Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, July 29th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Job 4:16

A figure stood there,but I could not recognize its appearance;a form loomed before my eyes.I heard a whispering voice:

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (a Spirit);   Dream;   Faith;   Vision;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Visions;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Image;   Trance;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Greatness of God;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Prophet;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Job;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Form;   Smith Bible Dictionary - El'iphaz;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Form;   Still;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bat Ḳol;   Revelation;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
It stood still, but I couldn't discern the appearance of it; A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,
King James Version
It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
English Standard Version
It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:
New Century Version
The spirit stopped, but I could not see what it was. A shape stood before my eyes, and I heard a quiet voice.
New English Translation
It stands still, but I cannot recognize its appearance; an image is before my eyes, and I hear a murmuring voice:
Amplified Bible
"The spirit stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; A form was before my eyes; There was silence, and then I heard a voice, saying:
New American Standard Bible
"Something was standing still, but I could not recognize its appearance; A form was before my eyes; There was silence, then I heard a voice:
World English Bible
It stood still, but I couldn't discern the appearance of it; A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then stoode one, and I knewe not his face: an image was before mine eyes, and in silence heard I a voyce, saying,
Legacy Standard Bible
It stood still, but I could not recognize its appearance;A form was before my eyes;There was silence, then I heard a voice:
Berean Standard Bible
It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; a form loomed before my eyes, and I heard a whispering voice:
Contemporary English Version
It stopped and stood still. Then a form appeared— a shapeless form. And from the silence, I heard a voice say,
Complete Jewish Bible
It stood still, but I couldn't make out its appearance; yet the form stayed there before my eyes. Then I heard a subdued voice:
Darby Translation
It stood still; I could not discern the appearance thereof: a form was before mine eyes; I heard a slight murmur and a voice:
Easy-to-Read Version
The spirit stood still, but I could not see what it was. A shape stood before my eyes, and there was silence. Then I heard a quiet voice:
George Lamsa Translation
Then I arose, but I could not discern its meaning; there was no form before my eyes, but I heard a gentle voice, saying,
Good News Translation
I could see something standing there; I stared, but couldn't tell what it was. Then I heard a voice out of the silence:
Lexham English Bible
It stood still, but I could not recognize its appearance; a form was before my eyes; there was a hush, and I heard a voice:
Literal Translation
it stood still, but I could not discern its form; an image was before my eyes; there was silence; then I heard a voice:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then stode there one before me, whose face I knewe not: an ymage there was, and the wether was still, so that I herde this voyce:
American Standard Version
It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; A form was before mine eyes: There was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
Bible in Basic English
Something was present before me, but I was not able to see it clearly; there was a form before my eyes: a quiet voice came to my ears, saying:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He stoode thereon and I knewe not his face, an image there was before myne eyes, and in the stilnesse hearde I a voyce.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; a form was before mine eyes;
King James Version (1611)
It stood still, but I could not discerne the forme thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voyce, saying,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I arose and perceived it not: I looked, and there, was no form before my eyes: but I only heard a breath and a voice, saying,
English Revised Version
It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; a form was before mine eyes: there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Oon stood, whos chere Y knewe not, an ymage bifor myn iyen; and Y herde a vois as of softe wynd.
Update Bible Version
It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; A form was before my eyes: [There was] silence, and I heard a voice [saying],
Webster's Bible Translation
It stood still, but I could not discern its form: an image [was] before my eyes, [there was] silence, and I heard a voice, [saying],
New King James Version
It stood still, But I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; There was silence; Then I heard a voice saying:
New Living Translation
The spirit stopped, but I couldn't see its shape. There was a form before my eyes. In the silence I heard a voice say,
New Life Bible
The spirit stood still, but I could not understand what I saw. Something was in front of my eyes. All was quiet, then I heard a voice:
New Revised Standard
It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
It stood still, but I could not distinguish its appearance, I looked, but there was no form before mine eyes, - A whispering voice, I heard: - -
Douay-Rheims Bible
There stood one whose countenance I knew not, an image before my eyes, and I heard the voice, as it were, of a gentle wind.
Revised Standard Version
It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:
Young's Literal Translation
It standeth, and I discern not its aspect, A similitude [is] over-against mine eyes, Silence! and a voice I hear:
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; A form was before my eyes; There was silence, then I heard a voice:

Contextual Overview

12A word was brought to me in secret;my ears caught a whisper of it. 13Among unsettling thoughts from visions in the night,when deep sleep comes over men, 14fear and trembling came over meand made all my bones shake. 15I felt a draft on my face,and the hair on my body stood up. 16A figure stood there,but I could not recognize its appearance;a form loomed before my eyes.I heard a whispering voice:17“Can a mortal be righteous before God?Can a man be more pure than his Maker?” 18If God puts no trust in his servantsand he charges his angels with foolishness, 19how much more those who dwell in clay houses,whose foundation is in the dust,who are crushed like a moth! 20They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk;they perish forever while no one notices. 21Are their tent cords not pulled up?They die without wisdom.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

