Job 2:13

Job 2:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.
• New International Version (NIV)Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

Context of Job 2:13

11Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; for they had made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him. 12When they looked from a distance and did not recognize him [because of his disfigurement], they raised their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe [in grief] and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky [in sorrow]. So they sat down on the ground with Job for seven days and seven nights and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

Job 2:13 word by word

וַיֵּשְׁב֤וּ אִתּוֹ֙ לָאָ֔רֶץ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים וְשִׁבְעַ֣ת לֵיל֑וֹת וְאֵין־דֹּבֵ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ דָּבָ֔ר כִּ֣י רָא֔וּ כִּֽי־גָדַ֥ל הַכְּאֵ֖ב מְאֹֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So they sat downיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• with him upon the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
• sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
• daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• nightsלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• and none spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• a wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• unto him: for they sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• griefכְּאֵבke'êb · painH3511
• was veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• greatגָּדַלgâdal · to magnifyH1431

Cross-references for Job 2:13

• Ezra 9:3When I heard this, I tore my clothing and my robe [in grief], I pulled out some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled [at the shame of it].
• Nehemiah 1:4Now it came about when I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying [constantly] before the God of heaven.
• Isaiah 3:26And Jerusalem’s gates will lament (cry out in grief) and mourn [as those who wail for the dead]; And she, being ruined and desolate, will sit upon the ground.
• Isaiah 47:1“Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground [in abject humiliation]; there is no throne for you, O daughter of the Chaldeans, For you will no longer be called tender and delicate.
• Genesis 1:5And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
• Genesis 50:10When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they mourned there with a great lamentation (expressions of mourning for the deceased) and [extreme demonstrations of] sorrow [according to Egyptian custom]; and Joseph observed a seven-day mourning for his father.
• Job 4:2“If we dare to converse with you, will you be impatient [or offended]? But who can restrain himself from speaking?
• Psalms 77:4You have held my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

Commentaries on Job 2:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13They sat down with him upon the ground seven days - They were astonished at the unprecedented change which had taken place in the circumstances of this most eminent man; they could not reconcile his present situation with any thing they had met with in the history of Divine providence. The seven days mentioned here were the period appointed for mourning. The Israelites mourned for Jacob seven days, Genesis 50:10. And the men of Jabesh mourned so long for…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13So they sat down with him upon the ground; - see Job 1:20, note; Job 2:8, note; compare Ezra 9:3, “I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head, and my beard, and sat down astonished.” Seven days and seven nights - Seven days was the usual time of mourning among the Orientals. Thus, they made public lamentation for Jacob seven days, Genesis 50:10. Thus, on the death of Saul, they fasted seven days, 1 Samuel 31:13. So the author of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-13Verses 11-13 The friends of Job seem noted for their rank, as well as for wisdom and piety. Much of the comfort of this life lies in friendship with the prudent and virtuous. Coming to mourn with him, they vented grief which they really felt. Coming to comfort him, they sat down with him. It would appear that they suspected his unexampled troubles were judgments for some crimes, which he had vailed under his professions of godliness. Many look upon it…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13Job’s friends sat on the ground to share in Job’s suffering (see 2:8). People usually showed grief for seven days and nights when an important person died or to acknowledge other bad news (Genesis 50:10; 1 Samuel 31:13; see also Ezekiel 3:14–15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. seven days ... nights--They did not remain in the same posture and without food, &c., all this time, but for most of this period daily and nightly. Sitting on the earth marked mourning (La 2:10). Seven days was the usual length of it (Ge 50:10; 1Sa 31:13). This silence may have been due to a rising suspicion of evil in Job; but chiefly because it is only ordinary griefs that find vent in language; extraordinary griefs are too great for utterance.Read the comment

Topics related to Job 2:13

• Friendship
• Job
• Seven
• Sympathy

In the dictionaries

• Comfort
• Lip
• Potsherd
• Receive
• Scrape
• Speak
• Grief; Grieve
• Job, Book of
• Joshua (3)

Commentaries on Job 2

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings