Podcast 43, Stories of the Bible, “The Book of Job, Ch 29” Episode

Podcast 43, Stories of the Bible, “The Book of Job, Ch 29”

Job is speaking. Verse 1 is of the usual salutation identifying the speaker.

Job 1:1

Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

The rest of the parable is divided into four parts, following the chiastic pattern of A1, B1—B2, A2. Customarily the emphasis falls on B2 which lists Job’s charity, proving that he was a righteous man who did not neglect the poor or beggar as Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar claimed. 

In A1 Job laments the past when he was at the height of his glory, his wealth, his power, and his happiness.

A1 Job 29:2-7

Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me; When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! 

Job establishes his righteousness: “God preserved me,” his candle shined upon my head,” “by his light I walked, the Almighty was with me.” 

In true chiastic fashion, the end of the parable shows a parallel connection to the beginning, The end completes the theme of the beginning. In A1, Job laments the loss of the past. In A2, Job relives the past.

A2 Job 29:18-25

Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them. And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down. I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

In B1, Job establishes his standing in the community. 

B1 Job 29:8-10

The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

That demonstrates the profound respect the people, including the great leaders, had for Job. It also condemns the community for turning their backs on Job, as symbolized by Bildad, Eliphaz, and Jophar, simply because a series of tragedies deprived him of his wealth and power. The circumstances have changed for Job, but Job is the same man of integrity and wisdom and righteousness that he always was. 

Because of the parallel structure, the main emphasis of the parable is found in B2.

B2 Job 29:11-17

When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.