Job 29:15
I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
Original Language Analysis
עֵינַ֣יִם
I was eyes
H5869
עֵינַ֣יִם
I was eyes
Strong's:
H5869
Word #:
1 of 6
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
הָ֭יִיתִי
H1961
הָ֭יִיתִי
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
2 of 6
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
וְרַגְלַ֖יִם
and feet
H7272
וְרַגְלַ֖יִם
and feet
Strong's:
H7272
Word #:
4 of 6
a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda
Cross References
Numbers 10:31And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.Matthew 11:5The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern societies offered little systematic support for persons with disabilities. The blind and lame faced severe economic hardship, often reduced to begging (Mark 10:46). Mosaic law prohibited cursing the deaf or putting stumbling blocks before the blind (Leviticus 19:14), showing divine concern for the vulnerable. Job's active service to the disabled went far beyond mere non-exploitation—he personally compensated for their limitations. This radical compassion distinguished Job from contemporaries and demonstrated why God called him 'perfect and upright' (Job 1:8).
Questions for Reflection
- How do you actively serve those whose disabilities or limitations prevent them from helping themselves?
- In what ways does Job's example challenge us to move beyond non-harm to active compensation for others' vulnerabilities?
- How does Job's metaphorical service to the blind and lame point forward to Christ's ministry and the church's calling?
Analysis & Commentary
I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame—Job employs vivid metaphorical language for comprehensive care of the disabled. Einayim (עֵינַיִם, eyes) represents guidance and direction; Job became the sight for those who couldn't see. Raglayim (רַגְלַיִם, feet) symbolizes mobility and agency; Job enabled the lame to accomplish what their disability prevented. This metaphor goes beyond mere charity—Job became the missing faculties themselves, personally substituting for their disabilities.
The language anticipates messianic prophecy. Isaiah 35:5-6 promises: 'Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart.' Jesus applied this language to His ministry (Luke 7:22, Matthew 11:5), literally healing blind and lame while spiritually opening eyes and enabling the spiritually crippled to walk. Job's metaphorical service to the disabled foreshadows Christ's literal healing ministry. The verse also echoes Paul's body-of-Christ theology where members supply what others lack (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Job embodied Christ-like service centuries before the incarnation, demonstrating that God's character has always demanded compassionate justice.