For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me:
Parallel Translations
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For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me:
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When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
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For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto me;
Cross-references (4)
Passages linked to Job 29:11 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Luke 4:22 All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
- Job 31:20 if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;
- Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
- Luke 11:27 It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain All that heard me, praised me.
All that heard me, praised me.
Testifying, that I did good justice.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Job 29:11 When the ear heard [me], then it…
Job 29:11 When the ear heard [me], then it blessed me; and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me:
Ver. 11. When the ear heard me, then it blessed me] That is, it praised me, and praised God for me, as for a common blessing; so weighty were my words, and so just my sentence, not unlike that of the Areopagites, in Athens, which was so upright, that none could ever say that he was unjustly condemned by them; but both parties, as well those that were cast as they that cast them, were alike contented, Hττωμενοι στεργουσι ομοιως τοις κεκρατηκασι.
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And when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me] Job (though he neither sought it, nor was puffed up with it) had that Pulchrum monstrari, et dicier, Hic est. The like happiness befell Demosthenes at Athens and Pliny at Rome, ουτος εστιν ο Dημοσθενης.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain It blessed me, i.e. pronounced me to be a…
It blessed me, i.e. pronounced me to be a man blessed of God with eminent gifts and graces; or heartily prayed for God’s blessing upon me, because of that wisdom and integrity which they saw in all my actions, and of the satisfaction which I gave to all, and the relief which I gave to the oppressed, by my righteous and equitable decrees in all causes which were brought before me.
When the eye saw me, it gave witness to me; when my appearance gave them occasion to speak of me, they gave testimony to my pious, and just, and blameless conversation. So far was I from being, or being thought to be, guilty of those crimes wherewith you charge me; of which see Job 22:9.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain When the ear heard me, then it blessed me,....…
When the ear heard me, then it blessed me,.... The ear of the common people assembled together to hear causes tried, and how they would go; when they heard Job give his opinion in court, or the definitive sentence passed by him as a judge, they all applauded his wisdom and justice; they highly praised and commended him; in which sense the word "blessed" is used, Pro 31:28; or they wished a blessing on him; they prayed for his welfare, as it becomes people to do for those that are in authority, especially wise and faithful magistrates; or they accounted him a blessed man, and called him so, Luk 1:48; as he was, both in a temporal sense, being blessed with a great plenty of earthly things, and also blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ, with an abundance of grace, and with a title to eternal glory; as well as he was blessed as a magistrate, with great wisdom, and with great integrity and uprightness in the discharge of his office:
and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: of his gracefulness and gravity, of his honesty and faithfulness, of his good behaviour among his neighbours, and of his wise conduct in the courts of judicature.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Witness - Gave testimony to my pious, and just,…
Witness - Gave testimony to my pious, and just, and blameless conversation.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 11. When the ear heard me] This and…
Verse 11. When the ear heard me] This and the six following verses present us with a fine exhibition of a man full of benevolence and charity, acting up to the highest dictates of those principles, and rendering the miserable of all descriptions happy, by the constant exercise of his unconfined philanthropy.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Job 29:11-12. When the ear heard me, then it…
Job 29:11-12. When the ear heard me, then it blessed me — Prayed to God to bless me, and pronounced a blessing upon me, because of the integrity, justice, and wisdom which were observed in all my discourses and actions, and of the satisfaction which I gave to all; as well as on account of the relief which I afforded to the oppressed, by my equitable decrees in all causes which were brought before me. When the eye saw me it gave witness to me — Gave testimony to my pious, and just, and blameless conversation. Because I delivered the poor — From his potent oppressor. Men did not honour me for my great wealth or power, but for my impartial justice and pity to the afflicted, and courage in maintaining their cause and right against their mighty adversaries. The fatherless, and him that had none to help him — None would own or help them, partly because they were poor, and unable to recompense them for it, and partly because their enemies were great, and likely to crush both them and their helpers; which made Job’s virtue more remarkable.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain When the ear heard me. - A personification for…
When the ear heard me. - A personification for “they who heard me speak, blessed me.” That is, they commended or praised me.
And when the eye saw me - All who saw me.
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It gave witness to me - That is, the fixed attention to what he said and the admiration which was shown by the eyes of the multitudes, were witnesses of the respect and honor in which he was held. Gray has a beautiful expression similar to this when he says,
“He reads his history in a nation’s eyes.”
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Gave. Septuagint, "winked," through approbation. (Calmet)
Gave. Septuagint, "winked," through approbation. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain blessed--extolled my virtues (Pro 31:28). Omit "me" after "heard";…
blessed--extolled my virtues (Pro 31:28). Omit "me" after "heard"; whoever heard of me (in general, not in the market place, Job 29:7-10) praised me.
gave witness--to my honorable character. Image from a court of justice (Luk 4:22).
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the eye--that is, "face to face"; antithesis to
ear--that is, report of me.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain Second strophe — This prosperity rested on the solid…
Second strophe — This prosperity rested on the solid basis is of benevolence, philanthropy, and righteousness, which had become habitual with him, as if incorporated into his very nature, Job_29:11-17.
11. It blessed me — His character, as a public functionary, not only commanded the reverence of the aged and the great, but the esteem and affection of all. The friend of God is the friend of man.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 11. This verse may read,
11. This verse may read,
For the ear that heard of me blessed me,
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And the eye that saw me gave witness to me.
Those who had only heard of him by report “blessed” him, that is, “called him happy,” as one whom blessing and prosperity must follow because of his benevolence and mercy to the needy; and they who saw him as he lived among men bore testimony to his goodness—as Job_29:12 indicates.
11–17. The ground of this universal reverence—Job’s benevolent care of the poor and his strict justice to their cause.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (11) When the ear heard me, then it blessed…
(11) When the ear heard me, then it blessed me.—This is a direct negative to the charges of Eliphaz in Job_22:6, &c. He has felt them too deeply to pass them by in total silence.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain When the ear heard me, then it blessed me.…
When the ear heard me, then it blessed me. Job, having described his reception by the nobles and chief men of the city, proceeds to speak of the behaviour of the common people. The former were respectful and attent, the latter rejoiced and made acclamation. Being of the class most exposed to oppression and wrong, they hailed in the patriarch a champion and a protector. They were sure of redress and justice where he was the judge. And when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me. The eye of the poor man lighted up with joy and rejoicing as Job sat down upon the seat of judgment, thus hearing witness to his fairness, candour, and integrity.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 after their ears heard me ... after their eyes…
after their ears heard me ... after their eyes saw me
The ears represent those who heard him, and the eyes represent those who saw him. AT: "after they heard what I told them ... after they saw me" (See: Synecdoche)
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they would then give witness to me and approve of me
"they would witness approvingly of me"
I rescued the one who was poor when he cried out
Here "the one who was poor" refers to any poor person. AT: "I used to rescue poor people who cried out" (See: Generic Noun Phrases)
The blessing of him who was about to perish came on me
Someone's blessing coming on another represents that person blessing another. AT: "He who was about to perish would bless me" (See: Metaphor)
him who was about to perish
This represents anyone who was about to die. AT: "those who were about to die" (See: Generic Noun Phrases)
I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy
Here "the widow's heart" represents any widow. AT: "I caused widows to sing joyfully" (See: Synecdoche and Generic Noun Phrases)
translationWords
bless
testimony
perish
heart
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.