But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
Parallel translations
- WEB But he saves from the sword of their mouth, even the needy from the hand of the mighty.
- BSB He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth and from the clutches of the powerful.
- NKJV But He saves the needy from the sword, From the mouth of the mighty, And from their hand.
- NASB “But He saves from the sword of their mouth, And the poor from the hand of the strong.
- NLT He rescues the poor from the cutting words of the strong, and rescues them from the clutches of the powerful.
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
God saves the needy from the sword of the mouth and from the hand of the mighty. It celebrates his rescue of the poor from slander and oppression.
Overview
Eliphaz praises God as deliverer of the helpless from cutting words and powerful oppressors. This care for the vulnerable reflects God's consistent concern for the weak. It foreshadows the ministry of Jesus, who came to bring good news to the poor and release to the oppressed, embodying the God who defends those without earthly defenders.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Ps 35:10All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
- Ps 140:12I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
- Ps 109:31For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.
- Ps 107:41Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.
- Ps 10:14Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
- Job 4:10The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
- Ps 10:17LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
- Ps 72:4He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
- Ps 72:12–13For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
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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 5:15 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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