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Selected Verse: Job 17:5 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Job 17:5 |
Strong Concordance |
He that speaketh [05046] flattery [02506] to his friends [07453], even the eyes [05869] of his children [01121] shall fail [03615]. |
| |
King James |
He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| The Hebrew for "flattery" is "smoothness"; then it came to mean a prey divided by lot, because a smooth stone was used in casting the lots (Deu 18:8), "a portion" (Gen 14:24). Therefore translate, "He that delivers up his friend as a prey (which the conduct of my friends implies that they would do), even the eyes," &c. [NOYES] (Job 11:20). Job says this as to the sinner's children, retorting upon their reproach as to the cutting off of his (Job 5:4; Job 15:30). This accords with the Old Testament dispensation of legal retribution (Exo 20:5). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
He that speaketh flattery to his friends - Noyes renders this, "He that delivers up his friend as a prey, the eyes of his children shall fail." So Wemyss, "He who delivers up his friends to plunder." Dr. Good, "He that rebuketh his friends with mildness, even the eyes of his children shall be accomplished." The Septuagint, "He announces evil for his portion; his eyes fail over his sons." The Vulgate, "He promises spoil to his companions, and the eyes of his sons fail." The word rendered "flattery" (חלק chêleq) properly means "that which is smooth, smoothness" (from חלק châlaq to be smooth); and thence it denotes "a lot" or "portion," because "a smooth stone" was anciently used to cast lots in dividing spoils; Deu 18:8. Here it is synonymous with plunder or spoil; and the idea is, that he who betrayeth his friends to the spoil or to the spoiler, the eyes of his children shall fail. The meaning in this connection is, that the friends of Job had acted as one would who should announce the residence of his neighbors to robbers, that they might come and plunder them. Instead of defending him, they had acted the part of a traitor. Schultens says that this verse is "a Gordian knot;" and most commentators regard it as such; but the above seems to give a clear and consistent meaning. It is evidently a proverb, and is designed to bear on the professed friends of Job, and to show that they had acted a fraudulent part toward him. In Job 17:4, he had said that God had hid their heart from understanding, and that wisdom had failed them. He "here" says that in addition to a want of wisdom, they were like a man who should betray his neighbors to robbers.
Even the eyes of his children shall fail - He shall be punished. To do this is a crime, and great calamity shall come upon him, represented by the failure of the eyes of his children. Calamity is not unfrequently expressed by the loss of the eyes; see Pro 30:17. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| He that speaketh flattery - There is a great variety of meaning given to the terms in this verse. The general sense is, The man who expects much from his friends will be disappointed: while depending on them his children's eyes may fail in looking for bread. |
5 Thou shalt not bow down [07812] thyself to them, nor serve [05647] them: for I the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] am a jealous [07067] God [0410], visiting [06485] the iniquity [05771] of the fathers [01] upon the children [01121] unto the third [08029] and fourth [07256] generation of them that hate [08130] me;
30 He shall not depart [05493] out of darkness [02822]; the flame [07957] shall dry up [03001] his branches [03127], and by the breath [07307] of his mouth [06310] shall he go away [05493].
4 His children [01121] are far [07368] from safety [03468], and they are crushed [01792] in the gate [08179], neither is there any to deliver [05337] them.
20 But the eyes [05869] of the wicked [07563] shall fail [03615], and they shall not escape [06] [04498], and their hope [08615] shall be as the giving up [04646] of the ghost [05315].
24 Save [01107] only that which [0834] the young men [05288] have eaten [0398], and the portion [02506] of the men [0582] which went [01980] with [0854] me, Aner [06063], Eshcol [0812], and Mamre [04471]; let them [01992] take [03947] their portion [02506].
8 They shall have like portions [02506] to eat [0398], beside that which cometh of the sale [04465] of his patrimony [01].
17 The eye [05869] that mocketh [03932] at his father [01], and despiseth [0936] to obey [03349] his mother [0517], the ravens [06158] of the valley [05158] shall pick it out [05365], and the young [01121]eagles [05404] shall eat [0398] it.
4 For thou hast hid [06845] their heart [03820] from understanding [07922]: therefore shalt thou not exalt [07311] them.
8 They shall have like portions [02506] to eat [0398], beside that which cometh of the sale [04465] of his patrimony [01].