Job 29:16

Job 29:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
• New International Version (NIV)I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I was a father to the poor, And I searched out the case that I did not know.

Context of Job 29:16

14Everything I did was honest. Righteousness covered me like a robe, and I wore justice like a turban. 15I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame. I was a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help. 17I broke the jaws of godless oppressors and plucked their victims from their teeth. 18“I thought, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family after a long, good life.

Job 29:16 word by word

אָ֣ב אָ֭נֹכִֽי לָֽאֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים וְרִ֖ב לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶחְקְרֵֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• a fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• to the poorאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
• and the causeרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
• I knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• not I searched outחָקַרchâqar · to searchH2713

Cross-references for Job 29:16

• Job 31:18No, from childhood I have cared for orphans like a father, and all my life I have cared for widows.
• Esther 2:7This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter.
• Psalms 68:5Father to the fatherless, defender of widows— this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
• Ephesians 5:1Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
• James 1:27Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
• Exodus 18:26These men were always available to solve the people’s common disputes. They brought the major cases to Moses, but they took care of the smaller matters themselves.
• Deuteronomy 13:14In such cases, you must examine the facts carefully. If you find that the report is true and such a detestable act has been committed among you,
• Deuteronomy 17:8“Suppose a case arises in a local court that is too hard for you to decide—for instance, whether someone is guilty of murder or only of manslaughter, or a difficult lawsuit, or a case involving different kinds of assault. Take such legal cases to the place the Lord your God will choose,
• 1 Kings 3:16Some time later two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled.
• Proverbs 25:2It is God’s privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them.
• Proverbs 29:7The godly care about the rights of the poor; the wicked don’t care at all.

Commentaries on Job 29:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The cause which I knew not I searched out - When any thing difficult occurred, I did not give it a slight consideration; I examined it to the bottom, whatever pain, time, and trouble it cost me, that I might not pronounce a hasty judgment.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16I was a father to the poor - I took them under my protection, and treated them as if they were my own children. And the cause which I knew not I searched out - This is according to the interpretation of Jerome. But the more probable meaning is, “the cause of him who was unknown to me, that is, of the stranger, I searched out.” So Rosenmuller, Herder, Umbreit, and Good. According to this, the sense is, that, as a magistrate, he gave particular attention to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-17Verses 7-17 All sorts of people paid respect to Job, not only for the dignity of his rank, but for his personal merit, his prudence, integrity, and good management. Happy the men who are blessed with such gifts as these! They have great opportunities of honouring God and doing good, but have great need to watch against pride. Happy the people who are blessed with such men! it is a token for good to them. Here we see what Job valued himself by, in the day…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Job was active in searching out and helping strangers in need.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1712-17. The grounds on which Job was praised (Job 29:11), his helping the afflicted (Psa 72:12) who cried to him for help, as a judge, or as one possessed of means of charity. Translate: "The fatherless who had none to help him."Read the comment

Topics related to Job 29:16

• Beneficence
• Poor

In the dictionaries

• Aged
• Chief
• Ready
• Job, Book of
• Poor
• Proverbs, the Book of
• Psalms, Book of
• Search

Commentaries on Job 29

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings