Job 2:12 “When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize…”

Job 2:12

When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize Job. They began to weep aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust in the air over his head.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

World English Bible

When they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and didn’t recognize him, they raised their voices, and wept; and they each tore his robe, and sprinkled dust on their heads toward the sky.

American Standard Version

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his robe, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

Geneva Bible 1599

So when they lift vp their eyes a farre off, they knewe him not: therefore they lift vp their voyces and wept, and euery one of them rent his garment, and sprinkled dust vpon their heads toward the heauen.

Darby Translation

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice and wept. And they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward the heavens.

Young's Literal Translation

and they lift up their eyes from afar and have not discerned him, and they lift up their voice and weep, and rend each his robe, and sprinkle dust on their heads — heavenward.

Bible in Basic English

And lifting up their eyes when they were still far off, it did not seem that the man they saw was Job because of the change in him. And they gave way to bitter weeping, with signs of grief, and put dust on their heads.

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Cross references

“knew him”

Job 19:14 Ruth 1:19–21 Lamentations 4:7 Lamentations 4:8

Job 19:14 · BSB

My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me.

Ruth 1:19–21 · BSB

So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women of the town exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

Lamentations 4:7 · BSB

Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.

Lamentations 4:8 · BSB

But now their appearance is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as a stick.

“their voice”

Genesis 27:34 Judges 2:4 1 Samuel 11:4 1 Samuel 30:4 2 Samuel 13:36 Esther 4:1

Genesis 27:34 · BSB

When Esau heard his father’s words, he let out a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me too, O my father!”

Judges 2:4 · BSB

When the angel of the LORD had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept.

1 Samuel 11:4 · BSB

When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and relayed these words in the hearing of the people, they all wept aloud.

1 Samuel 30:4 · BSB

So David and the troops with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no strength left to weep.

2 Samuel 13:36 · BSB

And as he finished speaking, the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

Esther 4:1 · BSB

When Mordecai learned of all that had happened, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.

“they rent”

Job 1:20

Job 1:20 · BSB

Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,

“sprinkled dust upon”

Lamentations 2:10 Ezekiel 27:30 Nehemiah 9:1 Revelation 18:19

Lamentations 2:10 · BSB

The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence. They have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.

Ezekiel 27:30 · BSB

They will raise their voices for you and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes.

Nehemiah 9:1 · BSB

On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads.

Revelation 18:19 · BSB

Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”

Also

Joshua 7:6

Joshua 7:6 · BSB

Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

11Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home, and they met together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him.

13Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw how intense his suffering was.

Read Job 2