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, And with you wisdom will die! 3But I have intelligence as well as you; I am not inferior to you. And who does not know such things as these? I am a joke to my friends, The one who called on God and He answered him; The just and blameless man is a joke. 5He who is at ease holds calamity in contempt, As prepared for those whose feet slip. 6The tents of the destroyers prosper, And those who provoke God are secure, Whom God brings into their power.

Job 12:4 word by word

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

• I amהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• jokeשְׂחֹקώechôq ώechôq · laughterH7814
• my friendsרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• The one who calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• on Godאֱלֹהַּ'ĕlôahh 'ĕlôahh · godH433
• and He answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• The justצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• blamelessתָּמִיםtâmîym · unblemished: blamelessH8549

Cross-references for Job 12:4

• Job 11:3Shall your boasts silence men? And shall you scoff and none rebuke?
• Job 16:10They have gaped at me with their mouth, They have slapped me on the cheek with contempt; They have massed themselves against me.
• Job 17:2Surely mockers are with me, And my eye gazes on their provocation.
• Job 21:3Bear with me that I may speak; Then after I have spoken, you may mock.
• Job 30:1“But now those younger than I mock me, Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock.
• Psalms 22:7All who see me sneer at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying,
• Psalms 35:16Like godless jesters at a feast, They gnashed at me with their teeth.
• Matthew 27:29And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
• Hebrews 11:36and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.
• Job 16:20My friends are my scoffers; My eye weeps to God.
• Psalms 91:15He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.
• Jeremiah 33:3‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’
• Micah 7:7But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
• Proverbs 14:2He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, But he who is devious in his ways despises Him.
• Mark 5:40They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was.
• Luke 16:14Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at 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

• 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