Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 12:4
I am [as] one mocked of his neighbor, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright [man is] laughed to scorn.
4. I am to be one that is a laughing-stock to his friends,
I, who called on God and he answered me:
A laughing-stock the just and perfect man!
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
4, 5. Job laments how low he had fallen when men thought to instruct him, a man of God, with such primary truths regarding God’s operation in the world. Yet it was but an illustration of the general truth righteousness when unfortunate was held in contempt. The verses read,
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I am as one mocked of his neighbour – There has been considerable variety in the interpretation of this verse. The general sense is, that Job felt himself to be a mere laughing-stock for his neighbors. They treated him as if he were not worth regarding. They had no sympathy for him in his sorrows, and they showed no respect for his opinions. Dr. Good understands this and the following verses as a part of the controversy in which Job proposes to show his skill in debate, and to adduce proverbs after the manner of his friends. But it is more probably an allusion to himself, and is designed to state that he felt that he was not treated with the respect which was due to him. Much difficulty has been felt in understanding the connection. Reiske contends that Job 12:2 has no connection with Job 12:3, and that Job 12:11-12, should be interposed between them. The connection seems to me to be this: Job complains that he was not treated with due deference. They had showed no respect for his understanding and rank. They had urged the most common-place topics; advanced stale and trite apothegms, as if he had never heard them; dwelt on maxims familiar even to the meanest persons; and had treated him in this manner as if he were a mere child in knowledge. Thus, to be approached with vague common-places, and with remarks such as would be used in addressing children, he regarded as insult and mockery.
Who calleth upon God, and he answereth him – This phrase has given occasion to great variety in the interpretation. Umbreit renders it, I, who once called upon God, and he answered me; that is, I, who once was a happy man, and blessed of God. Schultens renders it, I, who call upon God, that is, for trial, and am ready to answer him. Rosenmuller supposes that Job has reference to the assurances of his friends, that if he would call upon God, he would answer him, and that in view of that suggestion he exclaims, Shall a man who is a laughing-stock to his neighbor call upon God, and will he answer him! The probable meaning is, that he had been a man who had had constant communion with God. He had been a favorite of the Almighty, for he had lent a listening ear to his supplications. It was now a thing of which he might reasonably complain, that a man who had enjoyed such manifest tokens of the divine favor, was treated with reproach and scorn.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Job 12:4
I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and He answereth.
The man who gets answers may mock him who gets none
The antecedent to who seems to be uncertain. It may be Job; it may be the neighbour about whom Job speaks. They who have had experience of Gods tenderness to help them and hear their prayers, should be very tender to others, when they call to them, and seek their help. Learn–
1. It is the privilege of the saints, when men fail and reject them, to make God their refuge and their recourse to heaven.
2. The repulses which we meet with in the world, should drive us nearer to God.
3. Prayer and seeking unto God are not in vain or fruitless.
4. As it is sinful, so it is extremely dangerous to mock those who have the ear of God, or acceptance with God in prayer. (Joseph Caryl.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 4. I am as one mocked of his neighbour] Though I am invoking God for help and salvation, yet my friends mock me in this most solemn and sacred work. But God answereth me.
The just upright man is laughed to scorn] This is a very difficult verse, on which no two critics seem to be agreed. Mr. Good translates the fourth and fifth verses thus: –
“Thus brother is become a laughing-stock to his companions,
While calling upon God that he would succour him.
The just, the perfect man, is a laughing-stock to the proud,
A derision amidst the sunshine of the prosperous,
While ready to slip with his foot.
For a vindication of this version, I must refer to his notes. Coverdale gives at least a good sense. Thus he that calleth upon God, and whom God heareth, is mocked of his neighboure: the godly and innocent man is laughed to scorne. Godlynesse is a light despysed in the hertes of the rich; and is set for them to stomble upon. The fifth verse is thus rendered by Mr. Parkhurst: “A torch of contempt, or contemptible link, (see Isa 7:4; Isa 40:2, Isa 40:3), leashtoth, to the splendours of the prosperous (is he who is) ready ( nachon, Job 15:23; Job 18:12; Ps 38:17) to slip with his foot.” The general sense is tolerably plain; but to emendations and conjectures there is no end.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
As one mocked of his neighbour, Heb. I am a derision (the infinitive being put for a noun, as is usual both in the Hebrew and other languages) to my neighbour, i.e. to these three, who have pretended and would be thought to be my friends and neighbours; whom therefore such carriage doth very ill become. Instead of supporting and comforting me, they make a sport and scorn of me.
