the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Bishop's Bible
Job 29:7
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When I went out to the city gateand took my seat in the town square,
When I went forth to the city gate, When I prepared my seat in the street,
When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the square,
I would go to the city gate and sit in the public square.
When I went out to the city gate and secured my seat in the public square,
"When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat [as a city father] in the square,
"When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat in the public square,
When I went forth to the city gate, When I prepared my seat in the street,
When I went out to the gate, euen to the iudgement seat, and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete.
When I went out to the gate of the city,When I took my seat in the square,
When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
When I sat down at the meeting of the city council,
I would go out to the city gate and set up my seat in the open space;
When I went out to the gate by the city, when I prepared my seat on the broadway,
"Those were the days when I went to the city gate and sat in the public meeting of the elders.
When I went out to the gate of the city and called on the people; and sat down like a poor man in the street,
Whenever the city elders met and I took my place among them,
"At my going out the gate to the city, I secured my seat in the square.
when I went out to the gate by the city; when I prepared my seat in the street.
when I wente thorow the cite vnto the gate, & whe they set me a chayre in ye strete:
When I went forth to the gate unto the city, When I prepared my seat in the street,
When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,
When I went forth to the gate unto the city, when I prepared my seat in the broad place,
When I went out to the gate, through the citie, when I prepared my seate in the street.
When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.
When I went forth to the gate unto the city, when I prepared my seat in the street,
whanne Y yede forth to the yate of the citee, and in the street thei maden redi a chaier to me.
When I went forth to the gate to the city, When I prepared my seat in the street,
When I went out to the gate through the city, [when] I prepared my seat in the street!
"When I went out to the gate by the city, When I took my seat in the open square,
"Those were the days when I went to the city gate and took my place among the honored leaders.
When I went to the city gate and took my place with the leaders of the city,
When I went out to the gate of the city, when I took my seat in the square,
When I went out to the gate unto the city, in the open place, made ready my seat,
When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair?
When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the square,
When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.
"When I walked downtown and sat with my friends in the public square, Young and old greeted me with respect; I was honored by everyone in town. When I spoke, everyone listened; they hung on my every word. People who knew me spoke well of me; my reputation went ahead of me. I was known for helping people in trouble and standing up for those who were down on their luck. The dying blessed me, and the bereaved were cheered by my visits. All my dealings with people were good. I was known for being fair to everyone I met. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame, Father to the needy, and champion of abused aliens. I grabbed street thieves by the scruff of the neck and made them give back what they'd stolen. I thought, ‘I'll die peacefully in my own bed, grateful for a long and full life, A life deep-rooted and well-watered, a life limber and dew-fresh, My soul suffused with glory and my body robust until the day I die.'
"When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat in the square,
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Deuteronomy 16:18, Deuteronomy 21:19, Ruth 4:1, Ruth 4:2, Ruth 4:11, Zechariah 8:16
Reciprocal: Genesis 23:10 - all that Genesis 34:20 - the gate Exodus 18:13 - General Deuteronomy 25:1 - General Joshua 20:4 - at the entering Judges 5:11 - go down Job 19:9 - stripped Job 22:8 - But as Proverbs 24:7 - openeth Proverbs 31:23 - in the Jeremiah 22:3 - Execute Jeremiah 38:7 - the king Lamentations 5:14 - elders Ezekiel 18:8 - hath executed Amos 5:12 - in the Luke 18:2 - which Romans 13:6 - attending
Cross-References
Whyle he yet talked with them, Rachel came with her fathers sheepe: for she kept them.
Assoone as Iacob sawe Rachel the daughter of Laban his mothers brother, & the sheepe of Laban his mothers brother, Iacob went & rouled the stone from the welles mouth, & watered the flocke of Laban his mothers brother.
