Job 29:21 — Word Study
WLCלִֽי־ שָׁמְע֥וּ וְיִחֵ֑לּוּ וְ֝יִדְּמ֗וּ לְמ֣וֹ עֲצָתִֽי׃
BSAMen listenedshâmaʻ■ [people, individuals] with expectationyâchal■ [being attentive] waiting silentlydâmam▸ [being patient, trusting, in quiet, stillness] forlᵉmôw my counselʻêtsâh [advice, guidance, a plan or purpose]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לִֽי־ | to me | Preposition, suffix |
| שָׁמְע֥וּ | people listened | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| וְיִחֵ֑לּוּ | and they waited | Conjunction, verb piel perfect third person common plural |
| וְ֝יִדְּמ֗וּ | and they may be silent | Conjunction, verb qal third person masculine plural |
| לְמ֣וֹ | for | Preposition |
| עֲצָתִֽי׃ | counsel my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel. |
| KJV | Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. |
| ASV | Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. |
| YLT | To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel. |
| WEB | “Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel. |
| BBE | Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions. |
All translations agree on the essential meaning of Job's wise counsel being sought.
The sentence has a main clause supported by two phrases, illustrating the actions of listening and waiting.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁמַע
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 29:21
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Reflection on His Former Influencegenerated
Job 29:21 reflects a time when Job was respected and his words were eagerly awaited by others. In this passage, he recalls how people listened to him with great anticipation, highlighting the contrast to his current suffering and isolation. This verse is part of a larger reflection on his former glory and the wisdom he once imparted, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 29:9–10 | The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands. |
| 2 | Job 32:11–12 | Indeed, I waited while you spoke; I listened to your reasoning; as you searched for words, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עֵצָה, 'a.tza.Tigenerated
The Hebrew word עֵצָה (`etsah) means counsel or advice, indicating a plan or purpose. It is derived from a root that conveys the idea of advising or guiding others. In this verse, it emphasizes the value of Job's insights and the respect he commanded.
This noun is in the construct form, indicating possession, which in this context means 'my counsel.' The use of this word suggests that Job's advice was sought after and held in high regard, reflecting his previous standing in the community.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the phrase is rendered as 'for my counsel,' which aligns with the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb שָׁמְע֥וּ, people listened, governs the sentence, with two clauses following: one describing the waiting and the other indicating silence. The structure emphasizes the action of listening and the expectation that accompanies it.
The Hebrew word order places the verbs early, highlighting the actions of listening, waiting, and being silent, which together create a vivid picture of the scene Job is recalling.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates the main verb שָׁמְע֥וּ as ἀκούσαντες, meaning 'having heard,' which emphasizes the act of listening. This choice reflects a similar understanding of attentiveness to counsel.
The translation choices in the Septuagint align closely with the Hebrew, preserving the meaning of expectation and silence in the context of seeking advice.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 29:21 describes a time when people listened to Job with great anticipation, waiting quietly for his wise advice. This verse highlights Job's former influence and the respect he commanded from others.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job refers to his wise advice and guidance that others sought, indicating his previous role as a respected figure in his community.
They likely respected his wisdom and wanted to hear his insights before responding, indicating the high regard in which they held him.
This verse reflects a time of honor and influence for Job, contrasting sharply with his present suffering and isolation.
We can learn about the importance of wise counsel and the impact it can have on others, as well as the fleeting nature of respect and influence.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I seek wise counsel in my life, as Job once provided?
- What does it mean to listen attentively to others, and how can I practice this?
- In what ways can I offer guidance and support to those around me?
- How do I respond when I am in a position of authority or influence, like Job?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentary on Job's reflections highlights the respect he received for his counsel, as noted by Gregory the Dialogist in his work.
