Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 29:4
As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God [was] upon my tabernacle;
4. days of my youth ] lit. days of my autumn. It is doubtful if Job means to describe by this expression any period of his own age, namely his manhood. He rather compares his former time of prosperity to the season of the year, the autumn, the time of fruit-gathering and plenty and joy, and also thankfulness to God (clause second).
the secret of God ] i. e. the intimacy and friendship of God; comp. on ch. Job 19:19. God’s friendship or intimacy watched over his tent.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
As I was in the days of my youth – The word here rendered youth ( choreph), properly means autumn – from ( charaph), to pluck, pull, as being the time when fruits ace gathered. Then it means that which is mature; and the meaning here is probably mature or manly – As I was in the days of my ripeness; that is, of my vigor or strength. The whole passage shows that it does not mean youth, for he goes on to describe the honor and respect shown to him when in mature life. So the Septuagint – Hote emen epibrithon hodous – When I made heavy or laded my ways, an expression referring to autumn as being laden with fruit. So we speak of the spring, the autumn, and the winter of life, and by the autumn denote the maturity of vigor, experience, and wisdom. So the Greeks used the word opora, Pindar, Isthm. 2, 7, 8; Nem. 5, 10, Aeschyl. Suppl. 1005, 1022. So Ovid:
Excessit Autumnus posito fervore javentae
Maturus, mitisque inter juvenemque senemqae;
Temperie medius, sparsis per tempora canis.
Inde senilis hiems tremulo venit horrida passu.
Aut spoliata suos, aut. quos habet, alba capillos.
Metam. 15. 200.
The wish of Job was, that he might be restored to the vigor of mature life, and to the influence and honors which he had then, or rather, perhaps, it was that they might have a view of what he was then, that they might see from what a height he had fallen, and what cause he had of complaint and grief.
When the secret of God was upon my tabernacle – The meaning of this language is not clear, and considerable variety has obtained in the interpretation. The Septuagint renders it, When God watched over – episkopen epoieito – my house. Vulgate, When God was secretly in my tabernacle. Noyes, When God was the friend of my tent. Coverdale renders the whole, As I stood when I was wealthy and had enough; when God prospered my house. Umbreit, Als noch traulich Gott in meinem Zette weilte – When God remained cordially in my tent. Herder, When God took counsel with me in my tent. The word rendered secret ( sod), means a couch or cushion on which one reclines, and then a divan, or circle of friends sitting together in consultation; see the word explained in the notes at Job 15:8. The idea here probably is, that God came into his tent or dwelling as a friend, and that Job was, as it were, admitted to the secrecy of his friendship and to an acquaintance with his plans.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. The days of my youth] The original word rather means in the days of my winter, charpi, from charaph, “to strip or make bare.” Mr. Harmer supposes the rainy season is intended, when the fields, c., parched up by long drought, are revived by the plentiful showers. Mr. Good thinks the word as found in the Arabic, which means top or summit, and which he translates perfection, is that which should be preferred. Others think the autumnal state is meant, when he was loaded with prosperity, as the trees are with ripe fruit.
The secret of God was upon my tabernacle] besod Eloah, “the secret assembly of God,” meaning probably the same thing that is spoken of in the beginning of this book, the sons of God, the devout people, presenting themselves before God. It is not unlikely that such a secret assembly of God Job had in his own house where he tells us, in the next verse, “The Almighty was with him, and his children were about him.”
Mr. Good translates differently: When God fortified my tent over me; supposing that the Hebrew sod is the Arabic [Arabic] sud, “a barrier or fortification.” Either will make a good sense.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In the days of my youth, i.e. in my former and flourishing days, which he calls the
days of youth, because those are commonly the times of mirth and comfort, as old age is called evil days, Ecc 12:1; when there was a secret blessing of God upon me and my family, protecting, directing, and succeeding us in all our affairs, which the devil observed, Job 1:10; whereas now there is a visible curse of God upon me and mine.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. youthliterally, “autumn”;the time of the ripe fruits of my prosperity. Applied to youth,as the Orientalists began their year with autumn, the mosttemperate season in the East.
secretwhen theintimate friendship of God rested on my tent (Pro 3:32;Psa 31:20; Gen 18:17;Joh 15:15). The Hebrewoften means a divan for deliberation.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
As I was in the days of my youth,…. Either taken literally, he being one like Obadiah, that feared God from his youth upward,
1Ki 18:3; or figuratively, for his former state of prosperity, when he was like a tree in autumn laden with ripe and rich fruit, and in great abundance; and so some render the words “in the days of my autumn”, or “autumnity” r; though it may respect the time of his first conversion, the infancy and youth of his spiritual state, who, when first regenerated, was as a newborn babe, and then became a young man, and now a father in Christ, his living Redeemer: and Job wishes it was with him as in his youth, or in the early days of his conversion, at which season, generally speaking, there are great zeal and fervency of spirit, a flow of love and affection to God and the best things; large discoveries of his love, much sensible communion with him, and enjoyment of his presence; wherefore such returning seasons are desirable; see Jer 2:2;
when the secret of God [was] upon my tabernacle; either the secret power and providence of God, which was upon his house and family, and all that belonged to him; or the secret of his love, which was manifested to him, and is from everlasting to everlasting on them that fear the Lord, as Job did; who had secret communion with God, his fellowship was with him; he dwelt in the secret place of the Almighty, and was taken into his secret chambers, where he had the greatest familiarity with him, see Ps 25:14. Some observe the word for “secret” is used for an “assembly” s, and take the sense to be, that the assembly of the saints and people of God was in his tabernacle or house; there they met together for religious worship, and where Job had often a comfortable opportunity, and wishes for the same again, see
Ps 42:1.
r “in autumno dierum mearum”, Hottinger. Thesaur. Phiolog. p. 507. “in diebus autumnitatis meae”, Schultens; so the word signifies in Arabic, vid. Golium, col. 1415. Lud. Capell. in loc. s “in societate Dei”, Pagninus, Beza; “societas Dei”, i.e. “con gregatio”, Bolducius; so Jarchi.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) In the days of my youth.Literally, my autumn: i.e., in the ripeness, maturity of my days. He was then in the depth of winter. (Comp. the words in which it seemed always afternoon.) Some suppose, however, that as with the ancient and modern Jews the year began with the autumn, it is used much in the same way as we use spring.
