Job 19:18
New International Version
Even the little boys scorn me; when I appear, they ridicule me.

New Living Translation
Even young children despise me. When I stand to speak, they turn their backs on me.

English Standard Version
Even young children despise me; when I rise they talk against me.

Berean Standard Bible
Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me.

King James Bible
Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.

New King James Version
Even young children despise me; I arise, and they speak against me.

New American Standard Bible
“Even young children despise me; I stand up and they speak against me.

NASB 1995
“Even young children despise me; I rise up and they speak against me.

NASB 1977
“Even young children despise me; I rise up and they speak against me.

Legacy Standard Bible
Even young children reject me; I rise up, and they speak against me.

Amplified Bible
“Even young children despise me; When I get up, they speak against me.

Christian Standard Bible
Even young boys scorn me. When I stand up, they mock me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Even young boys scorn me. When I stand up, they mock me.

American Standard Version
Even young children despise me; If I arise, they speak against me.

Contemporary English Version
Young children can't stand me, and when I come near, they make fun.

English Revised Version
Even young children despise me; if I arise, they speak against me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Even young children despise me. If I stand up, they make fun of me.

Good News Translation
Children despise me and laugh when they see me.

International Standard Version
Even little children hate me; when I get up, they mock me.

Majority Standard Bible
Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me.

NET Bible
Even youngsters have scorned me; when I get up, they scoff at me.

New Heart English Bible
Even young children despise me. If I arise, they speak against me.

Webster's Bible Translation
Yes, young children despised me; I arose, and they spoke against me.

World English Bible
Even young children despise me. If I arise, they speak against me.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Also sucklings have despised me, I rise, and they speak against me.

Young's Literal Translation
Also sucklings have despised me, I rise, and they speak against me.

Smith's Literal Translation
Also children rejected me; I shall arise, and they will speak against me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Even fools despise me; and when I gone from them, they spoke against me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Even the foolish have looked down on me, and, when I withdrew from them, they spoke ill of me.

New American Bible
Even young children despise me; when I appear, they speak against me.

New Revised Standard Version
Even young children despise me; when I rise, they talk against me.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Yea, even the wicked despise me; when I rise, they speak against me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Also the evil abhorred me; I stood up and they spoke against me
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Even urchins despised me; If I arise, they speak against me.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But they rejected me for ever; whenever I rise up, they speak against me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job: My Redeemer Lives
17My breath is repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own family. 18Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me. 19All my best friends despise me, and those I love have turned against me.…

Cross References
Psalm 22:6-7
But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. / All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads:

Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Matthew 27:39-44
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads / and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” / In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying, ...

Mark 15:29-32
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, / come down from the cross and save Yourself!” / In the same way, the chief priests and scribes mocked Him among themselves, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! ...

Luke 23:35-39
The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” / The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine. / “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!” ...

John 1:10-11
He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. / He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

John 15:18-20
If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. / If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. / Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.

John 19:2-3
The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns, set it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe. / And they went up to Him again and again, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapping Him in the face.

Romans 15:3
For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me.”

1 Peter 2:23
When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

Psalm 69:7-12
For I have endured scorn for Your sake, and shame has covered my face. / I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons, / because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me. ...

Lamentations 3:14
I am a laughingstock to all my people; they mock me in song all day long.

Micah 7:6
For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the members of his own household.

Matthew 10:36
A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

Matthew 26:67-68
Then they spit in His face and struck Him. Others slapped Him / and said, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit You?”


Treasury of Scripture

Yes, young children despised me; I arose, and they spoke against me.

Yea

Job 30:1,12
But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock…

2 Kings 2:23
And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.

Isaiah 3:5
And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

young children.

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Appear Arise Backs Boys Children Despise Despised Little Respect Ridicule Rise Scorn Speak Sucklings Talk Turned Young
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Appear Arise Backs Boys Children Despise Despised Little Respect Ridicule Rise Scorn Speak Sucklings Talk Turned Young
Job 19
1. Job, complaining of his friends' cruelty,
6. shows there is misery enough in him to feed their cruelty
21. He craves pity
23. He believes the resurrection














Even little boys scorn me;
In the ancient Near Eastern culture, respect for elders was a fundamental value, deeply ingrained in society. The scorn from "little boys" highlights the depth of Job's humiliation and the complete reversal of social norms. This phrase underscores the totality of Job's alienation and the loss of his former status and respect. In biblical context, children were expected to honor their elders, as seen in the commandment to honor one's father and mother (Exodus 20:12). The scorn from children indicates a societal breakdown in respect and further emphasizes Job's isolation and suffering.

when I appear,
The phrase "when I appear" suggests that Job's presence alone is enough to provoke derision. This indicates that his suffering and the visible signs of his affliction have become a spectacle. In the cultural context of the time, physical appearance was often associated with one's spiritual and moral state. Job's appearance, marred by disease and suffering, would have been interpreted by others as a sign of divine disfavor or punishment. This reflects the broader theme in the Book of Job of misunderstanding and misjudgment by those around him.

they deride me.
Derision from children, who are typically seen as innocent and unassuming, highlights the extent of Job's degradation. This public mockery is a profound social disgrace, as ridicule from the least significant members of society signifies a complete loss of dignity. In the broader biblical narrative, derision and mockery are often associated with the suffering of the righteous. This can be seen as a type of Christ, who was also mocked and scorned during His passion (Matthew 27:29-31). Job's experience foreshadows the suffering servant motif, where the righteous endure scorn and derision as part of their trial and ultimate vindication.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Job
A man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, experiencing intense suffering and loss.

2. Little Boys
Represents the younger generation or those who are typically expected to show respect to their elders. Their scorn highlights Job's complete social alienation.

3. Job's Suffering
The broader context of Job's trials, including the loss of his wealth, health, and family, which leads to his lament in this verse.
Teaching Points
Understanding Suffering
Job's experience teaches us that suffering can lead to social isolation and misunderstanding, even from those who should show respect.

Endurance in Faith
Despite being scorned, Job maintains his faith in God. This encourages believers to hold onto their faith amidst trials and derision.

Empathy and Compassion
As Christians, we are called to show empathy and compassion, especially to those who are suffering, rather than adding to their distress through scorn or judgment.

Respect Across Generations
The scorn from "little boys" serves as a reminder of the importance of teaching respect and understanding across generations within the Christian community.Verse 18. - Yea, young children despised me. (So Rosenmuller, Canon Cook, and the Revised Version.) Others translate, "the vile," or "the perverse" (comp. Job 16:11). But the rendering of the Authorized Version receives support from Job 21:11. The forwardness of rude and ill-trained children to take part against God's saints appears later in the history of Elisha (2 Kings 2:23, 24). I arose, and they spake against me; or, when I arise they speak against me (compare. the Revised Version).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Even
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

little boys
עֲ֭וִילִים (‘ă·wî·lîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5759: A young boy

scorn
מָ֣אֲסוּ (mā·’ă·sū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3988: To spurn, to disappear

me;
בִ֑י (ḇî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

when I appear,
אָ֝ק֗וּמָה (’ā·qū·māh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

they deride
וַיְדַבְּרוּ־ (way·ḏab·bə·rū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

me.
בִֽי׃ (ḇî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew


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OT Poetry: Job 19:18 Even young children despise me (Jb)
Job 19:17
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