They that heard me awaited my sentence, and listening kept silence at any counsel. They dared not to add any thing to my words, and my speech dropped upon them.Early Church Fathers on Job 29 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 29:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleUnto me [men] gave ear,.... Or give ear, or shall give ear, being all ear; all attention to him, listening to what he said with the utmost diligence and earnestness; even all sorts of men, high and
Read John Gill on Job 29 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryUnto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. Job reverts with perculiar pleasure to his former dignity in assemblies (Job 29:7-10).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 29 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleExpecting till I spoke, and silently listening to my counsel, which they were confident would be like the oracle of God, wise, and just, and good, and preferring it before their own judgment.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 29 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 29:21 Unto me [men] gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.Ver. 21. Unto me men gave ear, and waited] i.e. Such a gift I had in flexanimous oratory, that my auditors were held, as it were, by the ears in great attention to my speeches; as Lucian saith of Alcibiades, and Cicero of Crassus; and as the poets fable of their Hercules, that he had the ears of his hearers chained to his tongue, as being, Aμφοτεροςρητηρταγαθος, κρατεροςταιχημτης. And kept silence at my counsel] Received it as an oracle from heaven with all humble submission and plenary satisfaction; so great was the force of his wisdom, the weight of his counsel, and the authority of his person, tanquam ex tripode…
Read John Trapp on Job 29 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 21. Unto me men gave ear] The same idea as in Job 29:9-11.
Read AdamClarke on Job 29 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges21–25. Return to the main thought of the passage, his place among men, his brothers.
Read Cambridge on Job 29 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleUnto me men gave ear - Job here returns to the time when he sat in the assembly of counsellors, and to the respectful attention which was paid to all that he said.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 29 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible21. Kept silence at my counsel — Not unlike “the long silence” that followed upon one of the masterly arguments of Socrates. — Phaedo, 76.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 29 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
“Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
“People listened to me and waited silently; they kept silent for my advice.
Tyndale line
Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.
Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
To me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
Vnto me men gaue eare, and wayted, and helde their tongue at my counsell.
Strictly literal
Unto me they listened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel:
To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
They have listened to me, || Indeed, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
Unto me men listened, and waited, and watched in silence for my counsel
To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.
From the Latin
They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel.
Simplified
People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.
Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text of Job 29:21 states, "לִֽי־ שָׁמְע֥וּ וְיִחֵ֑לּוּ וְ֝יִדְּמ֗וּ לְמ֣וֹ עֲצָתִֽי׃" which translates to "Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in all six words, maintaining the same essential meaning and structure, though the word order and articles reflect Greek syntax. There are no significant differences noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, indicating a strong textual consistency among these ancient witnesses.
לִֽי־ שָׁמְע֥וּ וְיִחֵ֑לּוּ וְ֝יִדְּמ֗וּ לְמ֣וֹ עֲצָתִֽי׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 29:21
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
נִי (ni) — me.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear
Qal 1052
subj. pers. hum.
י׳ (God) subj.
Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound
be heard of
be regarded, obeyed
= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.
Pi. he caused the people to hear
Hiph. 63
of man
י׳ subj.
base
H8085 שָׁמַע hear
8085 shama` shaw-mah'
a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with
implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to
tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X
carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,
declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make
to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)
obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,
regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,
understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.
: hear
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to
1a5) to understand (language)
1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)
1a7) to listen, give heed
1a7a) to consent, agree
1a7b) to grant request
1a8) to listen to, yield to
1a9) to obey, be obedient
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)
1b2) to be heard of
1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed
1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound
1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)
1d3) to make proclamation, summon
1d4) to cause to be heard
n m
2) sound
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.
: obey
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
יָחַל (yachal) is a Hebrew verb that means to wait, with implications of hope and patience. It has various forms: in the Niphal it means to wait, while in the Piel and Hiphil it conveys waiting for or hoping for something. The entries indicate a range of meanings related to expectation and trust.
[יָחַל] vb. Niph. wait; Pi. await
Niph. wait
Pi.
wait, tarry for
wait for = hope for
Hiph. wait, tarry
base
H3176 יָחַל Niph. wait; Pi. await
3176 yachal yaw-chal'
a primitive root; to wait; by implication, to be patient,
hope:--(cause to, have, make to) hope, be pained, stay, tarry,
trust, wait.
