Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, New Living Translation “I long for the years gone by when God took care of me, English Standard Version “Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me, Berean Standard Bible “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, King James Bible Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; New King James Version “Oh, that I were as in months past, As in the days when God watched over me; New American Standard Bible “Oh that I were as in months gone by, As in the days when God watched over me; NASB 1995 “Oh that I were as in months gone by, As in the days when God watched over me; NASB 1977 “Oh that I were as in months gone by, As in the days when God watched over me; Legacy Standard Bible “Oh that I were as in months gone by, As in the days when God kept me, Amplified Bible “Oh, that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me, Christian Standard Bible If only I could be as in months gone by, in the days when God watched over me, Holman Christian Standard Bible If only I could be as in months gone by, in the days when God watched over me, American Standard Version Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me; Contemporary English Version I long for the past, when God took care of me, English Revised Version Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me; GOD'S WORD® Translation "If only my life could be like it used to be, in the days when God watched over me, Good News Translation If only my life could once again be as it was when God watched over me. International Standard Version "I wish I could go back to how things were a few months ago; when God used to watch over me, NET Bible "O that I could be as I was in the months now gone, in the days when God watched over me, New Heart English Bible "Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me; Webster's Bible Translation Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Bible“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, World English Bible “Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me; Literal Translations Literal Standard Version“Who makes me as [in] months past, "" As [in] the days of God’s preserving me? Young's Literal Translation Who doth make me as in months past, As in the days of God's preserving me? Smith's Literal Translation Who will give me as the months of old, as the days God will watch me? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleWho will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me? Catholic Public Domain Version Who will grant to me that I might be as I was in former months, according to the days when God kept watch over me? New American Bible Oh, that I were as in the months past, as in the days when God watched over me: New Revised Standard Version “O that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me; Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleO that I were as in months past, as in the days when God took care of me; Peshitta Holy Bible Translated “But who will make me as the first months and like the days when God preserved me? OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me; Brenton Septuagint Translation Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me! Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Job's Former Blessings1And Job continued his discourse: 2“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, 3when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,… Cross References Job 1:10 Have You not placed a hedge on every side around him and his household and all that he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. Job 42:10-12 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his prosperity and doubled his former possessions. / All his brothers and sisters and prior acquaintances came and dined with him in his house. They consoled him and comforted him over all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. And each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. / So the LORD blessed Job’s latter days more than his first. He owned 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. Psalm 31:20 You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the schemes of men. You conceal them in Your shelter from accusing tongues. Psalm 91:1-2 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. / I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Isaiah 51:9-11 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon? / Was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea for the redeemed to cross over? / So the redeemed of the LORD will return and enter Zion with singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee. Isaiah 58:11 The LORD will always guide you; He will satisfy you in a sun-scorched land and strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Jeremiah 2:2-3 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. / Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who devoured her were found guilty; disaster came upon them,’” declares the LORD. Hosea 2:15 There I will give back her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor into a gateway of hope. There she will respond as she did in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. Deuteronomy 32:10-12 He found him in a desert land, in a barren, howling wilderness; He surrounded him, He instructed him, He guarded him as the apple of His eye. / As an eagle stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, He spread His wings to catch them and carried them on His pinions. / The LORD alone led him, and no foreign god was with him. Psalm 23:4-5 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. / You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 77:5-6 I considered the days of old, the years long in the past. / At night I remembered my song; in my heart I mused, and my spirit pondered: Lamentations 3:17 My soul has been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. 1 Peter 1:5-7 who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. / In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials / so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. James 5:11 See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, / who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. Treasury of Scripture Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; as in months Job 1:1-5 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil… Job 7:3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. God 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. Psalm 37:28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. Jude 1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Jump to Previous Months Past Preserved Watched WatchingJump to Next Months Past Preserved Watched WatchingJob 29 1. Job bemoans his former prosperityHow I long for the months gone by This phrase reflects Job's deep yearning for a past period of prosperity and divine favor. It highlights the human tendency to reminisce about better times during periods of suffering. In the context of Job's life, this longing is set against the backdrop of his current afflictions. The "months gone by" refer to a time before Job's trials began, when he was blessed with wealth, family, and health. This sentiment is echoed in other biblical passages where individuals express a desire to return to times of blessing, such as in Psalm 42:4, where the psalmist remembers leading the procession to the house of God. for the days when God watched over me Persons / Places / Events 1. JobA man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, known for his immense suffering and unwavering faith. 2. God The Almighty Creator, who is sovereign over all creation. In the context of Job, God is both the one who allows Job's trials and the one who ultimately restores him. 3. Job's Past Prosperity The period in Job's life when he experienced God's favor, protection, and blessings, which he longs for in this verse. Teaching Points Longing for God's PresenceJob's yearning for the past reflects a deep desire for the intimacy and protection he once felt from God. This teaches us the importance of valuing and seeking God's presence in our lives. Understanding Seasons of Life Life is composed of various seasons, some filled with prosperity and others with trials. Recognizing this helps us trust in God's sovereignty and timing. Faith Amidst Trials Even in his suffering, Job's faith remains. This encourages us to maintain our faith and trust in God, even when we don't understand our circumstances. Reflecting on God's Past Faithfulness Remembering how God has been faithful in the past can provide comfort and hope during difficult times. The Role of Lament in Faith Job's expression of longing is a form of lament, which is a valid and biblical way to process grief and suffering while still holding onto faith. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Job 29Is there any evidence that God’s “lamp” or presence (Job 29:2–3) tangibly guided him, considering modern scientific understanding? What is the structure of the Jewish calendar? In Job 10:5, Job asks if God experiences time like a human--how does this align with the idea of God's eternal nature in other Scriptures? Does Job 14:1-2's portrayal of life as short and full of trouble conflict with biblical passages that promise long life and blessings?(2) Preserved.--Or, watched over me. When does God not watch over us, if we only knew it?Verse 2. - Oh that I were as in months past! or, in the months of old. To Job the period of his prosperity seems long, long ago - some-thing far away in the mist of time, which he recalls with difficulty. As in the days when God preserved me. Job never forgets to refer his prosperity to God, or to be grateful to him for it (see Job 1:21; Job 2:10; Job 10:8-12, etc.). Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew “How I long forמִֽי־ (mî-) Interrogative Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix the months כְיַרְחֵי־ (ḵə·yar·ḥê-) Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 3391: A lunation, month gone by, קֶ֑דֶם (qe·ḏem) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6924: The front, of place, time for the days כִּ֝ימֵ֗י (kî·mê) Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 3117: A day when God אֱל֣וֹהַּ (’ĕ·lō·w·ah) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 433: God -- a deity, the Deity watched over me, יִשְׁמְרֵֽנִי׃ (yiš·mə·rê·nî) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to Links Job 29:2 NIVJob 29:2 NLT Job 29:2 ESV Job 29:2 NASB Job 29:2 KJV Job 29:2 BibleApps.com Job 29:2 Biblia Paralela Job 29:2 Chinese Bible Job 29:2 French Bible Job 29:2 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Job 29:2 Oh that I were as (Jb) |
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