Tree of Life Version
Job 2:12
12But when they saw him from a distance they did not recognize him, and they raised their voices and wept. Each one tore his robe and threw dust into the air onto their heads.
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
10He said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Should we accept the good from God and not accept the bad?” Through all this Job did not sin with his lips. 11When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity that had come upon him, each of them came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come and mourn with him and to comfort him. But when they saw him from a distance they did not recognize him, and they raised their voices and wept. Each one tore his robe and threw dust into the air onto their heads. 13Then they sat with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights. No one spoke a word to him because they saw that his pain was very great.
Read all of Job 2Job 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 relatives have gone away and my close friends have forgotten me.
- Ruth 1:19So the two of them went on until they arrived in Bethlehem. As soon as they arrived in Bethlehem the whole city was excited because of them, and the women asked, “Is this Naomi?”
- Lamentations 4:7Purer than snow were her princes, whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphire.
- Genesis 27:34When Esau heard his father’s words, he shouted with an intensely bitter groan. Then he said to his father, “Bless me, me too, my father!”
- Judges 2:4Now when the angel of Adonai spoke these words to all Bnei-Yisrael, the people lifted up their voice and wept.
- 1 Samuel 11:4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, all the people lifted up their voice and wept.
- 1 Samuel 30:4Then David and the troops with him lifted up their voice and wept until they there was no more strength in them to weep.
- 2 Samuel 13:36As soon as he finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons arrived. They lifted up their voices and wept, and also the king and all his courtiers wept very bitterly.
- Esther 4:1When Mordecai learned all that was done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city crying out in a loud and bitter voice.
- Job 1:20Then Job got up, tore his robe, shaved his head, fell to the ground and worshiped.
- Nehemiah 9:1Now on the twenty-fourth day of this same month, Bnei-Yisrael gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads.
- Lamentations 2:10The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground in silence. They threw dust on their heads and girded themselves with sackcloth. The maidens of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.
- Ezekiel 27:30They will raise their voices over you and cry bitterly. They will throw up dust on their heads. They will roll themselves in ashes.
- Revelation 18:19And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, “Alas, alas, O great city— in her all who had ships at sea grew rich from her wealth! For in a single hour has she been ruined!
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
In the dictionaries
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
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