Job 42:11 - Exposition

Then came there unto him all his brethren . Job's "brethren," and his desertion by them in his misfortunes, had been mentioned in Job 19:13 . Now these fair-weather friends flocked to him again, and professed affection and interest, ignoring probably, or excusing, their long absence and neglect. And all his sisters . One sex had behaved no better to him than the other. His nearest female relatives had failed to show themselves the "ministering angels" that they are commonly accounted, even when "pain and anguish" most "wrung his brow ." And all they that had been of his acquaintance before . Job, like other wealthy and prosperous men had during the time of his prosperity had "troops of friends" (see Job 29:8-10 , Job 29:21-25 ). When adversity swooped down they fell away. Now they had the effrontery to claim his acquaintance once more, and to come and be his guests; they did eat bread with him in his house. Nay, more, they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him, whereof the worst part was their own coldness and desertion ( Job 19:13 , Job 19:14 , Job 19:19 ). Finally, to establish the renewed friendship, every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an ear-ring of gold. The money given is said to have been a kesitah , which means probably a certain weight of silver, though whether a shekel or not is uncertain. The word belongs to the earlier Hebrew, being found only in Genesis 33:19 ; Joshua 24:32 , and in the present passage. Ear-rings were commonly worn in the East by men as well as women, as appears from the Egyptian, Assyrian, and Persian sculptures.