Job 2:12

Job 2:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
• New International Version (NIV)When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven.

Context of Job 2:12

10But he replied, “You’re talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?” In all this Job did not sin by what he said. 11When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country – Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come to show sympathy for him and to console him. But when they gazed intently from a distance but did not recognize him, they began to weep loudly. Each of them tore his robes, and they threw dust into the air over their heads. 13Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

Job 2:12 word by word

וַיִּשְׂא֨וּ אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶ֤ם מֵרָחוֹק֙ וְלֹ֣א הִכִּירֻ֔הוּ וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ קוֹלָ֖ם וַיִּבְכּ֑וּ וַֽיִּקְרְעוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מְעִל֔וֹ וַיִּזְרְק֥וּ עָפָ֛ר עַל־רָאשֵׁיהֶ֖ם הַשָּׁמָֽיְמָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when they lifted upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: lookH5375
• their eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
• afar offרָחֹקrâchôq râchôq · distantH7350
• and knewנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
• him not, they lifted upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: loudH5375
• their voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• and weptבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058
• and they rentקָרַעqâra‛ · to tearH7167
• every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• his mantleמְעִילme‛îyl · robeH4598
• and sprinkledזָרַקzâraq · to scatterH2236
• dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
• upon their headsרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• toward heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064

Cross-references for Job 2:12

• Job 19:14My kinsmen have failed me; my friends have forgotten me.
• Ruth 1:19So the two of them journeyed together until they arrived in Bethlehem. When they enteredBethlehem, the whole village was excited about their arrival. The women of the village said, “Can this be Naomi?”
• Lamentations 4:7Her consecrated ones were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies more ruddy than corals, their hair like lapis lazuli. ח (Khet)
• Genesis 27:34When Esau heard his father’s words, he wailed loudly and bitterly. He said to his father, “Bless me too, my father!”
• Judges 2:4When the Lord’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.
• 1 Samuel 11:4When the messengers went to Gibeah (where Saul lived) and informed the people of these matters, all the people wept loudly.
• 1 Samuel 30:4Then David and the men who were with him wept loudly until they could weep no more.
• 2 Samuel 13:36Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, wailing and weeping. The king and all his servants wept loudly as well.
• Esther 4:1Now when Mordecai became aware of all that had been done, he tore his garments and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went out into the city, crying out in a loud and bitter voice.
• Job 1:20Then Job got up and tore his robe. He shaved his head, and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground.
• Nehemiah 9:1On the twenty-fourth day of this same month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting and wearing sackcloth, their heads covered with dust.
• Lamentations 2:10The elders of Daughter Zion sit on the ground in silence. They have thrown dirt on their heads; They have dressed in sackcloth. Jerusalem’s young women stare down at the ground. כ (Kaf)
• Ezekiel 27:30They will lament loudly over you and cry bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in the ashes;
• Revelation 18:19And they threw dust on their heads and were shouting with weeping and mourning, “Woe, Woe, O great city – in which all those who had ships on the sea got rich from her wealth – because in a single hour she has been destroyed!”

Commentaries on Job 2:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12They rent every one his mantle - I have already had frequent occasions to point out and illustrate, by quotations from the ancients, the actions that were used in order to express profound grief; such as wrapping themselves in sackcloth, covering the face, strewing dust or ashes upon the head, sitting upon the bare ground, etc., etc.; significant actions which were in use among all nations.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12And when they lifted up their eyes afar off - “When they saw him at the distance at which they could formerly recognize him without difficulty, disease had so altered his appearance that at first sight they knew him not” - Noyes. They lifted up their voice - This is a common expression in the Scriptures, to denote grief; Genesis 27:38; Genesis 29:11; Judges 2:4; Rth 1:9 ; 1 Samuel 24:16, “et soepe al.” We learn to suppress the expressions of grief. The…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-13Verses 11-13 The friends of Job seem noted for their rank, as well as for wisdom and piety. Much of the comfort of this life lies in friendship with the prudent and virtuous. Coming to mourn with him, they vented grief which they really felt. Coming to comfort him, they sat down with him. It would appear that they suspected his unexampled troubles were judgments for some crimes, which he had vailed under his professions of godliness. Many look upon it…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12They could barely recognize Job: This expression shows how much Job had suffered (compare Isaiah 52:14; 53:3). Job’s friends showed their grief and began to weep aloud, as if Job was dead. Throwing dust sometimes showed anger or hate (see 2 Samuel 16:13; Acts 22:23). But here it showed grief (see Joshua 7:6; 1 Samuel 4:12; Nehemiah 9:1; Lamentations 2:10).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. toward heaven--They threw ashes violently upwards, that they might fall on their heads and cover them--the deepest mourning (Jos 7:6; Ac 22:23).Read the comment

Topics related to Job 2:12

• Dust
• Friendship
• Job
• Mantle
• Mourning
• Rending
• Sympathy

In the dictionaries

• Cloak
• Comfort
• Hannah
• Lip
• Mantle
• Mourn
• Potsherd
• Receive
• Scrape
• Speak

Commentaries on Job 2

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings