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“Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die! 3But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. 5The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping. 6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands.

Job 12:4 word by word

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

• I amהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• a laughingstockשְׂחֹקώechôq ώechôq · laughterH7814
• to my friendsרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• though I calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• on Godאֱלֹהַּ'ĕlôahh 'ĕlôahh · godH433
• and He answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• The righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• and upright manתָּמִיםtâmîym · unblemished: blamelessH8549

Cross-references for Job 12:4

• Job 11:3Should your babbling put others to silence? Will you scoff without rebuke?
• Job 16:10They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.
• Job 17:2Surely mockers surround me, and my eyes must gaze at their rebellion.
• Job 21:3Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.
• Job 30:1“But now they mock me, men younger than I am, whose fathers I would have refused to put with my sheep dogs.
• Psalms 22:7All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads:
• Psalms 35:16Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.
• Matthew 27:29And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand, knelt down before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
• Hebrews 11:36Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
• Job 16:20My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.
• Psalms 91:15When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.
• Jeremiah 33:3Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
• Micah 7:7But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
• Proverbs 14:2He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.
• Mark 5:40And they laughed at Him. After He had put them all outside, He took the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and went in to see the child.
• Luke 16:14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.

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
• 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