Job 29:16
Job 29:16 in Multiple Translations
I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
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 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 like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.
I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.
A father I [am] to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.
I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.
I was like [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 29:16
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
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Job 29:16 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
אָ֣ב
אָ֭נֹכִֽי
לָֽ/אֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים
וְ/רִ֖ב
לֹא
יָדַ֣עְתִּי
אֶחְקְרֵֽ/הוּ
אָ֣ב
ʼâb
H1
father
N-ms
אָ֭נֹכִֽי
ʼânôkîy
H595
I
Pron
לָֽ/אֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים
ʼebyôwn
H34
needy
Prep | Adj
וְ/רִ֖ב
rîyb
H7379
strife
Conj | N-cs
לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
יָדַ֣עְתִּי
yâdaʻ
H3045
to know
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
אֶחְקְרֵֽ/הוּ
châqar
H2713
to search
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 29:16
אָ֣ב
ʼâb
H1
"father"
N-ms
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Definition: 1) father of an individual 2) of God as father of his people 3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan 4) ancestor 4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person 4b) of people 5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art 6) of producer, generator (fig.) 7) of benevolence and protection (fig.) 8) term of respect and honour 9) ruler or chief (spec.) Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
Usage: Occurs in 1060 OT verses. KJV: chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'. See also: Genesis 2:24; Genesis 42:37; Leviticus 19:3.
אָ֭נֹכִֽי
ʼânôkîy
H595
"I"
Pron
This simple Hebrew word just means 'I', referring to the speaker, like in Genesis 27 where Esau says 'I' when talking to his father Isaac.
Definition: I (first pers. sing.) Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589)
Usage: Occurs in 335 OT verses. KJV: I, me, [idiom] which. See also: Genesis 3:10; Deuteronomy 11:26; 2 Samuel 3:39.
לָֽ/אֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים
ʼebyôwn
H34
"needy"
Prep | Adj
This Hebrew word describes someone who is needy or poor, often oppressed and in need of help from God. It appears in the Bible to describe those who are vulnerable and in need of deliverance. In the KJV, it is translated as beggar, needy, or poor man.
Definition: 1) in want, needy, chiefly poor, needy person 2) subject to oppression and abuse 3) needing help, deliverance from trouble, especially as delivered by God 4) general reference to lowest class
Usage: Occurs in 58 OT verses. KJV: beggar, needy, poor (man). See also: Exodus 23:6; Psalms 107:41; Psalms 9:19.
וְ/רִ֖ב
rîyb
H7379
"strife"
Conj | N-cs
This Hebrew word refers to a dispute or quarrel between people, which can be a physical fight or a verbal argument. It is often used to describe a lawsuit or controversy, and appears in books like Deuteronomy and Job.
Definition: 1) strife, controversy, dispute 1a) strife, quarrel 1b) dispute, controversy, case at law
Usage: Occurs in 60 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] adversary, cause, chiding, contend(-tion), controversy, multitude (from the margin), pleading, strife, strive(-ing), suit. See also: Genesis 13:7; Proverbs 17:1; Psalms 18:44.
לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
יָדַ֣עְתִּי
yâdaʻ
H3045
"to know"
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) 1e1) to be known 1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle) 1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare 1g) (Hophal) to be made known 1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)
Usage: Occurs in 874 OT verses. KJV: acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot. See also: Genesis 3:5; Leviticus 5:4; Judges 21:12.
אֶחְקְרֵֽ/הוּ
châqar
H2713
"to search"
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs | Suff
This verb means to search or examine something closely, like trying to find out the truth. It is used in the Bible to describe seeking out knowledge or wisdom, and is often translated as search or seek out.
Definition: 1) to search, search for, search out, examine, investigate 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to search (for) 1a2) to search through, explore 1a3) to examine thoroughly 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be searched out, be found out, be ascertained, be examined 1c) (Piel) to search out, seek out
Usage: Occurs in 26 OT verses. KJV: find out, (make) search (out), seek (out), sound, try. See also: Deuteronomy 13:15; Psalms 44:22; Psalms 139:1.
Study Notes — Job 29:16
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 29:16 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 29:16
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 29:16
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 29:16
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 29:16
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 29:16
- Cambridge Bible on Job 29:16
- Barnes' Notes on Job 29:16
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 29:16
- Sermons on Job 29:16
Context — Job’s Former Blessings
14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
15I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth. 18So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 29:7 | The righteous consider the cause of the poor, but the wicked have no regard for such concerns. |
| 2 | Psalms 68:5 | A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in His holy habitation. |
| 3 | Job 31:18 | though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow— |
| 4 | Esther 2:7 | And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her in as his own daughter. |
| 5 | Job 24:4 | They push the needy off the road and force all the poor of the land into hiding. |
| 6 | Proverbs 25:2 | It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out. |
| 7 | Deuteronomy 13:14 | then you must inquire, investigate, and interrogate thoroughly. And if it is established with certainty that this abomination has been committed among you, |
| 8 | Exodus 18:26 | And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves. |
| 9 | 1 Kings 3:16–28 | At that time two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. One woman said, “Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth while she was in the house. On the third day after I gave birth, this woman also had a baby. We were alone, with no one in the house but the two of us. During the night this woman’s son died because she rolled over on him. So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She laid him in her bosom and put her dead son at my bosom. The next morning, when I got up to nurse my son, I discovered he was dead. But when I examined him, I realized that he was not the son I had borne.” “No,” said the other woman, “the living one is my son and the dead one is your son.” But the first woman insisted, “No, the dead one is yours and the living one is mine.” So they argued before the king. Then the king replied, “This woman says, ‘My son is alive and yours is dead,’ but that woman says, ‘No, your son is dead and mine is alive.’” The king continued, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought him a sword, and the king declared, “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.” Then the woman whose son was alive spoke to the king because she yearned with compassion for her son. “Please, my lord,” she said, “give her the living baby. Do not kill him!” But the other woman said, “He will be neither mine nor yours. Cut him in two!” Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. By no means should you kill him; she is his mother.” When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice. |
| 10 | Ephesians 5:1 | Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, |
Job 29:16 Summary
This verse, Job 29:16, is talking about how Job helped people who were in need and didn't have anyone to care for them. He was like a father to them, providing for their needs and protecting them. We can learn from Job's example by showing kindness and care to those around us who are struggling, just like God shows us kindness and care (as seen in Psalm 103:13). By serving others, we can reflect God's love and character, as Jesus taught in Matthew 25:40.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to be a father to the needy?
Being a father to the needy, as described in Job 29:16, means to provide care, protection, and guidance to those who are vulnerable and in need, as seen in the example of God's care for the fatherless in Psalm 68:5.
Why did Job take up the case of the stranger?
Job took up the case of the stranger because he recognized the importance of showing hospitality and kindness to those who are outsiders, as commanded in Leviticus 19:34 and Deuteronomy 10:19.
How can we apply Job's example to our own lives?
We can apply Job's example by seeking out opportunities to serve and care for those in need, whether it be through volunteering, donating to charitable causes, or simply being a good neighbor, as taught in Matthew 25:31-46.
What is the relationship between this verse and the rest of the chapter?
This verse is part of a larger description of Job's righteous life, as seen in Job 29:14-15, where he describes his commitment to justice and serving others, and Job 29:17, where he talks about standing up for what is right.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I can be a father or mother to the needy in my community?
- How can I show kindness and hospitality to strangers, as Job did?
- What are some areas in my life where I can take a stand for justice and righteousness, as Job did?
- In what ways can I use my resources and abilities to serve others, as Job used his position to help those in need?
