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Wednesday, June 4th, 2025
the Seventh Week after Easter
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Job 17:5

In the old proverb someone betrays his friends for money, and his children suffer for it.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Flattery;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Greatness of God;   Hypocrisy;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Fail;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If a man denounces his friends for a price,the eyes of his children will fail.
Hebrew Names Version
He who denounces his friends for a prey, Even the eyes of his children shall fail.
King James Version
He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
English Standard Version
He who informs against his friends to get a share of their property— the eyes of his children will fail.
New Century Version
People might speak against their friends for money, but if they do, the eyes of their children go blind.
New English Translation
If a man denounces his friends for personal gain, the eyes of his children will fail.
Amplified Bible
"He who denounces and informs against his friends for a share of the spoil, The eyes of his children will also languish and fail.
New American Standard Bible
"He who informs against friends for a share of the spoils, The eyes of his children also will perish.
World English Bible
He who denounces his friends for a prey, Even the eyes of his children shall fail.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For the eyes of his children shall faile, that speaketh flattery to his friends.
Legacy Standard Bible
He who informs against friends for a share of the spoil,The eyes of his children also will come to an end.
Berean Standard Bible
If a man denounces his friends for a price, the eyes of his children will fail.
Contemporary English Version
They have condemned me, just to benefit themselves; now blind their children.
Complete Jewish Bible
Should people share with their friends when their own children's eyes are so sad?
Darby Translation
He that betrayeth friends for a prey—even the eyes of his children shall fail.
Easy-to-Read Version
You know what people say: ‘A man neglects his own children to help his friends.' But my friends have turned against me.
George Lamsa Translation
When a friend behaves insolently toward his friend, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
Lexham English Bible
He denounces friends for reward, so his children's eyes will fail.
Literal Translation
He informs against friends for a share; even his son's eyes shall be consumed.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He promiseth his fredes parte of his good, but his owne childre spende it.
American Standard Version
He that denounceth his friends for a prey, Even the eyes of his children shall fail.
Bible in Basic English
As for him who is false to his friend for a reward, light will be cut off from the eyes of his children.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He that denounceth his friends for the sake of flattery, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
King James Version (1611)
Hee that speaketh flattery to his friends, euen the eyes of his children shall faile.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He that speaketh flatterie to his friend, the eyes of his children shall fayle.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
He shall promise mischief to his companions: but their eyes have failed for their children.
English Revised Version
He that denounceth his friends for a prey, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He bihetith prey to felowis, and the iyen of hise sones schulen faile.
Update Bible Version
He that denounces his friends for a prey, Even the eyes of his sons shall fail.
Webster's Bible Translation
He that speaketh flattery to [his] friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
New King James Version
He who speaks flattery to his friends, Even the eyes of his children will fail.
New Living Translation
They betray their friends for their own advantage, so let their children faint with hunger.
New Life Bible
If one speaks against friends to get money, the eyes of his children also will become weak.
New Revised Standard
Those who denounce friends for reward— the eyes of their children will fail.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
He that, for a share, denounceth friends, even, the eyes of his children, shall be dim.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He promiseth a prey to his companions, and the eyes of his children shall fail.
Revised Standard Version
He who informs against his friends to get a share of their property, the eyes of his children will fail.
Young's Literal Translation
For a portion he sheweth friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"He who informs against friends for a share of the spoil, The eyes of his children also will languish.

Contextual Overview

1 The end of my life is near. I can hardly breathe; there is nothing left for me but the grave. 2 I watch how bitterly everyone mocks me. 3 I am being honest, God. Accept my word. There is no one else to support what I say. 4 You have closed their minds to reason; don't let them triumph over me now. 5 In the old proverb someone betrays his friends for money, and his children suffer for it. 6 And now people use this proverb against me; they come and spit in my face. 7 My grief has almost made me blind; my arms and legs are as thin as shadows. 8 Those who claim to be honest are shocked, and they all condemn me as godless. 9 Those who claim to be respectable are more and more convinced they are right.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

