Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 29:8

The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, [and] stood up.

8. hid themselves ] The young men withdrew out of reverence, not knowing perhaps how to meet and rightly salute one so great as Job was.

arose, and stood up ] The aged are supposed already met in the gate and seated; on Job’s approach they rise and remain standing till he has sat down.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 8. 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.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Hid themselves; either out of a profound reverence to my person and dignity, or out of a conscience of their own guilt or folly, which they supposed I might either understand by information from others, or discover by their countenances or carriages in my presence, for which they knew I would reprove them, and bring them to shame, or other punishment.

Stood up, whilst I either passed by them, or as present with them. See Lev 19:32; 1Ki 2:19. So great a veneration they had for my person, in regard of that wisdom, and justice, and faithfulness which they discerned in me, and in all my proceedings. And therefore they judged quite otherwise of me than you now do.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

8. hidnot literally; rather,”stepped backwards,” reverentially. The aged, whowere already seated, arose and remained standing (Hebrew)until Job seated himself. Oriental manners.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

The young men saw me, and hid themselves,…. Through a veneration of him; which was much, since young men, through a vain conceit and opinion of themselves, are apt to treat their superiors in age with slight, neglect, and contempt; or through fear, lest he should spy them, and call them to him, and examine them closely concerning their conduct and behaviour, and reprove them for their youthful follies he might have knowledge of:

and the aged arose [and] stood up; as he passed by them, to show their respect unto him; or when he came into court, they rose up, and continued standing until he had took his seat; and even then kept the same posture, attending to his counsel and instruction, to his definitive sentence and decision of matters in debate; though they were venerable persons themselves, and such as before whom young men were to arise, Le 19:32; and were also men of wisdom and prudence,

Job 12:12; yet these men rose and stood up, paying a deference to Job’s superior sense and judgment.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

8. Hid themselves Evidently pointing to a primitive and Arcadian state of society.

Stood up Remained standing. An elegant description, exhibiting most correctly the great reverence and respect which were paid, even by the old and decrepit, to the holy man as he passed along the streets or when he sat in public. They not only rose, which in men so old and infirm was a great mark of distinction, but they continued to do it, though the attempt was so difficult. Lowth.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments