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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Job 21:12

They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

Take - rather, lift up the voice (sing) to the note of х naasaa' (H5375)] (Isaiah 42:11). (Umbreit.)

Timbrel - rather, tambourine.

Organ - not the modern "organ," but the 'pipe' (Genesis 4:21). The first clause refers to stringed, the latter to wind instruments; thus, with 'the voice,' all kinds of music are enumerated.

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See also Job 21:12 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 21:12. _THEY TAKE THE TIMBREL AND HARP_] ישאו _yisu_, they _rise_ _up_ or _lift themselves up_, probably alluding to the rural exercise of dancing. תף toph, which we translate _timbrel_, me...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THEY TAKE THE TIMBREL - They have instruments of cheerful music in their dwellings; and this is an evidence that they are not treated as the friends of Job had maintained. Instead of being, as they as...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 21 JOB'S REPLY _ 1. Hear my solemn words--then mock on (Job 21:1)_ 2. His testimony concerning the experiences of the wicked (Job 21:7) 3. Your answers are nothing but falsehoods (Job 21:27...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB 21. JOB'S REPLY. Zophar was graphic and vigorous, but had nothing to say. Nevertheless his speech suggests to Job his next argument. The facts are quite the opposite of what Zophar has said: the w...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ORGAN. Hebrew. _'ugab =_. wind instrument. Compare Genesis 4:21.Genesis 30:31.Psalms 150:4....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    And they themselves pass their days in gladness, surrounded with all the charms of life. _They take the timbrel_ Rather, THEY SING TO, i. e. to the accompaniment of, THE TIMBREL AND THE LUTE; lit. _t...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    This great mystery of the prosperity of the wicked in God's providence Job now unfolds on both its sides: first, they and all belonging to them prosper, and they die in peace, although in conscious go...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The mystery is, Why do the wicked prosper? They live long, they see their children grow up, and their homes are peaceful (Job 21:7). Their cattle thrives (Job 21:10). Their children and they pass a mi...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    MARK ME, AND BE ADMONISHED, &C.— The coldest reader cannot be insensible of the beauties of the poetry in this speech of Job. We will not, therefore, attempt to point them out, but attend to the threa...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    2. The wicked enjoy great peace and plenty. (Job 21:7-16) TEXT 21:7-16 7 WHEREFORE DO THE WICKED LIVE, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power? 8 Then- seed is established with them in their sight,...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB'S SIXTH SPEECH Zophar, like the other friends, had insisted on the certain retribution for sin which befalls the wicked in this life. Now at length these views draw from Job a direct contradictio...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    TIMBREL] a small drum still used in Palestine. ORGAN] RV 'pipe.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOB, A SERVANT OF GOD Job _KEITH SIMONS_ Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible. This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 21 JOB REPLIES TO ZOPHAR’S...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Job described the good lives of some evil people. Previously, Job had lived a good life like this. He had many animals. And he had many children. And Job’s own children enjoyed their parties. Job was...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THEY SEND FORTH THEIR LITTLE ONES... — In striking contrast to the fate of Job’s own children, and in contradiction to what Eliphaz had said (Job 15:29)....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    יִ֭שְׂאוּ כְּ תֹ֣ף וְ כִנֹּ֑ור וְ֝ יִשְׂמְח֗ו

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    XVIII. ARE THE WAYS OF THE LORD EQUAL? Job 21:1 Job SPEAKS WITH less of personal distress and a more collected mind than before Job begins a reply to Zophar. His brave hope of vindication has forti...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “SHALL ANY TEACH GOD?” Job 21:1 After a brief introduction, in which he claims the right to reply, Job 21:1, Job brings forward a new argument. He affirms that his friends are wrong in assuming that...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here, as in the first cycle, Job answered not merely Zophar, but the whole argument. First of all, he set over against their statement and illustrations the fact patent to all that often the wicked ar...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (8) Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. (9) Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. (10) Their bull gendereth, and...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4 THROUGH 31. As to the friends of Job, they do not call for any extended remarks. They urge the doctrine that God's earthly government is a full measure and...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THEY TAKE THE TIMBREL AND HARP,.... Not the children, but the parents of them; these took these instruments of music into their hands, and played upon them while their children danced; thus merrily th...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. Ver. 12. _They take the timbrel and the harp_] They take them, and are taken with them, being melted in sensual delights, which...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    They take the timbrel and harp, singing aloud in their festivities, AND REJOICE AT THE SOUND OF THE ORGAN, a pipe or a set of pipes, the three instruments mentioned being the simplest and the most anc...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    JOB POINTS OUT THE DIFFERENCE IN CALAMITIES BEFALLING MEN...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB SILENCES ZOPHAR (vv.1-34). The callous cruelty of Zophar's speech would surely cause some men to be bitterly angry, but while Job was incensed by such treatment, he did not lose his temper. He...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    Zophar claimed that the wicked never live long enough to enjoy their prosperity (Job 20:15-18), and Job disagrees. They have parties, seem to enjoy life, and "suddenly" die. The idea of "suddenly" her...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-16 Job says, Remarkable judgments are sometimes brought upon notorious sinners, but not always. Wherefore is it so? This is the day of God's patience; and, in some way or other, he makes use of the...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    No text from Poole on this verse....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 21:12 sing H5375 (H8799) tambourine H8596 harp H3658 rejoice H8055 (H8799) sound H6963 flute H5748...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Job's answer to Zophar in which he denies any secret sin. CHARACTERS: God, Job, three friends. CONCLUSION: The providences of God in the government of this world are sometimes hard to be u...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 21:2. _Consolations._ נחם _nicham,_ though mostly translated consolation, comfort &c., as in Isaiah 40:1; is in several places understood of a change of mind, or of repentance. So in Judges 21., w...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _But Job answered and said._ JOB’S THIRD ANSWER There is more logic and less passion in this address than in any of Job’s preceding speeches. He felt the dogma of the friends to be opposed-- I. To...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 21:1 Job’s response closes the second cycle of the dialogue with his friends. ⇐ ⇔...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 21:7 Job argues that, contrary to what his friends have been saying (e.g., Job 18:5), the WICKED often prosper and their OFFSPRING

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _JOB’S REPLY TO ZOPHAR’S SECOND SPEECH_ The ungodly, instead of experiencing the miseries indicated by Zophar, often, perhaps generally, enjoy continued ease and prosperity in this life. I. INTRODUC...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOB 21:1 Job answers Zophar, as he had answered Bildad, in a single not very lengthy chapter. After a few caustic introductory remarks (verses 2-4), he takes up the challenge which Zophar...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    By Chuck Smith This time shall we turn to the book of Job, chapter 21. Zophar has just concluded in chapter 20 his second speech in which, again, he sort of just gives some of the traditions and quote...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Amos 6:4; Genesis 31:27; Genesis 4:21; Isaiah 22:13; Isaiah 5:12...

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