Job 29:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For what reason did they show him respect? He references his righteous actions: I rescued, he states, a vulnerable individual from the grasp of a powerful oppressor. Initially, he acknowledges that his coming and safeguarding are due to God's influence, and subsequently, he extols the Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 1:31).

The ear that listened to me blessed me; and the eye that observed gave testimony for me Job 29:11. HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION While the esteemed Job affirms that he was ‘blessed by those who heard him,’ and has ‘received a testimony from those who beheld him,’ his words reveal his character, both in what he says and in what he does. One cannot be considered upright in action if their speech is corrupt, nor can someone be acclaimed for their words if their deeds do not reflect the glory that their words convey. Thus, blessed Job, in response to the accusations of his friends, asserts that he indeed possessed both blessings from those who heard him and from those who saw him.

With no reply from his companions following his remarks, Job resumes speaking in his own defense. He reflects on his previous joyful condition and elaborates on it extensively. At one time, he had enjoyed the Lord’s unique blessing (29:1-5), and he found joy in the midst of his family, held in high regard by everyone, comparable to a noble (6-10). He never turned away from anyone in need, striving to make up for their deficiencies (11-17). Through such conduct, he anticipated a long and blissful life in his later years (18-20) and regarded the respect and recognition he received with great assurance (21-25).