He that: Job 32:21, Job 32:22, Psalms 12:2, Psalms 12:3, Proverbs 20:19, Proverbs 29:5, 1 Thessalonians 2:5

the eyes: Exodus 20:5, Deuteronomy 28:65, 1 Kings 11:12, Lamentations 4:17

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 28:32 - fail Job 13:7 - General Proverbs 19:22 - and

Cross-References

Genesis 17:2
I will make my covenant with you and give you many descendants."
Genesis 17:4
"I make this covenant with you: I promise that you will be the ancestor of many nations.
Genesis 17:15
God said to Abraham, "You must no longer call your wife Sarai; from now on her name is Sarah.
Genesis 17:21
But I will keep my covenant with your son Isaac, who will be born to Sarah about this time next year."
Genesis 17:23
On that same day Abraham obeyed God and circumcised his son Ishmael and all the other males in his household, including the slaves born in his home and those he had bought.
Genesis 32:28
The man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have struggled with God and with men, and you have won; so your name will be Israel."
Numbers 13:16
lass="passage-text">
2 Samuel 12:25
and commanded the prophet Nathan to name the boy Jedidiah, because the Lord loved him.
Nehemiah 9:7
You, Lord God, chose Abram and led him out of Ur in Babylonia; you changed his name to Abraham.
Isaiah 65:15
My chosen people will use your name as a curse. I, the Sovereign Lord , will put you to death. But I will give a new name to those who obey me.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He that speaketh flattery to [his] friends,.... As Job's friends did to him when they promised great outward prosperity, and a restoration to his former state, and to a greater affluence upon his repentance and reformation; or when they spoke deceitfully for God, pretending great regard to the honour of his justice and holiness, and therefore insisted on it that he must be a wicked man and an hypocrite, that was afflicted by him, as Job was:

even the eyes of his children shall fail; so hateful are some sins to God, and particularly deceitful tongues, and flattering lips, that he will punish them in their posterity; the eyes of their children shall fail for want of sustenance, and while they are looking in vain for salvation and deliverance out of trouble, see Exodus 20:4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He that speaketh flattery to his friends - Noyes renders this, “He that delivers up his friend as a prey, the eyes of his children shall fail.” So Wemyss, “He who delivers up his friends to plunder.” Dr. Good, “He that rebuketh his friends with mildness, even the eyes of his children shall be accomplished.” The Septuagint, “He announces evil for his portion; his eyes fail over his sons.” The Vulgate, “He promises spoil to his companions, and the eyes of his sons fail.” The word rendered “flattery” (חלק chêleq) properly means “that which is smooth, smoothness” (from חלק châlaq to be smooth); and thence it denotes “a lot” or “portion,” because “a smooth stone” was anciently used to cast lots in dividing spoils; Deuteronomy 18:8. Here it is synonymous with plunder or spoil; and the idea is, that he who betrayeth his friends to the spoil or to the spoiler, the eyes of his children shall fail. The meaning in this connection is, that the friends of Job had acted as one would who should announce the residence of his neighbors to robbers, that they might come and plunder them. Instead of defending him, they had acted the part of a traitor. Schultens says that this verse is “a Gordian knot;” and most commentators regard it as such; but the above seems to give a clear and consistent meaning. It is evidently a proverb, and is designed to bear on the professed friends of Job, and to show that they had acted a fraudulent part toward him. In Job 17:4, he had said that God had hid their heart from understanding, and that wisdom had failed them. He “here” says that in addition to a want of wisdom, they were like a man who should betray his neighbors to robbers.

Even the eyes of his children shall fail - He shall be punished. To do this is a crime, and great calamity shall come upon him, represented by the failure of the eyes of his children. Calamity is not unfrequently expressed by the loss of the eyes; see Proverbs 30:17.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 17:5. He that speaketh flattery — There is a great variety of meaning given to the terms in this verse. The general sense is, The man who expects much from his friends will be disappointed: while depending on them his children's eyes may fail in looking for bread.


 
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