Job 29:22

Job 29:22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.

Ver. 22. After my words they spake not again] They replied not, but rested in my words, as if I had been some Doctor Resolutus or rather Irrefragabilis. The Vulgate rendereth it, Verbis meis addere nihil audebant, They dared not add anything to my words, as holding them current and sufficient.

And my speech dropped upon them] viz. As dew drops, Deu 32:2, or, as some, prophecy, saith R. Levi here. Confer Mic 2:6 Amo 7:17. Surely as the dew refresheth and cherisheth the dry and fading fields; so do fit words the hearts of the hearers. And as the dew allayeth great heats, and moisteneth the earth, that it may fructify; so it is here. Ills regit dictis animos, et pectora mulcet (Virg.). And lastly, as the dew lies in a little compass; so in fewness of words there is oft a fulness of matter, &c.

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.

That is, was pleasant unto them.

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

not again--did not contradict me.

dropped--affected their minds, as the genial rain does the soil on which it gently drops (Amo 7:16; Deu 32:2; Sol 4:11).

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

Verse 22. My speech dropped upon them.] It descended as refreshing dew; they were encouraged, comforted, and strengthened by it.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

22. dropped upon them] i. e. like a refreshing, quickening rain, when they were wearied and perplexed in counsel.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

After my words they spake not again,.... Did not or would not make any reply to them; they did not attempt to change and alter them, to add unto them, or take from them, or in any wise to correct them, and much less to contradict them, and treat them with contempt; or "differed not", as Mr. Broughton renders it; differed not from them, but agreed to them; and differed not among themselves, but united in what Job said, as being full to the purpose, after which nothing more could be said; see Ecc 2:12;

and my speech dropped upon them; his prophecy, as Jarchi, prophesying being expressed by dropping, Amo 7:16; his doctrine dropped from his lips like the honeycomb, and was sweet, grateful, and delightful to his hearers, as the church's lips, Sol 4:11; or rather like the rain, as in Deu 32:2, when it falls and drops gently and easily, and so penetrates and soaks into the earth, and abides and does good: in like manner, when good and sound doctrine drops upon the hearers, so as to enter into their hearts, and work effectually in them, it does them good, and they rejoice at it, and are far from having anything to say against it.

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

After my words they spake not again - The highest proof which could be given of deference. So full of respect were they that they did not dare to dispute him; so sagacious and wise was his counsel that they were satisfied with it, and did not presume to suggest any other.

And my speech dropped upon them - That is, like the dew or the gentle rain. So in Deu 32:2 :

My doctrine shall drop as the rain;

My speech shall distil as the dew,

As the small rain upon the tender herb,

And as the showers upon the grass.

So Homer speaks of the eloquence of Nestor,

Τοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ γλώσσης μέλιτος γλυκίων ῥέεν αὐδή.

Tou kai apo glōssēs melitos glukiōn rēn audē.

“Words sweet as honey from his lips distill’d.”

Pope

So Milton, speaking of the eloquence of Belial, says,

- Though his tongue

Dropt manna, and could make the worse appear

The better reason, to perplex and dash

Maturest counsels.

Paradise Lost, B. ii.

The comparison in the Scriptures of words of wisdom or persuasion, is sometimes derived from honey, that drops or gently falls from the comb. Thus, in Pro 5:3 :

For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honey-comb,

And her mouth is smoother than oil,

So in Son 4:11 :

Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb;

Honey and milk are under thy tongue.

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

After my words they spake not again; either to confute them as false, or to add to them as lame and imperfect.

Dropped upon them, to wit, as the rain, as the next verse explains it, which when it comes down gently and droppingly upon the earth, is most acceptable and beneficial to it; not so when it comes in great and violent showers.

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

22. Speech dropped — Rain is frequently used as a metaphor for pleasing and gentle discourse. “My doctrine shall drop as the rain.” (Deu_32:2.) Thus Milton, “Though his tongue dropt manna.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

After my words they spake not again. When Job had spoken, the debate commonly came to an end. It was felt that all had been said, and that further remark would be superfluous. And my speech dropped upon them. (comp. Deu_32:2, "My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew The silent, penetrating influence of wise counsel is glanced at.

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

Dropped - As the rain, which when it comes down gently upon the earth, is most acceptable and beneficial to it.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

my speech would drip Heb. תטף. This is an expression of prophecy. Similarly (Amos 7:16), “and do not prophesy (תטיף) concerning the house of Isaac.” That is to say that my word was like prophecy.

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.