Job 12:4

Job 12:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
• New International Version (NIV)“I have become a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God and he answered— a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!
• English Standard Version (ESV)I am a laughingstock to my friends; I, who called to God and he answered me, a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“I am one mocked by his friends, Who called on God, and He answered him, The just and blameless who is ridiculed.

Context of Job 12:4

2“No doubt you are the [only wise] people [in the world], And wisdom will die with you! 3But I have intelligence and understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these [of God’s wisdom and might]? I am a joke to my friends; I, one whom God answered when he called upon Him— A just and blameless man is a joke [and laughed to scorn]. 5He who is at ease has contempt for misfortune, But misfortune is ready [and anxiously waiting] for those whose feet slip. 6The tents of the destroyers prosper; And those who provoke God are [apparently] secure, Whom God brings into their power.

Job 12:4 word by word

שְׂחֹ֤ק לְרֵעֵ֨הוּ׀ אֶֽהְיֶ֗ה קֹרֵ֣א לֶ֭אֱלוֹהַּ וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑הוּ שְׂ֝ח֗וֹק צַדִּ֥יק תָּמִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• one mockedשְׂחֹקώechôq ώechôq · laughterH7814
• of his neighbourרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• who callethקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• upon Godאֱלֹהַּ'ĕlôahh 'ĕlôahh · godH433
• and he answerethעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• him: the justצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• uprightתָּמִיםtâmîym · unblemished: blamelessH8549

Cross-references for Job 12:4

• Job 11:3Should your boasts and babble silence men? And shall you scoff and no one put you to shame?
• Job 16:10They have gaped at me with their mouths, With contempt they have struck me on the cheek; They massed themselves together [and conspired] against me.
• Job 17:2Surely there are mockers and mockery with me, And my eye gazes on their obstinacy and provocation.
• Job 21:3Bear with me, and I also will speak; And after I have spoken, you may [continue to] mock [me].
• Job 30:1“But now those younger than I mock and laugh at me, Whose fathers I refused to put with the sheepdogs of my flock.
• Psalms 22:7All who see me laugh at me and mock me; They [insultingly] open their lips, they shake their head, saying,
• Psalms 35:16Like godless jesters at a feast, They gnashed at me with their teeth [in malice].
• Matthew 27:29And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and put a reed in His right hand [as a scepter]. Kneeling before Him, they ridiculed Him, saying, “Hail (rejoice), King of the Jews!”
• Hebrews 11:36and others experienced the trial of mocking and scourging [amid torture], and even chains and imprisonment.
• Job 16:20My friends are scoffers [who ridicule]; My eye pours out tears to God.
• Psalms 91:15He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.
• Jeremiah 33:3‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.’
• Micah 7:7But as for me, I will look expectantly for the Lord and with confidence in Him I will keep watch; I will wait [with confident expectation] for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
• Proverbs 14:2He who walks in uprightness [reverently] fears the Lord [and obeys and worships Him with profound respect], But he who is devious in his ways despises Him.
• Mark 5:40They began laughing [scornfully] at Him [because they knew the child was dead]. But He made them all go outside, and took along the child’s father and mother and His own [three] companions, and entered the room where the child was.
• Luke 16:14Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were sneering and ridiculing Him.

Commentaries on Job 12:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4I am as one mocked of his neighbor - Though I am invoking God for help and salvation, yet my friends mock me in this most solemn and sacred work. But God answereth me. The just upright man is laughed to scorn - This is a very difficult verse, on which no two critics seem to be agreed. Mr. Good translates the fourth and fifth verses thus: - "Thus brother is become a laughing-stock to his companions, While calling upon God that he would succor him. The…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4I am as one mocked of his neighbour - There has been considerable variety in the interpretation of this verse. The general sense is, that Job felt himself to be a mere laughing-stock for his neighbors. They treated him as if he were not worth regarding. They had no sympathy for him in his sorrows, and they showed no respect for his opinions. Dr. Good understands this and the following verses as a part of the controversy in which Job proposes to show his…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. The unfounded accusations of Job's friends were a "mockery" of him. He alludes to Zophar's word, "mockest" (Job 11:3). neighbour, who calleth, &c.--rather, "I who call upon God that he may answer me favorably" [Umbreit].Read the comment

Topics related to Job 12:4

• Persecution
• Prayer

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Deep
• Discover
• Laughing-Stock
• Laughter
• Mock; Mocker; Mocking
• Scorn
• Satan

Commentaries on Job 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings