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! 3But I have a mind as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know these things? “I have become a laughingstock to my friend, though I called on God and He answered— a righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock! 5Contempt for calamity is the thought of one at ease, prepared for those whose foot slips. 6The tents of marauders prosper, and there is security for those who provoke God— for those whom God brings in His hand.

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 silence men and will no one rebuke you when you mock?
• Job 16:10People open their mouths against me; they strike my cheek in contempt; they unite together against me.
• Job 17:2Surely mockers are with me, my eyes must gaze on their hostility.
• Job 21:3Bear with me as I speak, and after I have spoken, mock on.
• Job 30:1“But now they mock me— those younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs.
• Psalms 22:7Am I a worm, and not a man? Am I a scorn of men, despised by people?
• Psalms 35:16They mocked profanely, as if at a feast, they gnashed at me with their teeth.
• Matthew 27:29And after braiding a crown of thorns, they placed it on His head and put a staff in His right hand. And falling on their knees before Him, they mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
• Hebrews 11:36Others experienced the trial of mocking and scourging—yes, and even chains and prison.
• Job 16:20My intercessor is my friend; as my eyes pour out tears to God;
• Psalms 91:15When he calls on Me, I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble, rescue him, and honor him.
• Jeremiah 33:3“Call to Me, and I will answer you— I will tell you great and hidden things, which you do not know.”
• Micah 7:7But I—I will watch for Adonai. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
• Proverbs 14:2The one who walks uprightly fears Adonai, but one devious in his ways despises Him.
• Mark 5:40They start jeering at Him. But after sending all of them out, He takes the child’s father and mother, and those with Him, and enters where the child was.
• Luke 16:14Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and sneering at Yeshua.

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