Job 29:13

Job 29:13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

Ver. 13. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me] Such poor creatures as were destined to destruction, and seasonably delivered by my means, gave me their good words and wishes; yea, they cried me up for their gracious deliverer, with a courage, as the Grecians did Flaminius, the Roman general, as the Christian captives did Hunniades, who had set them at liberty from Turkish slavery; as the drowning man pulled out of the water by King Alphonsus, cried, Arragon, Arragon; and as the Italian prisoners in ‘88, released and sent home by Queen Elizabeth, sainted her, and said, That although they were Papists, yet they would worship no saint but her.

And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy] sc. By ready righting her upon her adversary; and this out of conscience of duty, and not for her importunity, as that unjust judge, Luk 18:5, or because she conjured him to it, as that widow did Adrian the emperor, to whom, when he had answered, That he was not at leisure to hear her cause, she boldly replied, Kαι μη Bασιλευε, Then lay down the empire. Whereupon he turned again, and did her right, and sent her away a joyful woman (Dio in Adrian).

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Job_29:13

The blessing of him that was ready to perish.

The blessedness of doing good

I. Job had the blessing of those ready to perish.

1. A man may be ready to perish through adverse circumstances.

2. Or by some imminent danger and peril to which he is exposed.

3. In such cases men of pure benevolence interpose to save the poor unhappy wretch who is ready to perish.

4. How many in the moral world are ready to perish by their sins and iniquities. The blessing of him who is ready to perish comes on the man who relieves the needy, rescues them that are exposed to danger, and who converteth a sinner from the error of his ways.

II. Job had caused the widows heart to sing for joy.

1. Widows are placed in very distressing circumstances.

2. Often she has a large family left to her care.

3. The world is ever ready to take advantage of a desolate widow.

4. Job was kind to widows in the days of his prosperity. His conduct was generous and noble, and worthy of a great and good man. Let us imitate the example of Job. Inferences--

(1) Acts of benevolence are good proofs of a renewed heart.

(2) Those who are kind to others will be abundantly repaid.

(3) In the day of judgment works of mercy will be brought forward as evidences of piety. (Sketches of Four Hundred Sermons.)

Rescue the perishing

I. An urgent necessity. Ready to perish. Oh that we all might go to the help of the poor, who are ready to perish in the midst of the ocean of drunkenness, misery, and wretchedness. There is a want of sympathy. We find it in all classes. Men are perishing about us for want of the power of the Gospel.

II. An assured recompense. There is a sure recompense, if you will do Gods bidding. Be an enthusiast. Seek out the perishing people, and risk yourselves in the service of the Lord Jesus Christ.

III. A personal enjoyment. There has been One who, in order to save you, gave Himself. Let your blessing come upon Him as you stand in faith at the foot of the Cross. This personal enjoyment can only come to us when we are true Christians. (William Birch.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Job 29:13. The blessing of him that was ready to perish — Who was in danger of losing his life or estate, by the malice and tyranny of wicked men; came upon me — Both he, and others for his sake, blessed me, and begged that God would bless me. I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy — For her great and unexpected deliverance. Widows are the common objects of injuries and oppressions, because they are generally unable to defend themselves from the violence of their oppressors, or to offend those who molest them.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, I did succor him that was in distress, and so he had cause to praise me.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

So far was I from sending "widows" away empty (Job 22:9).

ready to perish-- (Pro 31:6).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me,.... That were ready to perish through the oppression of others, or through want of the necessaries of life, or through false charges brought, and through false witness bore against them, and so liable to a sentence of condemnation to death, or having it passed upon them; but Job taking their part, and searching thoroughly into their cause, not only respited them from destruction, but cleared them from the charges laid against them, and which brought the blessing of those persons on him; who blessed God for him, and blessed him, wished a blessing on him in their prayers to God, who had been such a happy instrument of their deliverance from ruin and destruction; see Pro 24:11;

and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy; by relieving her wants, defending her cause, and punishing those that oppressed her; which is the reverse of the character Eliphaz gives of Job, Job 22:9.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The blessing of him that was ready to perish ... - Of the man who was falsely accused, and who was in danger of being condemned, or of him who was exposed to death by poverty and want.

