Job 29 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Job 29:1-31:40: 29:1–31:40 Job contrasts his former happiness, honor, and wealth (ch 29 ) with his loss of social dignity and divine friendship (ch 30 ). He concludes his speech with wide-ranging oaths of innocence (ch 31 ).

Summary for Job 29:1-31:40: 29:1–31:40 ^a Job contrasts his former happiness, honor, and wealth (ch 29 ^b) with his loss of social dignity and divine friendship (ch 30 ^c). He concludes his speech with wide-ranging oaths of innocence (ch 31 ^d).
29:2 ^e Although elsewhere Job uses the Hebrew shamar to describe what he perceived as God’s oppressive surveillance (10:14 ^f; 13:27 ^g; 14:16 ^h), here it refers to God’s kindly care (“watch(es) over,” Ps 121:3-8 ⁱ).
29:7 ^j The city gate was a town’s administrative center (see Ruth 4:1-2 ^k, 11 ^l).
29:14 ^m Job described his righteousness in royal terms. A robe is a common biblical image for righteousness (Ps 132:9 ⁿ; Isa 59:17 ^o; 61:10 ^p; Rom 13:14 ^q; Rev 19:8 ^r).
29:16 ^s Job actively searched out and assisted strangers who needed help.
29:18 ^t after a long, good life (literally after I have counted my days like sand): Job thought the length of his years would signify God’s blessing, like the great number of Abraham’s offspring (Gen 15:5 ^u; 32:12 ^v) or the abundance of Joseph’s supplies in Egypt (Gen 41:49 ^w).
29:25 ^x In the past, Job had comforted those who mourned (4:3-4 ^y). This verse is a prophetic mandate closely associated with the work of the Messiah (Isa 40:1 ^z; 61:1-3 ^aa; Luke 4:18-19 ^ab; cp. 2 Cor 1:3-4 ^ac).