The secret of God.Or, the counsel of God.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Youth Literally, autumn, “the days of my maturity,” (Gesenius,) that period of life in which the fruits of earliest labours ripen.
The secret of God Hebrew, sodh, same as in Job 19:19; a seat, couch, or cushion, upon which one reclines, says Kitto; also a circle of friends in consultation. The word, according to Hupfield on Psa 25:14, is probably derived from an Arabic root meaning “secret and confidential converse.” So close and familiar was his intercourse with heaven, that Job looked upon God as a constant guest and bosom friend; a partner in his life, thoughts, joys, and griefs, ready to communicate even the secret of the divine heart. Comp. Gen 18:17; Joh 14:23.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 29:4. As I was in the days of my youth The word chorpi, signifies the winter, or rather, more precisely, the wet season, such as prevails in the eastern countries. Oh that I were as in months past, says Job, as I was in the days of my winter; in the days of his moist time; that is, when, as he expresses it in the 19th and 20th verses, my root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch, &c. Not as in the days of his disgrace then, the days in which he was stripped of all, as an herb of its leaves and flowers in the winter; but like a plant in the latter part of the rainy season, before the violent heats and droughts come on, which scorch and burn up every thing. See Observations, p. 11. Heath, after Schultens, renders it, The days of my prosperity, my autumnal state; when he was loaded with prosperity, as the trees are with ripe fruit in autumn. The word ; sod, (the secret,) in Scripture, signifies two things; either secret counsels, or the assembly where such consultations are held. In the former sense it is used Amo 3:7 in the latter sense it is used more frequently, as in Psa 89:7. Jer 6:11 and elsewhere. Agreeable to this account then, , sod eloha, (the secret of the Lord,) and , sod iehovah, in Scripture, may signify two things, either the counsels and decrees of God’s providence (which are secret with respect to us, any further than he is pleased to reveal them), or the assembly where these consultations (speaking after the manner of men) are held: In this sense it is used in the 8th verse of the 15th chapter of this book; where Eliphaz asks Job, Hast thou heard the secret of God? (the Hebrew is besod eloha in the secret counsel, or assembly of God;) And dost thou restrain, rather, hast thou drawn wisdom to thyself? i.e. “Hast thou been admitted, as a hearer, in that great assembly where God’s consultations are held, and hast thou drawn wisdom to thyself from thence?” Now, if we understand the phrase in the same sense here, we shall not only find the passage very intelligible, but an image rising to our view which is exceedingly sublime: Oh that I were, says Job, as in months past! when the counsel of God was over my tabernacle: i.e. when that august assembly where God’s counsels and decrees are passed was held, as it were, over my habitation, and it seemed to be his peculiar care to prosper me and my family! When the Almighty was yet with me, as he goes on, and my children were about me! The LXX and Symmachus both preserve the sense, or come very near it, but do not seem to have equalled the full beauty of the image. See the Reflections.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Job 29:4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God [was] upon my tabernacle;
Ver. 4. As I was in the days of my youth ] Hybernorum meorum, so Junius; as I was in the days of my winter quarters, when I lay and did little more than gather up mine assignations. Others render it, As I was in the days of mine autumn; that is, when, being a great man, I refreshed the poor, as autumn doth the passenger and others with its fruits. But they do best that render it days of my youth, which hath the same name in Hebrew with winter and with reproach because (say some) young people are prone to reproachful practices, and that age is commonly frozen in vice, no virtue then springing or showing itself. So Ecc 11:10 , the word used to signify youth signifieth darkness or blackness; to note that youth is the dark age, many times sooted with sin; and therefore young men should cleanse their ways by cleaving to the word, Psa 119:9 .
When the secret of God was upon my tabernacle
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
youth = autumn’s prime, or maturity.
secret = counsel.
tabernacle = tent.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the secret: Job 1:10, Job 15:8, Psa 25:14, Psa 27:5, Psa 91:1, Pro 3:32, Col 3:3
Reciprocal: Gen 4:7 – be accepted
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 29:4. As I was in the days of my youth In my former and flourishing days; when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle When there was a secret blessing of God upon me and my family, succeeding us in all our affairs; and when God conversed freely with me, as one bosom friend with another; when I knew his mind, and was not in uncertainty respecting it, as I have been of late. It may be proper, however, to observe, that the word , sod, here translated the secret, signifies not only secret counsels, in which sense it is used Amo 3:7, but also the assembly where such consultations are held, in which latter sense it is used much more frequently, as Psa 89:8; Psa 111:1; Jer 6:11. And in this sense Sol. Jarchi understands it here. Thus interpreted, the meaning of the clause is, when the society of God, a company of devout persons, assembled in my tabernacle, namely, for divine worship, and other purposes of religion. In these meetings, no doubt, Job presided, and in them he took a great deal of pleasure, and it was no little grief to him to have them intermitted, and the persons that composed them scattered.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
29:4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the {c} secret of God [was] upon my tabernacle;
(c) That is, seemed by evident tokens to be more present with me.