Job 29:16
New International Version
I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger.

New Living Translation
I was a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help.

English Standard Version
I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.

Berean Standard Bible
I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.

King James Bible
I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

New King James Version
I was a father to the poor, And I searched out the case that I did not know.

New American Standard Bible
“I was a father to the poor, And I investigated the case which I did not know.

NASB 1995
“I was a father to the needy, And I investigated the case which I did not know.

NASB 1977
“I was a father to the needy, And I investigated the case which I did not know.

Legacy Standard Bible
I was a father to the needy, And I searched out the case which I did not know.

Amplified Bible
“I was a father to the needy; I investigated the case I did not know [and assured justice].

Christian Standard Bible
I was a father to the needy, and I examined the case of the stranger.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I was a father to the needy, and I examined the case of the stranger.

American Standard Version
I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

Contemporary English Version
I was a father to the needy, and I defended them in court, even if they were strangers.

English Revised Version
I was a father to the needy: and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I was father to the needy. I carefully investigated cases brought by strangers.

Good News Translation
I was like a father to the poor and took the side of strangers in trouble.

International Standard Version
I was a father to the needy; I diligently inquired into the case of those I didn't know.

Majority Standard Bible
I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.

NET Bible
I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the case of the person I did not know;

New Heart English Bible
I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I did not know, I searched out.

Webster's Bible Translation
I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

World English Bible
I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
I [am] a father to the needy, "" And the cause I have not known I search out.

Young's Literal Translation
A father I am to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.

Smith's Literal Translation
I was a father to the needy, and the contention I knew not I shall search it out.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I was the father of the poor; and if I lacked knowledge about any case, I investigated very diligently.

New American Bible
I was a father to the poor; the complaint of the stranger I pursued,

New Revised Standard Version
I was a father to the needy, and I championed the cause of the stranger.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I was a father to the poor; and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I was a father to the afflicted, and judgment that I had not known I searched out
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
I was a father to the needy; And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job's Former Blessings
15I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame. 16I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger. 17I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.…

Cross References
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”

James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Psalm 82:3-4
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed. / Rescue the weak and needy; save them from the hand of the wicked.

Proverbs 31:8-9
Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed. / Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.

Matthew 25:35-40
For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, / I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ / Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? ...

Isaiah 58:6-7
Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke? / Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Galatians 2:10
They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

Deuteronomy 10:18
He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing.

Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, / to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Jeremiah 22:16
He took up the cause of the poor and needy, and so it went well with him. Is this not what it means to know Me?” declares the LORD.

1 John 3:17-18
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? / Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.

Exodus 22:22-24
You must not mistreat any widow or orphan. / If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry. / My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.

Acts 20:35
In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Zechariah 7:9-10
“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Administer true justice. Show loving devotion and compassion to one another. / Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. And do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’

Romans 15:1-2
We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves. / Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.


Treasury of Scripture

I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

a father

Job 31:18
(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)

Esther 2:7
And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

Psalm 68:5
A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

the cause

Exodus 18:26
And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

Deuteronomy 13:14
Then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you;

Deuteronomy 17:8-10
If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose; …

Jump to Previous
Case Cause Investigated Needy Poor Search Searched Searching Strange Stranger
Jump to Next
Case Cause Investigated Needy Poor Search Searched Searching Strange Stranger
Job 29
1. Job bemoans his former prosperity














I was a father to the needy
In this phrase, Job reflects on his past actions and character, emphasizing his role as a protector and provider. The Hebrew word for "father" here is "אָב" (av), which not only denotes a biological parent but also a figure of authority, guidance, and care. In ancient Near Eastern culture, a father was seen as a leader and protector of the family, responsible for the well-being of those under his care. Job's use of this term indicates his deep commitment to the vulnerable, portraying himself as a paternal figure to those in need. This reflects the biblical principle of caring for the less fortunate, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture, highlighting the importance of compassion and justice.

and I took up the case of the stranger
The phrase "took up the case" is derived from the Hebrew verb "חָקַר" (chaqar), meaning to investigate or examine thoroughly. Job is describing his active involvement in seeking justice for those who were not part of his immediate community, the "stranger" or "גֵּר" (ger). In the ancient context, a stranger or foreigner often lacked the protection and rights afforded to native-born individuals. By advocating for them, Job demonstrates a profound sense of justice and righteousness, aligning with the biblical mandate to love and protect the stranger, as seen in passages like Deuteronomy 10:19. This reflects God's heart for inclusivity and fairness, urging believers to extend their care beyond their immediate circles to encompass all of humanity.

Verse 16. - I was a father to the poor (comp. ver. 12, and see below, ch. 31:16-22): and the cause which I knew not I searched out; rather, the cause of him that I knew not I searched out (see the Revised Version). When men were quite unknown to him, Job still gave to their causes the utmost possible attention, "searching them out," or investigating them, as diligently as if they had been the causes of his own friends.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I
אָ֭נֹכִֽי (’ā·nō·ḵî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595: I

was a father
אָ֣ב (’āḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

to the needy,
לָֽאֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים (lā·’eḇ·yō·w·nîm)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 34: In want, needy, poor

and I took up
אֶחְקְרֵֽהוּ׃ (’eḥ·qə·rê·hū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2713: To penetrate, to examine intimately

the case
וְרִ֖ב (wə·riḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7379: Strife, dispute

of the stranger.
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no


Links
Job 29:16 NIV
Job 29:16 NLT
Job 29:16 ESV
Job 29:16 NASB
Job 29:16 KJV

Job 29:16 BibleApps.com
Job 29:16 Biblia Paralela
Job 29:16 Chinese Bible
Job 29:16 French Bible
Job 29:16 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Job 29:16 I was a father to the needy (Jb)
Job 29:15
Top of Page
Top of Page