a father to needy people,
and I ·took the side of [examined the cause of] ·strangers who were in trouble [L strangers; those I did not know].
17 I broke the ·fangs [or jaw] of evil people
and snatched the ·captives [L prey; C the wicked are predators] from their teeth.
18 “I thought, ‘I will ·live for as many days as there are grains of [L multiply my days like] sand,
and I will die in my ·own house [L nest].
19 My roots ·will reach down [opened] to the water.
The dew ·will lie [lodged] on the branches all night.
20 ·New honors will come to me continually [My honor/or liver/heart was new],
and ·I will always have great strength [L my bow was renewed within my hand].’
21 “People listened to me carefully
and waited ·quietly [silently] for my advice.
22 After I finished speaking, they spoke no more.
My words ·fell [L dripped] very gently on their ears.
23 They waited for me as they would for rain
and ·drank in my words like [L opened their mouth for] spring rain.
24 I smiled at them when they ·doubted [L had no confidence],
and ·my approval was important to them [L they did not frown at the light of my countenance].
25 I chose the way for them and ·was their leader [L sat as their chief].
I lived like a king among his army,
like a person who comforts ·sad [mourning] people.
Job 29:7-25
New American Standard Bible
7 When I went out to (A)the gate of the city,
When I [a]took my seat in the public square,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves,
And the old men arose and stood.
9 The leaders (B)stopped talking
And (C)put their hands on their mouths;
10 The voices of the prominent people were [b](D)hushed,
And their (E)tongues stuck to their palates.
11 For when (F)an ear heard, it called me blessed,
And when an eye saw, it testified in support of me,
12 Because I saved (G)the poor who cried for help,
And the (H)orphan who had no helper.
13 The blessing of the one who (I)was about to perish came upon me,
And I made the (J)widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I (K)put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a headband.
15 I was (L)eyes to those who were blind,
And feet to those who [c]could not walk.
16 I was a father to (M)the poor,
And I investigated the case which I did not know.
17 I (N)broke the jaws of the wicked
And rescued the prey from his teeth.
18 Then I [d]thought, ‘I will die with my [e]family,
And I will multiply my days as the sand.
19 My (O)root is spread out to the waters,
And (P)dew lies on my branch all night.
20 My glory is ever new with me,
And my (Q)bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “To me (R)they listened and waited,
And they kept silent for my advice.
22 After my words (S)they did not speak again,
And (T)my speech dropped on them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
And opened their mouths as for the late rain.
24 I smiled at them when they did not believe,
And they did not look at [f]my kindness ungraciously.
25 I chose a way for them and sat as (U)chief,
And lived as a king among the troops,
As one who (V)comforted the mourners.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