Who calleth upon God, and he answereth him. This who belongs either,
1. To Job, who here declares his own practice in this case: When you mock me, I go to God with my complaints and prayers, and he hears me, though you will not. But this seems not to agree either with the context, or with other passages of Job; in which he constantly complains that God did not hear nor regard his prayers, nor pity and help him. Or,
2. To Jobs friends; and so this is either,
1. An aggravation of their crime, that they should mock him who made a great profession of religion, who used duly to call upon God, and to receive answers from him, and therefore should have carried themselves more piously, and charitably, and compassionately towards their miserable brother. Or,
2. As the reason of their mockage of Job, because God, who neglected Jobs prayers, heard theirs, and gave them those mercies for which they prayed; and therefore being themselves well and at ease, they were hard-hearted towards their poor afflicted brother, as the manner of men is. This seems to suit well with the following verse. Or,
3. As all argument against their scorning or slighting of him: God hears you when you pray, therefore you should turn your mocks of me into prayers for me; and you should pity me, whom God doth not hear when I pray; and as God hears you, so you should hear and comfort me, when I pour out my complaints to you. But these words may be brought in mimetically, as being some of their scoffing words: They say of me, Let him call upon God, and God will hear him; for so they had suggested to Job, Job 5:8; 8:5; 11:13. But this, saith Job, I take for a piece of mockery, and insulting over my miseries; for I know by sad experience, and they see the contrary, that though I call and cry again and again, yet God hath no regard to me.
The just, upright man is laughed to scorn, i.e. I, who, notwithstanding all their hard censures and reproaches, must and dare still own it, that through Gods grace I am a just and upright man, am derided by them. This he repeats again, because it was very grievous and burdensome to him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. The unfounded accusations ofJob’s friends were a “mockery” of him. He alludes toZophar’s word, “mockest” (Job11:3).
neighbour, who calleth,&c.rather, “I who call upon God that he mayanswer me favorably” [UMBREIT].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I am [as] one mocked of his neighbour,…. That is, according to Sephorno, if I knew not, or denied those things you have been speaking of concerning God, his immensity, sovereignty, and wisdom, I should be derided by all my friends and acquaintance; but rather the sense is, Job instances in himself as a proof that good men are afflicted by God in this life; he was once in a very prosperous condition, when he was caressed by all, but now was fallen into such low and miserable circumstances as to be the scorn and contempt of his friends and neighbours; and even his being mocked was no small part of his afflictions; to endure cruel mockings has been the common lot of good men in all ages, and is reckoned one part of their distresses and sufferings for righteousness sake, Heb 11:36; and to be mocked by a neighbour, or a “friend” g, as it may be rendered, greatly aggravates the affliction, see Ps 55:12; which was Job’s case; his friends that came to comfort him mocked at him, at least so he understood them, and interpreted what they said unto him, see Job 16:20; and what made it still the heavier to bear, he was mocked by such a neighbour or friend,
who calleth upon God, and he answereth him; he was mocked at not by profane men only, but by a professor of religion, one that made it his constant business to pray to God, and by the prosperity he was in, and the good things he enjoyed, he seems to be answered; or rather Job means himself who was mocked, and so this is introduced to aggravate the sin of his friends, as well as to prove his point, and also to throw off a charge that had been brought against him. It was an aggravation of their sin in mocking him, that he was a praying man; one that made a conscience of daily calling upon God for the constant supplies of life, for his gracious presence, for help in time of need, for discoveries of pardoning grace and mercy, and for deliverance out of his troubles; and who had in many instances received answers of prayer from God; and this being his character, and this the constant work and business of his life, and being heard and answered of God in times past, showed him to be a good man, and yet an afflicted one; and this also served to wipe off the reproach, and remove the charge which they tacitly insinuated, and sometimes spoke out, that he restrained prayer before God; but he was so far from it, that the scornful usage of his friends made him ply the throne of grace the more frequently, see Job 18:20; and from this single instance of himself he passes on to consider it as a general case, as what usually befalls good and gracious men:
the just upright [man is] laughed to scorn; or “the just perfect man” h; that is, perfectly just; no man is so of himself; none of Adam’s posterity, are righteous, no, not one; nor is any man truly just, perfectly righteous in himself, but in Christ; and even such a man does not do good without sinning; only the man Christ Jesus is righteous in such sense; but then all that are made righteous, by the imputation of his righteousness to them, are perfectly justified from all things, and are become the spirits of just men made perfect and complete in him: the character here designs such who are really righteous, truly gracious, are upright in heart, sincere souls, who have the truth of grace in them, and walk uprightly; these become a prey, a laughing stock to wicked men, as Noah, Lot, and others, before the times of Job, had been, which he may have respect unto.
g “amico suo”, Pagninus, Mercerus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator so Broughton. h “justus perfectus”, Pagninus, Montanus; “justus absolutus”, Mercerus; so Broughton.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
4 I must be a mockery to my own friend,
I who called on Eloah and He heard me;
A mockery – the just, the godly man.