Redeemyng the time, because ye dayes are euyll.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
When I went out to the, gate through the city,.... Job having described his former state of happiness by the personal favours he enjoyed, and by the prosperity of his family, and his abundance of plenty at home, proceeds to give an account of the honour and respect he had from men of every age and rank abroad: though he had an affluence of the things of this world, he did not indulge himself at home in ease and sloth; but went abroad to take care of the public welfare, maintain public peace, and administer public justice among his neighbours; performing the office of a civil magistrate, which is often expressed in Scripture by going in and out before the people: Job went out from his own house to the gate of the city, where a court of judicature was kept, as it was usual in those times and countries to hold them in the gates of the city; see Zechariah 8:16; and to which he passed through the city, very probably, in great pomp and splendour, suitable to his office and character, which drew the eyes and attention of the people to him; by which it should seem that his house was on one side of the city, and the gate where justice was administered was on the other; though it may be rendered, "over the city" o, and the sense be, that he passed along as he that was over the city, the chief man in it, and president of the court of justice, see 2 Kings 10:5;
[when] I prepared my seat in the street; where he sat, not as a teacher, though he was an instructor, not only of his family, but of his neighbours, as Eliphaz himself testifies, Job 4:3; and it was usual for such to have seats to sit upon, as those had who succeeded Moses, and are said to sit in his chair; and it was usual to call to men and instruct them in open public places; hence Wisdom is said to utter her voice in the streets, in the opening of the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, Proverbs 1:20; but Job here speaks of himself as a civil magistrate, as a judge upon the bench, who had a seat or throne erected for him to sit upon, while he was hearing and trying causes; and this was set up in the street under the open air, before the gate of the city, where the whole city might be convened together, and hear and see justice done to their neighbours; in such a street, before the gate of the city, Ezra read the law to Israel; and in such an one Hezekiah got the people of Israel together, and spoke comfortably to them when invaded by Sennacherib; see Nehemiah 8:2; and the Arabs, to this day, hold their courts of justice in an open place under the heavens, as in a field, or in a market place p; and it is right that courts of justice should be open and accessible to all.
o עלי קלת "super civitatem", Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt; "super urbe", Schultens. p Norden's Travels in Egypt and Nubia, vol. 2. p. 140, 141, 158. See Joseph. Antiqu. l. 18. c. 5. sect. 6.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
When I went out to the gate - The “gate” of a city was a place of public concourse, and where courts were usually held. Job speaks here as a magistrate, and of the time when he went forth to sit as a judge, to try causes.
When I prepared my seat in the street - That is, to sit as a judge. The seat or tribunal was placed in the street, in the open air, before the gate of the city, where great numbers might be convened, and hear and see justice done. The Arabs, to this day, hold their courts of justice in an open place, under the heavens, as in a field or a market-place. Norden’s Travels in Egypt, ii. 140. There has been, however, great variety of opinion in regard to the meaning of this verse. Schultens enumerates no less than ten different interpretations of the passage. Herder translates it:
“When from my house I went to the assembly,
And spread my carpet in the place of meeting.”
Prof. Lee translates it, “When I went forth from the gate to the pulpit, and prepared my seat in the broad place.” He supposes that Job refers to occasions when he addressed the people, and to the respect which was shown him then. Dr. Good renders it, “As I went forth, the city rejoiced at me.” It is probable, however, that our common version has given the true signification. The word rendered “city” (קרת qereth), is a poetic form for (קריה qiryâh) “city,” but does not frequently occur. It is found in Proverbs 8:3; Proverbs 9:3, Proverbs 9:14; Proverbs 11:11. The phrase “upon the city” - Hebrew עלי־קרת ‛aly-qereth - or, “over the city,” may refer to the fact that the gate was in an elevated place, or that it was the chief place, and, as it were, over or at the head of the city. The meaning is, that as he went out from his house toward the gate that was situated in the most important part of the city, all did him reverence.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 29:7. When I went out to the gate — Courts of justice were held at the gates or entrances of the cities of the East; and Job, being an emir, was supreme magistrate: and here he speaks of his going to the gate to administer justice.
I prepared my seat in the street — I administered judgment openly, in the most public manner, and none could say that I, in any case, perverted justice. Mr. Good translates: - "As I went forth the city rejoiced at me, as I took my seat abroad."
