the Fourth Week after Easter
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Complete Jewish Bible
Job 29:16
Bible Study Resources
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- InternationalParallel Translations
I was a father to the needy,and I examined the case of the stranger.
I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I didn't know, I searched out.
I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
I was like a father to needy people, and I took the side of strangers who were in trouble.
I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the case of the person I did not know;
"I was a father to the needy; I investigated the case I did not know [and assured justice].
"I was a father to the poor, And I investigated the case which I did not know.
I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I didn't know, I searched out.
I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.
I was a father to the needy,And I searched out the case which I did not know.
I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
I was a father to the needy, and I defended them in court, even if they were strangers.
I was a father to the needy, and the cause which I knew not I searched out;
I was like a father to the poor. I helped people I didn't even know win their case in court.
I was a father to the poor; and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
I was like a father to the poor and took the side of strangers in trouble.
I was a father to the poor, and I investigated the stranger's legal dispute.
I was father to the poor, and the cause which I did not know, I searched out.
I was a father vnto the poore, & whe I knew not their cause, I sought it out diligetly.
I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.
I was a father to the needy; and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
I was a father to the poore: and the cause which I knewe not, I searched out.
I was a father to the poore: and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.
I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.
I was a father to the needy: and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
Y was a fadir of pore men; and Y enqueride most diligentli the cause, which Y knew not.
I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I didn't know I searched out.
I [was] a father to the poor: and the cause [which] I knew not I searched out.
I was a father to the poor, And I searched out the case that I did not know.
I was a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help.
I was a father to those in need. And I helped those I did not know who had a need.
I was a father to the needy, and I championed the cause of the stranger.
A father, was, I, to the needy, and, as for the cause which I knew not, I used to search it out;
I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.
I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
A father I [am] to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
"I was a father to the needy, And I investigated the case which I did not know.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
a father: Job 31:18, Esther 2:7, Psalms 68:5, Ephesians 5:1, James 1:27
the cause: Exodus 18:26, Deuteronomy 13:14, Deuteronomy 17:8-10, 1 Kings 3:16-28, Proverbs 25:2, Proverbs 29:7
Reciprocal: Genesis 39:19 - heard Genesis 45:8 - father Exodus 18:21 - men Judges 17:10 - a father 2 Samuel 14:8 - I will give Ezra 6:1 - and search Ezra 10:16 - to examine the matter Psalms 82:4 - Deliver Proverbs 18:13 - that Proverbs 24:25 - them Proverbs 31:9 - General Ezekiel 18:17 - hath taken Luke 14:13 - call
Cross-References
Le'ah's eyes were weak; but Rachel was good-looking, with beautiful features.
In the morning Ya‘akov saw that he was with Le'ah, and he said to Lavan, "What kind of thing is this that you've done to me? Didn't I work for you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?"
Le'ah conceived and gave birth to a son, whom she named Re'uven [see, a son!], for she said, "It is because Adonai has seen how humiliated I have been, but now my husband will love me."
Le'ah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Ya‘akov.
So Ya‘akov sent for Rachel and Le'ah and had them come to the field where his flock was.
putting the slave-girls and their children first, Le'ah and her children second, and Rachel and Yosef last.
The sons of Le'ah were Re'uven Ya‘akov's firstborn, Shim‘on, Levi, Y'hudah, Yissakhar and Z'vulun.
These were the children of Le'ah whom she bore to Ya‘akov in Paddan-Aram, with his daughter Dinah. In sum, his sons and daughters numbered thirty-three.
there they buried Avraham and his wife Sarah, there they buried Yitz'chak and his wife Rivkah, and there I buried Le'ah —
All the people at the gate and the leaders said, "We are witnesses. May Adonai make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Le'ah, who between them built up the house of Isra'el. Do worthy deeds in Efrat; become renowned in Beit-Lechem.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
I [was] a father to the poor,.... Not in a literal sense; for his children were rich as well as himself, while he had them; but in a civil sense, he was the patron of the poor; he was an advocate for them, he took their part, he pleaded their cause, defended their persons, and secured the little property they had; he had the pity and compassion of a father for them, and supplied their wants; he fed them and clothed them; he did not eat his morsel alone, but gave them part of it, and warmed them with the fleece of his flock:
and the cause [which] I knew not I searched out; any cause that was brought before him, he knew thing of before, and which, upon the opening of it, did not appear plain and easy, but had its difficulties; this he closely examined, and searched thoroughly into the merits of, till it appeared plain to him on which side the truth and justice of it lay; he did not hurry it over, and pass sentence, having only in a superficial manner considered it, as is too often the case; but after a long examination of the contending parties, and of the witnesses on both sides, to whom he gave an impartial hearing, he pronounced the decisive sentence; see Proverbs 25:2. Some think this refers to his diligent search and inquiry after causes that were not brought before him; he did, not wait for application to be made to him, but hearing of, or upon inquiry finding, that there were persons oppressed and distressed by cruel men, he of himself voluntarily offered his assistance, searched into their cause, made himself master of it, and freed them from their distresses; so different were his behaviour and character from that of the unjust judge, Luke 18:1; though others, choose to render the words, "the cause of him that I knew not", c. t of a stranger, of one that he had never seen before, of one that was most unknown to him in the world; the cause of such an one he took as, much pains with to get the true knowledge of, and do justice to, as of the dearest relation, the nearest neighbour, and the most intimate friend and acquaintance that he had.
t ידעתי "quem non cognoveram", Junius Tremellius, Michaelis "ignotissimi", Schultens.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
I 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 the cause of the stranger, and investigated it with care. It is possible that Job here designs specifically to reply to the charge brought against him by Eliphaz in Job 22:6 ff. The duty of showing particular attention to the stranger is often inculcated in the Bible, and was regarded as essential to a character of uprightness and piety among the Orientals.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 29:16. The 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.
