Job 29:21
Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
Original Language Analysis
שָׁמְע֥וּ
Unto me men gave ear
H8085
שָׁמְע֥וּ
Unto me men gave ear
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
2 of 6
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
Historical Context
In ancient legal proceedings, the elders sat at the city gate to render judgments (Ruth 4:1-2). Job describes in 29:7-10 how even princes and nobles fell silent when he spoke. This deference reflected both his age, wealth, and proven wisdom. The culture valued oral tradition and sage counsel highly, making Job's fall from respected counselor to ridiculed sufferer especially devastating.
Questions for Reflection
- Why did Job's audience wait in silence rather than immediately questioning or debating his counsel?
- How does the friends' current refusal to 'keep silence' reveal their failure to truly listen to Job?
- When has God's wisdom through Scripture commanded your silent, expectant attention rather than immediate response?
Analysis & Commentary
Unto me men gave ear, and waited (לִי־שָׁמְעוּ וְיִחֵלּוּ, li-shamu veyichelu)—The verb shama means to hear with attention and obedience, not mere listening. Yachal (waited) implies expectant hope, the same word used for waiting on God (Psalm 42:5). People treated Job's words with the reverence due divine wisdom.
Kept silence at my counsel (וְיִדְּמוּ לְמוֹ עֲצָתִי, veyiddemu lemo atzati)—Damam (kept silence) suggests awed stillness, the same silence that greets God's voice (Habakkuk 2:20). Job's etzah (counsel, advice) commanded such respect that no one dared interrupt or contradict. This reception mirrors Solomon's judicial wisdom (1 Kings 3:28), yet becomes tragically ironic as Job's friends now reject his counsel and fill the silence with accusations.