Gill's Exposition on Job 29:16
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
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 29:16
Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 29:16
A father, i.e. had the care and bowels of a father to them. The cause which I knew not; either, 1. Those which were not brought to my knowledge or tribunal, either through neglect, or because the injured persons durst not complain, I diligently inquired after. Or, 2. Those which were hard and difficult, and possibly were made so by the frauds or arts of the oppressors, or their advocates, which the poor injured person could not find out, I took pains to discover.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 29:16
Job 29:16 I [was] a father to the poor: and the cause [which] I knew not I searched out.Ver. 16. I was a father to the poor] Ab laebionim, an elegant alliteration, as Mercer here noteth. Job was not only a friend to the poor, as said before, but a father, providing for their necessities, and protecting them from injuries. So Augustus Caesar delighted to be called Pater Patriae, the father of his country (Suet.). And our Queen Elizabeth would many times say that she could believe nothing of her people that parents would not believe of their children (Cambden, Eliz.). And the cause which I knew not I sought out] Sifting it to the bran, and not pronouncing sentence till I had fully understood each circumstance of the controversy. Judge not according to the appearance, but judge a righteous judgment, John 7:24. Thucydides well saith, That there are two things most opposite to right proceedings, ταχοςτεκαιοργην, haste and anger; a justificer must do nothing rashly, but with greatest deliberation and industry, to come to a right understanding of matters, in capital causes especially, lest he repent it too late; as that Sir James Pawlet did, who, out of humour and for revenge, laid by the heels Thomas Wolsey, then a country minister (afterwards a cardinal, and Lord Chancellor of England), for the which he suffered long imprisonment (Negotiat. of Card. Wolsey). And as that judge mentioned by Fortescue, who, having condemned a gentle woman to death for the murder of her husband, upon the bare accusation of her man, which afterwards was found false, saepius ipse mihi falsus est; he afterwards confessed unto me, saith the author, that he should never during his life be able to clear his conscience of that fact.
We know what pains Solomon took in the case of the two harlots that strove before him. And we have read of a judge, who, to find out a murder, caused those that were accused to open their bosoms, and felt the beating of their hearts. And when he found one of their hearts to beat extraordinarily, Tu, inquit, fecisti, Thou art the murderer certainly, said he. The man presently confessed the fact, and was executed for it (John Manl. loc. com. p. 290).
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 29:16
Verse 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.
Cambridge Bible on Job 29:16
16. the cause which I knew not] Rather, the cause of him whom I knew not. Not merely the poor about him, to whom he might feel that he owed help, but even strangers who had a cause that needed unravelling he aided by his wisdom and justice.
Barnes' Notes on Job 29:16
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.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 29:16
16. The Hebrew for father to the poor, gives a paronomasia, a beauty frequent in Job, just as if we should say, a carer for the careful ones. See note, Job 3:25. Which — Or, of him I knew not.
Sermons on Job 29:16
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Attributes of God (Series 2): The Omnipotence of God by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher discusses three propositions about God's power. The first proposition is that God has power, which is evident in the creation of the world. The preache |
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Good News to the Poor by Jackie Pullinger | In this sermon, the speaker begins by discussing Jesus' proclamation of preaching good news to the poor. He highlights the current need for this message, especially in times of nat |
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Princess & Her Relationships, the (Part 1) by Dora Esh | In this sermon, Brother Denny addresses the issue of submission and obedience in relationships. He emphasizes the importance of submitting to authority, even when we may not agree |
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The Lord in Perspective by Stuart Briscoe | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the glory of the ascended Lord. The message of the Christian Gospel is that God sent his son to the depths and raised him up to the heights. |
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Princess & Her Relationships, the (Part 2) by Dora Esh | In this sermon, Brother Denny discusses the importance of submission in the family. He emphasizes that submission is not just obeying when we agree, but obeying regardless of how w |
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Two Becoming One by Bob Hoekstra | This sermon delves into the divine design of marriage and family as ordained by God, emphasizing the importance of seeking God's guidance and grace in all aspects of family life. I |
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God-a Father of Faithfulness by Basilea Schlink | In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal testimony of finding herself in a state of depression and overwhelming problems. She received a card from Mother Basilia with a pictur |