English Standard Version
Job 16:20
20My friends scorn me; my eye pours out tears to God,
Job 16:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
- New International Version (NIV)My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God;
- New King James Version (NKJV)My friends scorn me; My eyes pour out tears to God.
- New Living Translation (NLT)My friends scorn me, but I pour out my tears to God.
Context of Job 16:20
18"O earth, cover not my blood, and let my cry find no resting place. 19Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high. My friends scorn me; my eye pours out tears to God, 21that he would argue the case of a man with God, as a son of man does with his neighbor. 22For when a few years have come I shall go the way from which I shall not return.
Read all of Job 16Job 16:20 word by word
מְלִיצַ֥י רֵעָ֑י אֶל־אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ דָּלְפָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 16:20
- Job 16:4I also could speak as you do, if you were in my place; I could join words together against you and shake my head at you.
- Job 12:4I am a laughingstock to my friends; I, who called to God and he answered me, a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock.
- Job 17:2Surely there are mockers about me, and my eye dwells on their provocation.
- Psalms 109:4In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.
- Psalms 142:2I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.
- Hosea 12:4He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us—
- Luke 6:11But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
- Hebrews 5:7In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
Commentaries on Job 16:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20My friends scorn me - They deride and insult me, but my eye is towards God; I look to him to vindicate my cause.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20My friends scorn me - Margin “are my scorners.” That is, his friends had him in derision and mocked him, and he could only appeal with tears to God. Mine eye poureth out tears unto God - Despised and mocked by his friends, he made his appeal to one who he knew would regard him with compassion. This shows that the heart of Job was substantially right. Notwithstanding, all his passionate exclamations; and notwithstanding, his expressions, when he was urged…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-22Verses 17-22 Job's condition was very deplorable; but he had the testimony of his conscience for him, that he never allowed himself in any gross sin. No one was ever more ready to acknowledge sins of infirmity. Eliphaz had charged him with hypocrisy in religion, but he specifies prayer, the great act of religion, and professes that in this he was pure, though not from all infirmity. He had a God to go to, who he doubted not took full notice of all his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-21my witness is in heaven: Job wished for a kind third party to be "a mediator" between him and God (see 9:32–35). Job wanted a heavenly advocate who would eventually stand on the earth (16:19; compare Zechariah 3:1; Job 19:25; compare 1 Samuel 24:15; John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; 1 John 2:1).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Hebrew, "are my scorners"; more forcibly, "my mockers--my friends!" A heart-cutting paradox [Umbreit]. God alone remains to whom he can look for attestation of his innocence; plaintively with tearful eye, he supplicates for this.Read the comment
Topics related to Job 16:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 16
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries