Job 21 29

Job 21:29 kjv

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

Job 21:29 nkjv

Have you not asked those who travel the road? And do you not know their signs?

Job 21:29 niv

Have you never questioned those who travel? Have you paid no regard to their accounts?

Job 21:29 esv

Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony

Job 21:29 nlt

But ask those who have been around,
and they will tell you the truth.

Job 21 verses

Job 21 29 Meaning

Job 21:29 is part of Job's fifth speech, delivered in response to Zophar. In this verse, Job challenges his friends, asking if they have not observed or considered the testimonies of those who have traveled widely, and if they do not know the real accounts or outcomes (dealings/tokens) these travelers would bring. He suggests that anyone looking beyond their immediate, limited experience and dogmatic traditions would witness the undeniable reality that the wicked often prosper, live long lives, and die peacefully, contradicting the friends' rigid insistence on immediate, earthly retribution. It is a call for an empirical, wider perspective to counter their narrow, theoretical one.

Job 21 29 Context

Job 21:29 is located within Job's extended response (Job 21:1-34) to Zophar, who, in Chapter 20, had reiterated the traditional wisdom that the wicked ultimately face divine retribution and their prosperity is fleeting. Job's friends consistently argue that Job's suffering must be due to his sin, based on their firm belief in immediate, earthly divine justice. In Chapter 21, Job directly counters this by presenting a stark, observable reality: the wicked often live long, prosperous lives, are undisturbed by trouble, and die in peace, seemingly unpunished for their deeds. This verse, "Have you not asked those who travel? And do you not know their accounts?", serves as Job's rhetorical challenge to his friends' limited, provincial worldview. He invites them to consult the broader experiences of travelers who have seen different customs and realities, suggesting that such empirical observation would validate his claim that the wicked are not always punished in this life, thus directly contradicting the friends' simplistic theology and validating his own observed experience. The historical context is that of ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature, debating the problem of evil and suffering, specifically how divine justice operates in the temporal realm.

Job 21 29 Word analysis

• "Have you not asked" (הֲלֹא שְׁאֶלְתֶּם, ha-lo shᵉ'el·tem): This is a rhetorical question. Shᵉ'el·tem means "you have asked" or "you inquired." The negative interrogative "Have you not asked?" implies that they should have asked, or that it is self-evident they would discover the truth if they did. It is a direct challenge to their limited observational data and an invitation to broader inquiry. Job implies his friends have been content with inherited wisdom rather than empirical investigation.
• "those who travel" (עֹבְרֵי דֶרֶךְ, ʿōvrê de·rekh): Literally, "passers of the way" or "those who cross/traverse the road." This phrase signifies individuals who move beyond their immediate locality, gaining diverse experiences and observations from various regions and peoples. In ancient times, travelers were repositories of wider knowledge, providing accounts of realities beyond local, inherited traditions. Job suggests their friends' wisdom is confined by a lack of broader perspective.
• "And do you not know" (וְאֵת אֹתוֹתָם לֹא תְנַכֵּרוּ, wᵉ'êt ōṯōṯām lō tᵉnak·kē·rû): Another rhetorical question. Tᵉnak·kē·rû means "you should recognize/discern/know." It comes from the root נָכַר (nakar), "to know, recognize, discern."
• "their accounts/tokens" (אֹתוֹתָם, ōṯōṯām): The noun here is אוֹתוֹת (otot), plural of אוֹת ('ot), which means "sign," "token," "mark," "proof," or "portent." In this context, it refers to the signs, evidences, or accounts of what travelers have witnessed regarding the destiny or outcome of people, particularly the wicked. Some translations render it as "dealings" or "discernments," pointing to the practices or observed realities of the wicked's lives. It suggests concrete evidence that challenges simplistic theological propositions.

Words-group analysis:

• "Have you not asked those who travel? And do you not know their accounts?": This forms a powerful rhetorical appeal to external, empirical evidence. Job is asserting that general human experience and observation, gathered from diverse sources (represented by "those who travel"), clearly demonstrate a reality that contradicts the friends' dogmatic theology regarding the immediate suffering of the wicked. It implies that their knowledge is either deficient due to lack of investigation or deliberately ignored because it threatens their worldview. Job here relies on universal experience as a counterpoint to localized, traditional dogma, effectively asking: "Is not the common, observable experience of the world contradictory to your theory?"

Job 21 29 Bonus section

The appeal to "those who travel" highlights a fundamental difference in epistemology between Job and his friends. The friends rely on inherited, propositional truth (e.g., "The wicked shall suffer"). Job, while acknowledging God's justice, also leans on empirical observation and human experience as a valid source of information about God's ways in the world, recognizing the mystery inherent in His governance. This tension between theoretical theological formulations and observable reality is a recurring theme in wisdom literature and contributes to Job's unique contribution to biblical thought. This verse sets the stage for God's ultimate answer in Chapters 38-41, where He reveals the unfathomable depth and wisdom of His creation, not directly addressing Job's specific questions but reaffirming His sovereign, majestic, and often inscrutable ways that far transcend human comprehension.

Job 21 29 Commentary

Job 21:29 is a pivotal statement in Job's defense, moving from personal complaint to a broad philosophical challenge to traditional wisdom. Job confronts his friends' unyielding theology of immediate retribution by appealing to the evidence of common observation. He argues that anyone consulting "those who travel" – a metaphor for gaining a wider perspective beyond one's immediate circle or inherited beliefs – would quickly realize that the wicked often experience prosperity, live long, and die peacefully, undisturbed by the suffering that the friends dogmatically link to all sin. This verse underscores the central tension of the Book of Job: the conflict between a simplified, theoretical understanding of divine justice and the complex, often perplexing realities of human experience. It is a call to intellectual honesty and a lament that his friends prioritize rigid doctrine over observable truth. This challenges us to consider whether our theological constructs are truly aligned with the fullness of biblical revelation and the realities God permits in His providence.