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“Without a doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. 3I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? I am a laughingstock to my friends, I, who called on God and whom he answered – a righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock! 5For calamity, there is derision (according to the ideas of the fortunate) – a fate for those whose feet slip! 6But the tents of robbers are peaceful, and those who provoke God are confident – 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

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 11:3Will your idle talk reduce people to silence, and will no one rebuke you when you mock?
• Job 16:10People have opened their mouths against me, they have struck my cheek in scorn; they unite together against me.
• Job 17:2Surely mockery is with me; my eyes must dwell on their hostility.
• Job 21:3Bear with me and I will speak, and after I have spoken you may mock.
• Job 30:1“But now they mock me, those who are younger than I, whose fathers I disdained too much to put with my sheep dogs.
• Psalms 22:7All who see me taunt me; they mock me and shake their heads.
• Psalms 35:16When I tripped, they taunted me relentlessly, and tried to bite me.
• Matthew 27:29and after braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand, and kneeling down before him, they mocked him: “Hail, king of the Jews!”
• Hebrews 11:36And others experienced mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
• Job 16:20My intercessor is my friend 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 when he is in trouble; I will rescue him and bring him honor.
• Jeremiah 33:3‘Call on me in prayer and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious things which you still do not know about.’
• Micah 7:7But I will keep watching for the Lord; I will wait for the God who delivers me. My God will hear my lament.
• Proverbs 14:2The one who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, but the one who is perverted in his ways despises him.
• Mark 5:40And they began making fun of him. But he put them all outside and he took the child’s father and mother and his own companions and went into the room where the child was.
• Luke 16:14The Pharisees (who loved money) heard all this and ridiculed 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
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• 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