5 Contempt belongs to misfortune, according to the ideas of the prosperous;
It awaits those who are ready to slip.
6 Tents of the destroyer remain in peace,
And those that defy God are prosperous,
Who taketh Eloah into his hand.
The synallage of for is not nearly so difficult as many others: a laughing-stock to his own friend; comp. Isa 2:8, they worship the work of their (his) own hands ( ). “One who called on Eloah ( , for which is found in lxx at Job 36:2) and He heard him” is in apposition to the subject; likewise , which is to be explained according to Pro 11:5, (from , Arab. sdq , to be hard, firm, stiff, straight), is one who in his conduct rules himself strictly according to the will of God; , one whose thoughts are in all respects and without disguise what they should be-in one word: pure. Most old translators (Targ., Vulg., Luther) give the signification, a torch. Thus e.g., Levi v. Gerson explains: “According to the view of the prosperous and carnally secure, he who is ready for falterings of the feet, i.e., likely to fall, is like a lighted torch which burns away and destroys whatever comes in contact with it, and therefore one keeps aloof from him; but it is also more than this: he is an object of contempt in their eyes.” Job might not inappropriately say, that in the eyes of the prosperous he is like a despised, cast-away torch (comp. the similar figure, Isa 14:19, like a branch that is rejected with contempt); and Job 12:5 would be suitably connected with this if could be derived from a substantive , vacillatio , but neither the usage of the language nor the scriptio plena (after which Jerome translates tempus statutum , and consequently has in mind the , times of festal pilgrimages, which are also called in later times), nor the vowel pointing (instead of which would be expected), is favourable to this. signifies vacillantes pede , those whose prosperity is shaken, and who are in danger of destruction that is near at hand. We therefore, like Abenezra and modern expositors, who are here happily agreed, take as composed of and , a word common to the books of Job (Job 30:24; Job 31:29) and Proverbs (ch. Pro 24:22), which is compared by the Jewish lexicographers, according both to form and meaning, to (Job 21:20) and , and perhaps signifies originally dissolution (comp. ), decease (Syr. f’jodo , escape; Arab. faid , dying), fall, then generally calamity, misfortune: contempt (befits) misfortune, according to the thoughts (or thinking), idea of the prosperous. The pointing wavers between and the more authorized , with which Parchon compares the nouns and ; the , like in the latter word, has Dag. lene, since the punctuation is in this respect not quite consistent, or follows laws at present unknown (comp. Ges. 21, rem. 2). Job 12:5 is now suitably connected: ready (with reference to ) for those who stumble, i.e., contempt certainly awaits such, it is ready and waiting for them, , , like Exo 34:2.
While the unfortunate, in spite of his innocence, has thus only to expect contempt, the tents, i.e., dwellings and possessions, of the oppressor and the marauder remain in prosperity; for , an intensive form used not only in pause (Psa 36:8; comp. Deu 32:37) and with greater distinctives (Num 34:6; Psa 122:6), but also in passages where it receives no such accent (Psa 36:9; Psa 57:2; Psa 73:2). On , instead of , vid., Ges. 93, 6, 3. The verbal clause ( Job 12:6) is followed by a substantival clause ( Job 12:6). is an abstract plural from , perfectly secure; therefore: the most care-less security is the portion of those who provoke God (lxx );
(Note: Luther takes as the adverb to : und toben wider Gott thrstiglich (vid., Vilmar, Pastoraltheolog. Bltter, 1861, S. 110-112); according to the Vulg., et audacter provocant Deum .)
and this is continued in an individualizing form: him who causes Eloah to go into his hand. Seb. Schmid explains this passage in the main correctly: qui Deum in manu fert h.e. qui manum aut potentiam suam pro Deo habet et licitum sibi putat quodlibet ; comp. Hab 1:11: “this his strength becomes God to him,” i.e., he deifies his own power, and puts it in the place of God. But signifies, in this connection with (not ), neither to carry, nor to lead (Gesenius, who compares Psa 74:5, where, however, it signifies to cause to go into = to strike into); it must be translated: he who causes Eloah to enter into his hand; from which translation it is clear that not the deification of the hand, but of that which is taken into the hand, is meant. This which is taken into the hand is not, however, an idol (Abenezra), but the sword; therefore: him who thinks after the manner of Lamech,
(Note: [Comp Pentateuch, at Gen 4:25, Clark’s Foreign Theological Library. – Tr.])
as he takes the iron weapon of attack and defence into his hand, that he needs no other God.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(4) I am as one mocked of his neighbour.The laughing-stock of his companionhe who called on God, and He answered him. This is either the character Job claims for himself, or it is the supposed taunt of his friendsthe righteous and the perfect a laughing-stock, or, the righteous and the perfect might be a laughing-stock. Ridicule is no test of truth or of merit.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. I am one mocked Literally, A mockery to his friend, am I; [I] who railed upon God and he answered him: a mockery is the just, upright man.
