Job 29:8
in Job 29the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged rose up and stood;
KJV
The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
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This verse in Job 29
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThe young men saw me and hid themselves, and the old men rose up and stood. If we give heed to the history, the things that he said we believe, if to the allegory, we see the things that he foretold; for those use to be called 'young men' who are not burdened with any weightiness of counsels. But Holy Scripture is used to call those 'elders,' not who are ripe by amount of years alone, but by ancientness of character.
This site's exposition
I went out to the city gate
on Job 29:7-10
The city gate was the seat of the elders, the setting of Ruth 4:1 and Proverbs 31:23. Delitzsch and Barnes read the scene as a court before its judge. The nobles fell silent for his word, the authority Eliphaz had charged Job with abusing in chapter 22.
This site's exposition
the young men saw me
The young men withdrew in reverence. The old men were already seated, and they rose to their feet and stood until Job took his seat. Clarke names them the elders who sat with the judge.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
He shows consequently the authority of his judgment, first by the attitude taken by the young men when he says, "the young men" who are often prone to sin, "saw me and hid themselves," as though they dreaded my judgment. Second as to the old …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The young men saw me, and hid themselves,....
Virtue and piety challenge respect from all, and usually have it; but those that not only are good, but do good, are worthy of double honour. Modesty becomes those that are young and in subjection as much as majesty becomes those that are aged and in power.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
The young men saw me, and hid themselves - From all classes of persons I had the most marked respect. The Young, through modesty and bashfulness, shrunk back, and were afraid to meet the eye of their prince; and the Aged rose from their seats when I entered the place of judgment. These were the elders of the people, who also sat with the judge, and assisted in all legal cases.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The market place was the place of judgment, at the gate or propylæa of the city, such as is found in the remains of Nineveh and Persepolis (Isa 59:14;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
hid--not literally; rather, "stepped backwards," reverentially. The aged, who were already seated, arose and remained standing (Hebrew) until Job seated himself.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The young men saw me, and hid themselves - That is, they retired as if awed at my presence. They gave place to me, or reverently withdrew as I passed along. And the aged arose, and stood up - They not merely rose, but they continued to stand still until I had passed by. “This is a most elegant description, and exhibits most correctly the great reverence and respect which was paid, even by the old and the decrepit, to the holy man, in passing along the streets, or when he sat in public. They not only rose, which in men so old was a great mark of distinction, but they stood; and they continued to do it, though the attempt was so difficult.” Lowth. The whole image presents a beautiful illustration of Oriental manners, and of the respect paid to a man of known excellence of character and distinction.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| רָא֣וּנִי | rauni | they saw me | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| נְעָרִ֣ים | nearim | young men | H5288 → | 239 times |
| וְנֶחְבָּ֑אוּ | venechbau | and they hid themselves | H2244 → | 33 times |
| וִֽ֝ישִׁישִׁים | vishishim | and old [men] | H3453 → | 4 times |
| קָ֣מוּ | kamu | they rose | H6965 → | 628 times |
| עָמָֽדוּ׃ | ʾamadu | they stood | H5975 → | 521 times |
רָא֣וּנִיthey saw me
rauniH7200 →1300 times
נְעָרִ֣יםyoung men
nearimH5288 →239 times
וְנֶחְבָּ֑אוּand they hid themselves
venechbauH2244 →33 times
וִֽ֝ישִׁישִׁיםand old [men]
vishishimH3453 →4 times
קָ֣מוּthey rose
kamuH6965 →628 times
עָמָֽדוּ׃they stood
ʾamaduH5975 →521 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
1 Peter 5:5Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
it leads to
- James 4:6
But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Proverbs 3:34
He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.
- Ephesians 5:21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
- Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
- Philippians 2:3
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
- James 4:6
Through
Proverbs 16:31Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness.
it leads to
- Proverbs 20:29
The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 20:29
Through
Romans 13:7Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
it leads to
- Proverbs 24:21
My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 24:21
Through
Titus 3:1Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work,
it leads to
- Romans 13:1–7
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.
- Romans 13:1–7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
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 on the Book of Job; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Job; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIX; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.