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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 29:7-17

We have here Job in a post of honour and power. Though he had comfort enough in his own house, yet he did not confine himself to that. We are not born for ourselves, but for the public. When any business was to be done in the gate, the place of judgment, Job went out to it through the city (Job 29:7), not in an affectation of pomp, but in an affection to justice. Observe, Judgment was administered in the gate, in the street, in the places of concourse, to which every man might have a free... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 29:7

When I went out to the, gate through the city ,.... Job having described his former state of happiness by the personal favours he enjoyed, and by the prosperity of his family, and his abundance of plenty at home, proceeds to give an account of the honour and respect he had from men of every age and rank abroad: though he had an affluence of the things of this world, he did not indulge himself at home in ease and sloth; but went abroad to take care of the public welfare, maintain public... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 29:8

The young men saw me, and hid themselves ,.... Through a veneration of him; which was much, since young men, through a vain conceit and opinion of themselves, are apt to treat their superiors in age with slight, neglect, and contempt; or through fear, lest he should spy them, and call them to him, and examine them closely concerning their conduct and behaviour, and reprove them for their youthful follies he might have knowledge of: and the aged arose and stood up ; as he passed by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 29:9

The princes refrained talking ,.... Who were in court before Job came in, and were either talking with one another about indifferent matters, or were giving their opinion in a case before them; but no sooner did Job make his appearance, but they left off talking, and would not proceed any further; they laid a restraint upon their words, and curbed themselves from speaking any more till they had heard his opinion: and laid their hand on their mouth ; as a token of silence, Judges 18:19... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 29:10

The nobles held their peace ,.... These may be in some respects inferior to the others; not princes of the blood, or sons of kings, who were properly princes, and yet great personages, of a noble extraction, and of considerable families: some think the leaders and generals of armies are meant, commanders and captains, and such like military officers, those sons of Mars, who are generally bold and daring, boisterous and blustering, and full of talk; and yet even these held their peace in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 29:11

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, Proverbs 31:28 ; or they wished a blessing on him; they prayed for his welfare, as it becomes people to do for those that are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 29:12

Because I delivered the poor that cried ,.... This honour and esteem he had not because of his grandeur and riches, because of his worldly wealth and substance, but because of the goodness of his disposition, and because of the good he did to men, his acts of pity and compassion to the poor, and of the justice he did to all men; the poor and the afflicted, when they cried to him for help, he delivered them out of the hands of their oppressors: and the fatherless ; the care and defence of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 29:13

The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me ,.... That were ready to perish through the oppression of others, or through want of the necessaries of life, or through false charges brought, and through false witness bore against them, and so liable to a sentence of condemnation to death, or having it passed upon them; but Job taking their part, and searching thoroughly into their cause, not only respited them from destruction, but cleared them from the charges laid against them,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 29:7

When I went out to the gate - Courts of justice were held at the gates or entrances of the cities of the East; and Job, being an emir, was supreme magistrate: and here he speaks of his going to the gate to administer justice. I prepared my seat in the street - I administered judgment openly, in the most public manner, and none could say that I, in any case, perverted justice. Mr. Good translates: - "As I went forth the city rejoiced at me, as I took my seat abroad." read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 29:8

The young men saw me, and hid themselves - From all classes of persons I had the most marked respect. The Young, through modesty and bashfulness, shrunk back, and were afraid to meet the eye of their prince; and the Aged rose from their seats when I entered the place of judgment. These were the elders of the people, who also sat with the judge, and assisted in all legal cases. read more

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