יָחַל (ya.chal) — to wait: wait.
: wait[for_time]
1) to wait, hope, expect
1a) (Niphal) to wait
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to wait, await, tarry
1b2) to wait for, hope for
1c) (Hiphil) to wait, tarry, wait for, hope for
Also means: ya.chal (יָחַל ": hope" H3176H)
יָחַל (ya.chal) — to wait: hope.
: hope/trust
1) to wait, hope, expect
1a) (Niphal) to wait
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to wait, await, tarry
1b2) to wait for, hope for
1c) (Hiphil) to wait, tarry, wait for, hope for
Conj | V-Piel-Perf-3cp — Conjunction · verb piel perfect third person common pluralHC/Vpp3cp
דָּמַם (damam) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning to be silent or still, with implications of astonishment or cessation. It can also convey the idea of perishing or being destroyed. The word appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Poal, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of silence and stillness. Notably, it is associated with wailing in Isaiah 23:2.
[דָּמַם] vb. be or grow dumb, silent, still
Qal
be silent
be still (opp. to both speech and motion)
be struck dumb, astounded
Niph. be made silent, i.e. destroyed
Po. ‘composed and quieted my soul’
H1826a דָּמַם be or grow dumb, silent, still H1826b דָּמַם wail
1826 damam daw-man'
a prim root (compare 1724, 1820); to be dumb; by implication,
to be astonished, to stop; also to perish:--cease, be cut down
(off), forbear, hold peace, quiet self, rest, be silent, keep
(put to) silence, be (stand) still, tarry, wait.
see HEBREW for 01724
see HEBREW for 01820
דָּמַם (da.mam) — to silence: stationary.
: stationary
1) to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, grow dumb
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be silent
1a2) to be still, die
1a3) to be struck dumb
1b) (Niphal) to be silenced, be made silent, destroyed
1c) (Poal) to make quiet
1d) (Hiphil) to make silent (cause to die)
דָּמַם (da.mam) — to wail.
wail
דָּמַם (da.mam) — to silence: silent.
: silent
1) to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, grow dumb
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be silent
1a2) to be still, die
1a3) to be struck dumb
1b) (Niphal) to be silenced, be made silent, destroyed
1c) (Poal) to make quiet
1d) (Hiphil) to make silent (cause to die)
דָּמַם (da.mam) — to silence: destroyed.
: destroyed
1) to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, grow dumb
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be silent
1a2) to be still, die
1a3) to be struck dumb
1b) (Niphal) to be silenced, be made silent, destroyed
1c) (Poal) to make quiet
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine pluralHC/Vqu3mp
לְמוֹ (le.mo) is a prepositional form meaning 'to' or 'for,' often used poetically. It serves as a separable prefix indicating direction or reference, covering meanings like 'at,' 'upon,' and 'by.' The entries suggest it is primarily a poetic variant of the inseparable preposition.
לְמוֹ poet. for לְ
base
H3926 לְמוֹ
3926 lmow lem-o'
a prol. and separable form of the prepositional prefix; to or
for:--at, for, to, upon.
לְמוֹ (le.mo) — upon.
1) at, to, for, in, of, by, in reference to
1a) poetic form of inseparable preposition
Prep — PrepositionHR
for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.
In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…
עֵצָה (`etsah) refers to counsel or advice, and can also imply a plan or purpose. It is derived from a root meaning to advise or provide guidance. The entries consistently emphasize its use in contexts related to providing counsel or making decisions.
עֵצָה n.f. counsel, advice
base
H6098 עֵצָה counsel, advice
6098 `etsah ay-tsaw'
from 3289; advice; by implication, plan; also
prudence:--advice, advisement, counsel(l-(or)), purpose.
see HEBREW for 03289
עֵצָה (e.tsah) — counsel.
counsel, advice, purpose
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs