If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
Parallel translations
- WEB if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
- BSB if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,
- NKJV If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or any poor man without covering;
- NASB If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering,
- NLT Whenever I saw the homeless without clothes and the needy with nothing to wear,
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
Job swears he never saw anyone perishing from lack of clothing or a needy person without covering. He affirms his readiness to clothe the destitute.
Overview
Job denies ever ignoring the plight of those dying for want of clothing or covering. Providing clothing to the naked is a recurring mark of true righteousness in Scripture, reflecting tangible love for one's neighbor. Jesus himself identifies care for the naked as service rendered to him, so Job's practice foreshadows the gospel ethic of meeting real human needs as an expression of love for Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Job 22:6For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
- 1 Jn 3:18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
- 2 Chr 28:15And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
- Luke 3:11He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
- Job 24:4They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
- Acts 9:39Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
- Matt 25:43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
- Matt 25:36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
- Jas 2:16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
- Isa 58:7Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
- Job 29:13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 31:19 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.