God’s Word Translation
Job 12:4
4I am a laughingstock to my neighbors. I am one who calls on God and expects an answer. A man of integrity, a man who is righteous, has become a laughingstock.
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“You certainly are ⌞wise⌟ people, and when you die, wisdom will die. 3Like you, I have a mind. I am not inferior to you. But who doesn’t know these things? I am a laughingstock to my neighbors. I am one who calls on God and expects an answer. A man of integrity, a man who is righteous, has become a laughingstock. 5“A person who has an easy life has no appreciation for misfortune. He thinks it is the fate of those who slip up. 6⌞But⌟ robbers’ tents are prosperous, and there is security for those who provoke God, for those whose god is their power.
Read all of Job 12Job 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 empty talk silence others so that you can make fun of us without any shame?
- Job 16:10People ridiculed me with their mouths. They slapped my cheeks with contempt. They united against me.
- Job 17:2Certainly, mockers are around me. My eyes are focused on their opposition.
- Job 21:3Bear with me while I speak. Then after I’ve spoken, you may go on mocking.
- Job 30:1“But now those who are younger than I am laugh at me. I didn’t think their fathers were fit to sit with the dogs of my flock.
- Psalms 22:7All who see me make fun of me. Insults pour from their mouths. They shake their heads and say,
- Psalms 35:16With crude and abusive mockers, they grit their teeth at me.
- Matthew 27:29They twisted some thorns into a crown, placed it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. They knelt in front of him and made fun of him by saying, “Long live the king of the Jews!”
- Hebrews 11:36Some were made fun of and whipped, and some were chained and put in prison.
- Job 16:20the spokesman for my thoughts. My eyes drip ⌞with tears⌟ to God
- Psalms 91:15When you call to me, I will answer you. I will be with you when you are in trouble. I will save you and honor you.
- Jeremiah 33:3Call to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you great and mysterious things that you do not know.
- Micah 7:7I will look to the Lord. I will wait for God to save me. I will wait for my God to listen to me.
- Proverbs 14:2Whoever lives right fears the Lord, but a person who is devious in his ways despises him.
- Mark 5:40They laughed at him. So he made all of them go outside. Then he took the child’s father, mother, and his three disciples and went to the child.
- Luke 16:14The Pharisees, who love money, heard all this and were making sarcastic remarks about 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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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