Job 2:12

When they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and didn’t recognize him, they raised their voices, and wept; and they each tore his robe, and sprinkled dust on their heads toward the sky.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

When they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and didn’t recognise him, they raised their voices, and wept; and they each tore his robe, and sprinkled dust on their heads towards the sky.

BSB

When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize Job. They began to weep aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust in the air over his head.

KJV

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

ASV

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his robe, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

BBE

And lifting up their eyes when they were still far off, it did not seem that the man they saw was Job because of the change in him. And they gave way to bitter weeping, with signs of grief, and put dust on their heads.

Original Hebrew

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וַיִּשְׂאוּ vai·yis·'u and they lifted up H5375 אֶת־ 'et- (marks the object) H853 עֵינֵיהֶם 'ei·nei·hem eyes their H5869 מֵרָחוֹק me·ra·chok from a distance H7350 וְלֹא ve·lo' and not H3808 הִכִּירֻהוּ hi·ki·ru·hu they recognized him H5234 וַיִּשְׂאוּ vai·yis·'u and they lifted up H5375 קוֹלָם ko·lam voice their H6963 וַיִּבְכּוּ vai·yiv·ku and they wept H1058 וַיִּקְרְעוּ vai·yik·re·'u and they tore H7167 אִישׁ 'ish each one H376 מְעִלוֹ me·'i·lo robe his H4598 וַיִּזְרְקוּ vai·yiz·re·ku and they sprinkled H2236 עָפָר 'a·far dust H6083 עַל־ 'al- on H5921 רָאשֵׁיהֶם ra·shei·hem heads their H7218 הַשָּׁמָיְמָה ha·sha·ma·ye·mah the heavens towards H8064

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 11–13

The friends of Job seem noted for their rank, as well as for wisdom and piety. Much of the comfort of this life lies in friendship with the prudent and virtuous. Coming to mourn with him, they vented grief which they really felt. Coming to comfort him, they sat down with him. It would appear that they suspected his unexampled troubles were judgments for some crimes, which he had vailed under his professions of godliness. Many look upon it only as a compliment to visit their friends in sorrow; we must look life. And if the example of Job's friends is not enough to lead us to pity the afflicted, let us seek the mind that was in Christ.

Read Matthew Henry on Job 2 →

Cross-references

16

Topics

MourningRendingDustMantle

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.