And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy - By becoming her patron and friend; by vindicating her cause, and saving her from the oppressive exactions of others; compare Isa 1:17.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The blessing, wherewith both he and others for his sake blessed me, and begged that God would bless me.

To perish; to lose his life or estate by the malice and tyranny of wicked men.

The widow’s heart; who are the common objects of injuries and oppressions, because for the most part they are unable, either to offend those who molest them, or to defend themselves from their violence.

To sing for joy, for her great and unexpected deliverance.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me (comp. ver. 11). Oppression in the East sometimes drives its victims to actual starvation or to suicide. Isaiah calls the oppressors against whom he inveighs "murderers". (Isa_1:21) These "perishing" ones Job often saved, and they "blessed" him. And I caused the widow"s heart to sing for joy. How cold are the words of Ameni, "No widow have I oppressed," compared with these! Job was not content with mere abstinence from evil, mere negative virtue. He so actively and effectually relieved distress that affliction was turned into happiness, and lamentation into rejoicing.

"The blessing of him that was ready to perish.

I WHY IT IS VALUABLE. We cannot but be struck with this beautiful trait in Job"s autobiographical sketch. It is better than all renown. The clamours of the multitude are poor plaudits compared with the blessing of the poor. Many people may be indifferent to it. They may be satisfied if only they can grasp power, and compel the homage of the great, although their path is followed by "curses not loud, but deep." Cruel conquerors, ruthless tyrants, hard-hearted men of the world, know nothing of the blessing Job here describes. Yet it is solid and teal.

1. It springs from true appreciation. This is no superficial praise required by custom or prompted by shallow motives. It arises out of a genuine perception of goodness.

2. It is characterized by gratitude. Thus it con-talus warmer feelings than those of admiration. An element of awakening affection enters into it. Now, it is better to be loved by the obscure than to be merely honoured by the great; it is better to be loved by a few than to be applauded by a multi-rode.

3. It is accompanied by the approval of Christ. He tells us that what we do to one of the least of his brethren we do to him. He commends the good Samaritan to us as an approved example. Therefore the gratitude of the humble poor carries with it the smile of Heaven.

4. It is powerful for good. Men try to win the favour of the great who can do much for them, and selfishly disregard the opinions of the poor who seem to have power to do them but little good or harm. Yet the blessings of the helpless are prayers to the great Friend of the helpless. They bring down the blessings of God. Happy is the man who lives under these conditions!

II HOW IT IS EARNED.

1. By means of genuine goodness. Clamours of applause may be won by very equivocal conduct. Superficial things may excite extraordinary admiration. People rush to stare and shout after any celebrity. But they want to know more before they will bless one. This devout well-wishing and praying for a person which we call blessing can only be earned by real and solid goodness.

2. Through the exercise of sympathy. The helpless and perishing may be constrained to avail themselves of favours tossed to them from a distance by a hand of proud patronage, and perhaps even of scornful contempt, But if there is no grace in the gift there will be little gratitude in the reception of it. If we would earn the blessing of the helpless we must win their love, and in order to do that we must manifest love to them. Sympathy unlocks the fountains of the heart.

3. In deeds of active helpfulness. If the sympathy is genuine it will lead spontaneously to such deeds. We cannot truly sympathize with a person in trouble without desiring to help him. Now, the active helpfulness will be the sign and seal of the sympathy. This it was that secured Job"s place in the heart of the poor. Men have heaped honours on the head of the "Happy Warrior." The time has come when we should revive the better glories of Job"s days. If we desire to win a position in the world, let us save our ambition from sordid or even wicked aims. Let him be first in love and service who would be first in honour. This is Christ"s rule. W.F.A. (Mar_9:35)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The blessing of the lost who died because of his iniquity and was banished.

would come upon me because I would sustain his children and his wife. Our Sages said, however, that he [Job] would rob the orphans of their field, improve it and [then] return it to them (Baba Bathra 16a). But the simple meaning of the verse does not appear to be so, for no one is called אובד, but a thing that is itself lost, like (Ps. 31:13), “like a lost vessel”; and so (ibid. 119:176), “I have gone astray like a lost sheep”, (Jer. 50:6), “lost sheep.”

and I would make the widow’s heart sing for joy for he would attach his name to widows, saying, “She is my kinswoman,” or “I will marry her,” in order that men should be anxious to marry her.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.