Job 17:5
in Job 17If a man denounces his friends for a price, the eyes of his children will fail.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He that denounceth his friends for a prey, Even the eyes of his children shall fail.
KJV
He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
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This verse in Job 17
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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; Deu 18:
This site's exposition
You have closed their minds to understanding
on Job 17:4-5
Job turns toward heaven again, "You have closed their minds to understanding", reading the friends' blindness as something God has withheld. He asks that they not triumph: "therefore You will not exalt them". The verses accuse the friends while leaving open that their blindness has a cause beyond themselves.
This site's exposition
denounces his friends for a price
The renderings differ widely. Noyes, cited by Barnes and by Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, reads it as a man who gives up his friends as prey. Job suggests his friends are ready to do this, and the price falls on his children, whose eyes fail.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XIII · Written before 604.
proposed
Ver. 5. He promiseth prey to his friends; and the eyes of his children shall fail.
From the fact that they were placed far from spiritual teaching, he concludes that Eliphaz promises only temporal goods to Job as a consolation, (5:18) and he expresses this saying, "He promises plunder to his companions," that is, the procurement of temporal goods which can …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He that speaketh flattery to his friends,....
They all came to mourn with him. Eliphaz began with a commendation of him, ch. iv. They had all promised him that he would be happy if he would take their advice.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The Hebrew for "flattery" is "smoothness"; then it came to mean a prey divided by lot, because a smooth stone was used in casting the lots (De 18:8), "a portion" (Ge 14:24). Therefore translate, "He that delivers up his friend as a prey (which the conduct of my friends implies that they would do), even the eyes," &c. [NOYES] (Job 11:20).
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
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.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לְ֭חֵלֶק | lechelek | for a share | H2506 → | 67 times |
| יַגִּ֣יד | yagid | he tells | H5046 → | 370 times |
| רֵעִ֑ים | reim | friends | H7453 → | 188 times |
| וְעֵינֵ֖י | veeinei | and [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| בָנָ֣יו | vanav | children his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| תִּכְלֶֽנָה׃ | tikhlenah | they will fail | H3615 → | 208 times |
לְ֭חֵלֶקfor a share
lechelekH2506 →67 times
יַגִּ֣ידhe tells
yagidH5046 →370 times
רֵעִ֑יםfriends
reimH7453 →188 times
וְעֵינֵ֖יand [the] eyes of
veeineiH5869 →887 times
בָנָ֣יוchildren his
vanavH1121 →4930 times
תִּכְלֶֽנָה׃they will fail
tikhlenahH3615 →208 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 20:19He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.
it leads to
- Romans 16:18
For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 11:13
A gossip reveals a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
- Proverbs 18:8
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
- Proverbs 13:3
He who guards his mouth protects his life, but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.
- Leviticus 19:16
You must not go about spreading slander among your people. You must not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am the LORD.
- Romans 16:18
Through
Job 11:20But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; they will hope for their last breath.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 28:65
Among those nations you will find no repose, not even a resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul.
- Deuteronomy 28:65
Through
Proverbs 29:5A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
it leads to
- Hosea 5:1
“Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O royal house! For this judgment is against you because you have been a snare at Mizpah, a net spread out on…
- Psalms 5:9
For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
- Hosea 5:1
About Job
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIII; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.