there: etc. or, I heard a still voice, 1 Kings 19:12

Reciprocal: Acts 10:3 - saw Revelation 8:1 - silence

Cross-References

Genesis 3:8
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Genesis 4:14
Since you are banishing me today from the face of the earth, and I must hide from your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.”
Exodus 20:18
All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance.
2 Kings 13:23
but the Lord was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and turned toward them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was not willing to destroy them. Even now he has not banished them from his presence.
2 Kings 24:20
Because of the Lord’s anger, it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he finally banished them from his presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
Job 1:12
“Very well,” the Lord told Satan, “everything he owns is in your power. However, do not lay a hand on Job himself.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.
Job 2:7
So Satan left the Lord’s presence and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
Job 20:17
He will not enjoy the streams,the rivers flowing with honey and curds.
Psalms 5:11
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;let them shout for joy forever.May you shelter them,and may those who love your name boast about you.
Psalms 68:2
As smoke is blown away,so you blow them away.As wax melts before the fire,so the wicked are destroyed before God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

It stood still,.... That is, the spirit, or the angel in a visible form; it was before going to and fro, but now it stood still right against Eliphaz, as if it had something to say to him, and so preparing him to attend to it; which he might do the better, it standing before him while speaking to him, that he might have the opportunity of taking more notice of it:

but, notwithstanding this advantageous position of it,

I could not discern the form thereof; what it was, whether human or any other:

an image [was] before mine eyes; he saw something, some appearance and likeness, but could not tell what it was; perhaps the fear and surprise he was in hindered him from taking in any distinct idea of it, or that particular notice of it, so as to be able to form in his own mind any suitable notion of it, or to describe it to others:

[there was] silence both in the spirit or image, which, standing still, made no rushing noise, and in Eliphaz himself, who kept in his breath, and listened with all the attention he could to it; or a small low voice, as Ben Melech interprets it: so it follows,

and I heard a voice; a distinct articulate voice or sound of words, very audibly delivered by the spirit or image that stood before him:

[saying]; as follows.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It stood still - It took a fixed position and looked on me. It at first glided by, or toward him, then stood in an immovable position, as if to attract his attention, and to prepare him for the solemn announcement which it was about to make. This was the point in which most horror would be felt. We should be less alarmed at anything which a strange messenger should say, than to have him stand and fix his eyes steadily and silently upon us. Hence, Horatius, in “Hamlet,” tortured by the imperturbable silence of the Ghost, earnestly entreated it to give him relief by speaking.

Hor. - What art thou that usurp’st this time of night,

Together with that fair and warlike form

In which the majesty of buried Denmark

Did sometime march? By heaven, I charge thee, speak.

Mar. - It is offended.

Ber. - See: It stalks away.

Hor. - Stay; speak: speak, I charge thee speak.

Act i. Sc. i.

Re-enter Ghost.

Hor. - But, soft; behold! lo, where it comes again!

I’ll cross it, though it blast me. - Stay, illusion!

If thou hast any sound, or use of voice,

Speak to me:

If there be any good thing to be done,

That may to thee do ease, and grace to me,

Speak to me:

Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid,

If thou art privy to thy country’s fate.

O speak!

Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life

Extorted treasure in the womb of earth,

For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death,

Speak of it; stay, and speak.

Act i. Sc. i.

Enter Ghost

Hor. - Look, my lord; it comes!

Ham. - Angels and ministers of grace, defend us!

Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damn’d,

Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell,

Be thy intents wicked or charitable,

Thou com’st in such a questionable shape,

That I will speak to thee: I’ll call thee, Hamlet,

King, father, royal Dane: O, answer me;

Let me not burst in ignorance!

Act i: Sc. iv.

But I could not discern the form thereof - This might have arisen from fear, or from the darkness of the night, or because the spirit was not distinct enough in its outline to enable him to do it. There is here just the kind of obscurity which is essential to the sublime, and the statement of this circumstance is a master-stroke in the poet. A less perfect imagination would have attempted to describe the form of the spectre, and would have given an account of its shape, and eyes, and color. But none of these are here hinted at. The subject is left so that the imagination is most deeply impressed, and the whole scene has the aspect of the highest sublimity. Noyes very improperly renders this, “Its face I could not discern.” But the word used, מראה mar'eh, does not mean “face” here merely; it means the form, figure, aspect, of the spectre.

An image was before mine eyes - Some form; some appearance was before me, whose exact figure I could not mark or describe.

There was silence - Margin, “I heard a still voice.” So Rosenmuller says that the word here, דּממה demâmâh, does not mean silence, but a gentle breeze, or air - auram lenem - such as Elijah heard after the tempest had gone by, and when God spoke to him, 1 Kings 19:12-13. Grotins supposes that it means here the בת־קול bath qôl, or “daughter of the voice,” of which the Jewish Robbins speak so often - the still and gentle voice in which God spoke to people. The word used דממה demâmâh usually means silence, stillness, as of the winds after a storm, a calm, Psalms 107:29. The Septuagint renders it, “I heard a gentle breeze, αυραν auran, and a voice,” καί φωνὴν kai phōnēn. But it seems to me that the common reading is preferable. There was stillness - a solemn, awful silence, and then he heard a voice impressively speaking. The stillness was designed to fix the attention, and to prepare the mind for the sublime announcement which was to be made.


 
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