Job 17 5

Job 17:5 kjv

He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.

Job 17:5 nkjv

He who speaks flattery to his friends, Even the eyes of his children will fail.

Job 17:5 niv

If anyone denounces their friends for reward, the eyes of their children will fail.

Job 17:5 esv

He who informs against his friends to get a share of their property ? the eyes of his children will fail.

Job 17:5 nlt

They betray their friends for their own advantage,
so let their children faint with hunger.

Job 17 verses

Job 17 5 Meaning

Job 17:5 conveys a stern warning about the dire consequences of betraying trusted relationships for personal gain or dishonest profit. It posits that a person who abandons or slanders their friends for a material reward or selfish advantage will face a divine judgment that impacts their offspring, specifically manifested as their children's eyes failing or growing dim, symbolizing a loss of hope, prosperity, and the future. This implies that such treachery does not only harm the betrayer but also brings generational hardship, signifying the severe nature of undermining loyalty for temporal benefit.

Job 17 5 Context

Job 17:5 is part of Job’s third speech (chapters 16-17) in his suffering and dispute with his friends. By this point, Job is utterly desperate, weary, and convinced that God has abandoned him. He perceives his friends as not offering comfort but adding to his misery through their persistent accusations of hidden sin. In this chapter, Job laments his situation, maintains his innocence, and looks toward death as his only solace. Verse 5 is presented as a general proverb, often interpreted as Job implicitly warning his friends. He is suggesting that their false testimony against an innocent "friend" (Job himself) for the "reward" of proving their theological arguments (or perhaps avoiding discomfort associated with a truly suffering righteous man) will incur severe divine judgment on their own families. Alternatively, it is Job stating that had his friends possessed true integrity, they would not be acting as betrayers, for such an act has terrible consequences.

Job 17 5 Word analysis

• He who denounces / הֵלֶךְ (helek):

  • Normally, helek means "portion," "share," or "inheritance."
  • In this context, it is strongly interpreted as a portion of spoil, plunder, or gain, implying that the betrayal is done for something received.
  • Some scholars suggest an alternative root or interpretation for helek meaning "flattery" or "smooth talk," making the phrase "one who speaks flatteries to his friends, that he may denounce them for profit." This emphasizes deceit leading to betrayal.
  • The core idea here is a transaction: the friend is given up for something.

• friends / רֵעִים (re'im):

  • "Friends" or "companions." This emphasizes the trusted relationship being violated.
  • Betraying a friend is considered a grievous offense, far worse than harming a stranger (Prov 27:10, Psa 55:12).

• for reward / לְחֵלֶק (le-cheleq) – this is related to helek as analyzed above. The lamed prefix means "for" or "as." Thus, "for a portion" or "for a gain/plunder." The reward is typically dishonest profit or unjust acquisition.

• the eyes of his children / עֵינֵי בָנָיו (ʿênê bānāw):

  • eyes (ʿayin): Symbolically, eyes represent insight, hope, discernment, well-being, vision for the future, and prosperity.
  • children (bānīm): Refers to sons or descendants, highlighting the generational nature of the curse or consequence.
  • This implies the punishment extends beyond the perpetrator to their innocent offspring.

• will fail / תִּכְלֶינָה (tikleynāh):

  • From the root kālâ, meaning "to finish," "fail," "pine away," "be consumed," or "grow dim."
  • Figuratively, it implies a loss of hope, prosperity, success, or future prospects.
  • It suggests a physical dimming of eyesight, symbolizing overall decay or deprivation of a bright future, possibly blindness or persistent suffering.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "He who denounces friends for reward": This phrase describes an act of calculated treachery where trust is broken for personal benefit. It implies a deliberate choice to prioritize material gain over loyalty and ethical conduct. This kind of betrayal is fundamentally an act against communal solidarity and covenant faithfulness.
  • "the eyes of his children will fail": This is the divine consequence, deeply embedded in the ancient Near Eastern understanding of generational judgment and blessing. The failure of children's eyes suggests a curse that cripples the family's future, prosperity, and ability to thrive. It implies that the offspring will inherit darkness, struggle, or spiritual dimness because of the parent's unrighteous deeds.

Job 17 5 Bonus section

The exact interpretation of "he who denounces friends for reward" involves some textual complexity, as the Hebrew word helek (חֵלֶק) primarily means "portion" or "share." The rendering "denounces for reward" or "betrays for plunder" requires interpreting the phrase in the context of taking a share of what is unjustly acquired through the betrayal of friends. Some rabbinic traditions and early translations also associated helek with "flattery" (חלקה ḥālaqah). Thus, the verse can be read as condemning one who flatters their friends to later betray them for personal gain. This highlights the insidious nature of the betrayal. The "failing eyes" may also carry an idiomatic sense of "disappointed hope" or "death" in ancient Hebrew thought, further emphasizing the finality of the curse and the snuffing out of future prospects for the children. This is a common motif in wisdom literature, reflecting that the unrighteous ultimately leave a difficult inheritance to their descendants.

Job 17 5 Commentary

Job 17:5 serves as a proverb illustrating the severe consequences of avarice leading to the betrayal of trust. It highlights a universal truth regarding divine justice: actions driven by selfish motives at the expense of loyal relationships bring ruin, not only upon the individual but also upon their future generations. Job, likely referencing common wisdom or directly implying a warning to his friends, suggests that their insistence on his guilt (which he perceives as betrayal of his true nature) places them in the position of those who sacrifice friendship for perceived "reward" (e.g., upholding their theological system or avoiding divine judgment themselves by condemning Job). The "failing eyes of children" is a profound biblical metaphor. It's not necessarily physical blindness but a severe decline in life's quality: a lack of vision for the future, dimming prospects, suffering, despair, or even the untimely demise of offspring. It speaks to the integrity required in all human dealings, especially within friendships, and underscores the spiritual law that a foundation built on betrayal and dishonesty will inevitably crumble, afflicting one's legacy.