Job 29 · Verse 4

Job 29:4

As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;
Job 29:4, King James Version

Job 29:4 in other translations

BSBwhen I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
WEBas I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
ASVAs I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was upon my tent;
YLTAs I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.
DARBYAs I was in the days of my youth, when the secret counsel of God was over my tent,
BBEAs I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;
WebsterAs I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

What does Job 29:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. youth--literally, "autumn"; the time of the ripe fruits of my prosperity. Applied to youth, as the Orientalists began their year with autumn, the most temperate season in the East. secret--when the intimate friendship of God rested on my tent (Pr 3:32; Psa 31:20; Ge 18:17; Joh 15:15). The Hebrew often means a divan for deliberation.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 The days of my youth - The original word rather means in the days of my winter, חרפי charpi, from חרף charaph, "to strip or make bare." Mr. Harmer supposes the rainy season is intended, when the fields, etc., parched up by long drought, are revived by the plentiful showers. Mr. Good thinks the word as found in the Arabic, which means top or summit, and which he translates perfection, is that which should be preferred. Others think the autumnal state is meant, when he was loaded with prosperity, as the trees are with ripe fruit. The secret of God was upon my tabernacle - בסוד אלוה besod Eloah, "the secret assembly of God," meaning probably the same thing that is spoken of in the beginning of this book, the sons of God, the devout people, presenting themselves before God. It is not unlikely that such a secret assembly of God Job had in his own house; where he tells us, in the next verse, "The Almighty was with him, and his children were about him." Mr. Good translates differently: When God fortified my tent over me; supposing that the Hebrew סוד sod is the Arabic sud, "a barrier or fortification." Either will make a good sense.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 29:1-6

Job proceeds to contrast his former prosperity with his present misery, through God's withdrawing from him. A gracious soul delights in God's smiles, not in the smiles of this world. Four things were then very pleasant to holy Job. 1. The confidence he had in the Divine protection. 2. The enjoyment he had of the Divine favour. 3. The communion he had with the Divine word. 4. The assurance he had of the Divine…

Read the full comment on Job 29:1-6 →

Job 29:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כַּאֲשֶׁ֣רka.'a.Sherjust asH834
הָ֭יִיתִיHa.yi.tiI wasH1961
בִּימֵ֣יbi.Meiin [the] days ofH3117
חָרְפִּ֑יcha.re.Piprime myH2779
בְּס֥וֹדbe.Sodin [the] intimacy ofH5475
אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַּ'e.Lo.ahGodH433
עֲלֵ֣י'a.LeionH5921
אָהֳלִֽי\׃'o.ho.Litent myH168

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 29:4

  • Psalms 25:14

    The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

  • Proverbs 3:32

    For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.

  • Job 15:8

    Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

  • Job 1:10

    Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

  • Psalms 27:5

    For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

  • Psalms 91:1

    He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

  • Colossians 3:3

    For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the secret.
1:10; 15:8; Ps 25:14; 27:5; 91:1; Pr 3:32; Col 3:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 29:3

    When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;

  • Job 29:4

    As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

  • Job 29:5

    When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;

Read all of Job 29

Job 29:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Como fué en los días de mi mocedad, cuando el secreto de Dios estaba en mi tienda;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Comme j’étais aux jours de mon automne, quand le conseil secret de ✝Dieu présidait sur ma tente;
German
Elberfelder 1871		wie ich war in den Tagen meiner Reife, als das Vertrauen Gottes über meinem Zelte waltete,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		sicut fui in diebus adolescentiæ meæ, quando secreto Deus erat in tabernaculo meo: