the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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Read the Bible
King James Version
Job 29:23
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Torrey'sDictionaries:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
They longed for me to speak as people long for rain. They drank my words like a refreshing spring rain.
And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
And they waited for me as for the rain; And they opened their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain.
They waited for me as they would for rain and drank in my words like spring rain.
They waited for me as people wait for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rains.
And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain.
They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
"They waited for me [and for my words] as for the rain, And they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
They waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
Thei abididen me as reyn; and thei openyden her mouth as to the softe reyn `comynge late.
They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
My words were eagerly accepted like the showers of spring,
And they waited for me as for the rain; And they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.
They waited for me as if for rain, as if for spring rain, with their mouths open wide.
And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
They waited for my words as they would for rain. They drank them in like rain in the springtime.
And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
And they waited for me as for the raine, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter raine.
They waited for me as for rain. And they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
They waited for me as for the rain; they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
And they wayted for me, as for the raine, and they opened their mouth as for the latter rayne.
They waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouths wide as for the spring rain.
everyone welcomed them just as farmers welcome rain in spring.
And they waited, as for rain, for me, and, their mouths, they opened wide for the spring-rain;
They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower.
They waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
They wayted for me as for the raine: and gaped vpon me, as [the grounde doeth to receaue] the latter shoure.
As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they waited for my speech.
They waited for me as for the rainand opened their mouths as for spring showers.
They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain.
And they waited for me like the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
And they wait as [for] rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide [As] for the latter rain.
They wayted for me, as the earth doth for the rayne: & gaped vpon me, as the groude doth to receaue the latter shower.
"They waited for me as for the rain, And opened their mouths as for the late rain.
They waited for me as for the rain, And they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain.
"They waited for me as for the rain, And opened their mouth as for the spring rain.
They waited for me as for the rain,And opened their mouth as for the late rain.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
as for the rain: Psalms 72:6
the latter rain: Hosea 6:3, Zechariah 10:1
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 32:2 - drop Job 32:11 - I waited for Proverbs 16:15 - the light
Cross-References
For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And they waited for me as for the rain,.... The former rain, as appears by the following clause, which fell in autumn, about October, after seedtime, in order to nourish and cherish it, and bring it up; now as the husbandman waited for this, was in daily expectation of it, and greatly desired it, and longed for it; see James 5:7; so the people waited for Job, for his coming into their public assemblies, whether civil or religious, and longed to hear him speak, for their counsel and instruction, for their comfort and direction in all things they stood in need of:
and they opened their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain; which fell in the spring about March, in the time of harvest, which was of use to fatten the kernals of grain, and make them fuller, and the flour finer; now Job's hearers opened their mouths, as the dry and parched earth gapes for rain; or the husbandman, or the gardener, as the Targum, opens his mouth, and asks and prays for rain; or as a hungry and thirsty man opens his mouth to take in refreshment, or expresses thereby his desire of it; or as persons somewhat deaf open their mouths to hear the better, there being a way through the mouth to the internal ear, as anatomists h observe; which lies through the Eustachian tube, out of the palate, to the internal cavity of the ear, called the "concha"; wherefore such persons naturally open their mouths when they would hear attentively; all which expresses the eager desire of Job's hearers after his doctrine, which, like the rain, would be useful, profitable, and edifying to them; their view was not to indulge their curiosity, to please their ears, but to affect their hearts, and instruct their minds.
h Scheuchzer, ut supra. (Physic. Sacr. l. vol. 4. p. 759.)
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
And they waited for me as for the rain - That is, as the dry and thirsty earth waits for the rain. This is a continuation of the beautiful image commenced in the previous verse, and conveys the idea that his counsel was as necessary in the assemblies of people as the rain was to give growth to the seed, and beauty to the landscape.
And they opened their mouth wide - Expressive of earnest desire; compare Psalms 119:131 : “I opened my mouth and panted.”
As for the latter rain - The early and the latter rains are frequently spoken of in the Scriptures, and in Palestine and the adjacent regions are both necessary to the harvest. The early, or autumnal rains, commence in the latter half of October, or the beginning of November, not suddenly, but by degrees, so as to give the husbandman an opportunity to sow his wheat and barley. The rains come mostly from the west, or southwest, continuing for two or three days at a time, and failing especially during the nights. During the months of November and December, they continue to fall heavily; afterward they return only at longer intervals, and are less heavy; but at no period during the winter do they entirely cease to occur. Rain continues to fall more or less during the month of March, but it is rare after that period. The latter rains denote those which fall in the month of March, and which are so necessary in order to bring forward the harvest, which ripens early in May or June. If those rains fail, the harvest materially suffers, and hence, the expressions in the Scriptures, that “the husbandman waits for that rain;” compare James 5:7; Proverbs 16:15. The expression, “the early and the latter rain” seems, unless some material change has occurred in Palestine, not to imply that no rain fell in the interval, but that those rains were usually more copious, or were especially necessary, first for sowing, and then for bringing forward the harvest. In the interval between the “latter” and the “early” rains - between March and October - rain never falls, and the sky is usually serene; see Robinson’s Bibl. Researches, vol. ii. pp. 96-100. The meaning here is, that they who were assembled in counsel, earnestly desired Job to speak, as the farmer desires the rain that will bring forward his crop.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 29:23. They waited for me as for the rain — The idea continued. They longed as much to hear me speak, to receive my counsel and my decisions, as the thirsty land does for refreshing waters.
They opened their mouth wide — A metaphor taken from ground chapped with long drought.
The latter rain. — The rain that falls a little before harvest, in order to fill and perfect the grain. The former rain is that which falls about seed-time, or in spring, in order to impregnate and swell the seed, and moisten the earth to produce its nourishment.
