The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
Parallel translations
- WEB the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
- KJV The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
- NKJV The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
- NASB “The blessing of the one who was about to perish came upon me, And I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
- NLT I helped those without hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The dying blessed Job, and he brought joy to the widow's heart.
Overview
Job recalls bringing blessing to those near death and causing widows, the most vulnerable in society, to sing for joy. His mercy reached the most helpless and despairing. Such care for the widow reflects God's own heart (Psalm 146:9) and foreshadows the compassion of Christ, who comforted the grieving and lifted the lowly.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- 2 Tim 1:16–18May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he has often refreshed me and was unashamed of my chains.
- Phlm 1:7I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.
- Job 31:19–20if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,
- Job 22:9You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
- Isa 27:13And in that day a great ram’s horn will sound, and those who were perishing in Assyria will come forth with those who were exiles in Egypt. And they will worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
- Deut 26:5and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous.
- 2 Cor 9:12–14For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.
- Isa 65:14My servants will shout for joy with a glad heart, but you will cry out with a heavy heart and wail with a broken spirit.
- Prov 31:6–9Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
- Deut 16:11and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in the place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates, as well as the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widows among you.
- Deut 24:13be sure to return it to him by sunset, so that he may sleep in his own cloak and bless you, and this will be credited to you as righteousness before the LORD your God.
- Neh 8:10–12Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
- Acts 9:39–41So Peter got up and went with them. On his arrival, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
- Ps 67:4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples justly and lead the nations of the earth. Selah
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 29:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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