Answereth him As if it were too great a thing for Job to say that God had heard and answered his prayer, he passes from the first to the third person. What appears to be a solecism, is really the humility of true greatness. If we truly appreciate the significance of prayer we shall not wonder at this; for prayer assumes that the invisible God is near to hearken to, and consciously answer, the cry of mortals. Its privilege confers on the mind of man the greatest conceivable exercise of might none the less than to move the Divine Being to the exertion of his power for our good. The secret of this lies in the parental affection of God. No attainment of greatness raises the Father above the touching appeal of an infant’s cry. “When ye pray, say, Our Father.”
Job 12:4. I am as one mocked of his neighbour I am a mocking-stock to my neighbour. “He hath appealed to God, to be sure he will answer him! The integrity of the righteous man is become a scoff.” He hath appealed to God, was the mock which had been thrown out to him, and alludes to what he had said, chap. Job 10:7 which had drawn forth that wish of Zophar (Job 12:5-6 of the last chapter), that God would appear, and convict him of his hypocrisy. Heath.
Job 12:4 I am [as] one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright [man is] laughed to scorn.
Ver. 4. Iam as one mocked of his neighbour ] Those that should countenance and comfort me contemn and scorn me. I am their laughter and pastime; so he took it, since they sat so heavily upon the skirts of his conscience, and would not weigh his reasons brought in his own defence.
Who calleth upon God, and he answereth him
The just upright man is laughed to scorn GOD Hebrew Eloah. App-4.
one mocked: Job 11:3, Job 16:10, Job 17:2, Job 17:6, Job 21:3, Job 30:1, Psa 22:7, Psa 22:8, Psa 35:16, Mat 27:29, Heb 11:36
calleth: Job 16:20, Psa 91:15, Jer 33:3, Mic 7:7
the just: Pro 14:2, Mar 5:40, Luk 16:14, Act 17:32
Reciprocal: Gen 6:9 – just 1Ch 4:10 – called 2Ch 30:10 – they laughed Job 1:8 – upright Mat 2:16 – when Luk 8:53 – laughed
Job 12:4. I am as one mocked of his neighbour , sechok leregnehu ehjeh, literally, a jest to his friend, I am. Thus Jeremiah complains, I was a derision to all my people, Lam 3:14. Who calleth upon God, and he answereth him This is applied by Sol. Jarchi, and the commentators in general, to Jobs neighbour or friend; intimating that such a one, addressing himself to God, received a favourable answer; when Job himself had no satisfactory return paid to his loud cries and importunate complaints. But the words are capable of a very different construction if we refer them to Job, and not to his friend, and as containing the mocking words thrown out against him: Thus, He calleth (say they) upon God; but doth he answer him? He is loud and importunate in protesting his innocence; in clearing and vindicating himself; in appealing to the tribunal of Heaven. But to what purpose? Are his importunities and clamours received, his solemn protestations heard or admitted? His trust and confidence (he would have us to believe) are entirely on God; but is he eased of his troubles; is he delivered from his miseries? Thus the Jews mocked our Lord Jesus: He trusted in God; (said they;) let him deliver him now, if he will have him. This man calleth for Elias; let us see whether Elias will come and save him. The just upright man is laughed to scorn The words have a peculiar beauty, being spoken with much religious concern and modesty; for Job does not say, I, a just and upright man, am made a laughing-stock; but he delivers himself in general terms; the just and upright man, &c. His meaning however is, that, notwithstanding all their hard censures and reproaches, he must still believe himself to be, through Gods grace, a just and upright man; and must say that, as such, he was derided by them.
12:4 I am {b} [as] one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he {c} answereth him: the just upright [man is] laughed to scorn.
(b) He reproves his friends for two faults: one, that they thought they had better knowledge than they did: and the other, that instead of true consolation, they derided and despised their friend in his adversity.
(c) Who being a mocker and a wicked man, thinks that no man is in God’s favour but he, because he has all things that he desires.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes