Job 17:5

Job 17:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
• New International Version (NIV)If anyone denounces their friends for reward, the eyes of their children will fail.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He who informs against his friends to get a share of their property— the eyes of his children will fail.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who speaks flattery to his friends, Even the eyes of his children will fail.

Context of Job 17:5

3“Give me a pledge (guarantee, promise) with Yourself [acknowledge my innocence before my death]; Who is there that will be my guarantor and give security for me? 4But You [Lord] have closed their hearts to understanding, Therefore You will not exalt them [by giving a verdict against me]. He who denounces and informs against his friends for a share of the spoil, The eyes of his children will also languish and fail. 6“But He has made me a byword and mockery among the people, And I have become one in whose face people spit. 7My eye has grown dim (unexpressive) because of grief, And all my [body’s] members are [wasted away] like a shadow.

Job 17:5 word by word

לְ֭חֵלֶק יַגִּ֣יד רֵעִ֑ים וְעֵינֵ֖י בָנָ֣יו תִּכְלֶֽנָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He that speakethנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• flatteryחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506
• friendsרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• even the eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• of his childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• shall failכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: expendH3615

Cross-references for Job 17:5

• Job 32:21I will not [I warn you] be partial to any man [that is, let my respect for you mitigate what I say]; Nor flatter any man.
• Psalms 12:2They speak deceitful and worthless words to one another; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
• Proverbs 20:19He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with a gossip [who talks freely or flatters].
• Proverbs 29:5A man who flatters his neighbor [with smooth words intending to do harm] Is spreading a net for his own feet.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:5For as you well know, we never came with words of flattery nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness—
• Exodus 20:5You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous (impassioned) God [demanding what is rightfully and uniquely mine], visiting (avenging) the iniquity (sin, guilt) of the fathers on the children [that is, calling the children to account for the sins of their fathers], to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
• Deuteronomy 28:65Among those nations you will find no peace (rest), and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul.
• 1 Kings 11:12However, I will not do it in your lifetime, for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son (Rehoboam).
• Lamentations 4:17[And as for us,] yet our eyes failed, Looking in vain for help. Watching [from the towers] we watched For a nation that could not save.

Commentaries on Job 17:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5He that speaketh flattery - There is a great variety of meaning given to the terms in this verse. The general sense is, The man who expects much from his friends will be disappointed: while depending on them his children's eyes may fail in looking for bread.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5He that speaketh flattery to his friends - Noyes renders this, “He that delivers up his friend as a prey, the eyes of his children shall fail.” So Wemyss, “He who delivers up his friends to plunder.” Dr. Good, “He that rebuketh his friends with mildness, even the eyes of his children shall be accomplished.” The Septuagint, “He announces evil for his portion; his eyes fail over his sons.” The Vulgate, “He promises spoil to his companions, and the eyes of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5Give me, I pray, the pledge You demand (literally please keep my pledge with yourself): A pledge (Hebrew ‘erabon) can be a deposit that guarantees payment (Genesis 38:17–20; Exodus 22:26–27; Deuteronomy 24:10–14; see Proverbs 20:16; 27:13). So, this might suggest God forgiving sin (making atonement). It might also refer to Job’s wish for an advocate to support his cause (see study note on Job 16:19–21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. The Hebrew for "flattery" is "smoothness"; then it came to mean a prey divided by lot, because a smooth stone was used in casting the lots (De 18:8), "a portion" (Ge 14:24). Therefore translate, "He that delivers up his friend as a prey (which the conduct of my friends implies that they would do), even the eyes," &c. [Noyes] (Job 11:20). Job says this as to the sinner's children, retorting upon their reproach as to the cutting off of his (Job 5:4…Read the comment

Topics related to Job 17:5

• Flattery

In the dictionaries

• Extinct
• Hold
• Fail

Commentaries on Job 17

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings