King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
¶ For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:
Complete Jewish Bible:
"Ask the older generation, and consider what their ancestors found out;
Berean Standard Bible:
Please inquire of past generations and consider the discoveries of their fathers.
American Standard Version:
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
For enquire{H7592}, I pray thee, of the former{H7223}{H7223} age{H1755}, and prepare{H3559} thyself to the search{H2714} of their fathers{H1}:
Cross-References (KJV):
Deuteronomy 32:7
- ¶ Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
Job 15:18
- Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid [it]:
Deuteronomy 4:32
- For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and [ask] from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been [any such thing] as this great thing [is], or hath been heard like it?
Romans 15:4
- For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
1 Corinthians 10:11
- Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Psalms 44:1
- ¶ To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, [what] work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
Psalms 78:3
- Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Job 8:8
Job 8:8 is a verse from the Book of Job, which is part of the Wisdom Literature in the Hebrew Bible. The Book of Job deals with the problem of human suffering and the nature of divine justice. It tells the story of Job, a righteous man who loses everything—his wealth, his children, and his health—due to a divine bet between God and Satan to test his faith.
In this particular verse, Job's friend Bildad is speaking. Bildad is one of the three friends who come to comfort Job but end up accusing him of wrongdoing, suggesting that his suffering must be a punishment for sin. In Job 8:8, Bildad advises Job to seek wisdom from past generations, implying that the answers to life's questions, including the reasons for his suffering, can be found in the traditions and experiences of the ancestors. Bildad is essentially telling Job to learn from history and to recognize that the elders have a store of wisdom that is valuable and relevant to his current predicament.
The historical context of this verse reflects the ancient Near Eastern cultural respect for the wisdom of the elders and the importance of tradition. In that time, knowledge and understanding were often passed down orally from one generation to the next, and the counsel of the aged was highly esteemed. Bildad's advice to Job is rooted in this cultural reverence for ancestral knowledge and the belief that past generations held the key to understanding life's challenges and God's ways.
In summary, Job 8:8 encapsulates the theme of seeking wisdom from the past, a concept deeply embedded in the cultural and historical context of the ancient Near East. Bildad's words reflect the idea that the experiences and insights of previous generations can provide guidance and perspective during times of suffering and confusion. However, in the broader context of the Book of Job, the audience is invited to question the adequacy of such traditional wisdom in the face of the inscrutable ways of God and the mystery of innocent suffering.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7592
There are 157 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁאַל
Transliteration: shâʼal
Pronunciation: shaw-al'
Description: or שָׁאֵל; a primitive root; to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand; ask (counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand, desire, [idiom] earnestly, enquire, [phrase] greet, obtain leave, lend, pray, request, require, [phrase] salute, [idiom] straitly, [idiom] surely, wish. - Strong's Number: H7223
There are 174 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רִאשׁוֹן
Transliteration: riʼshôwn
Pronunciation: ree-shone'
Description: or רִאשֹׁן; from רִאשָׁה; first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun); ancestor, (that were) before(-time), beginning, eldest, first, fore(-father) (-most), former (thing), of old time, past. - Strong's Number: H1755
There are 127 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דּוֹר
Transliteration: dôwr
Pronunciation: dore
Description: or (shortened) דֹּר; from דּוּר; properly, a revolution of time, i.e. an age or generation; also a dwelling; age, [idiom] evermore, generation, (n-) ever, posterity. - Strong's Number: H3559
There are 210 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כּוּן
Transliteration: kûwn
Pronunciation: koon
Description: a primitive root; properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous); certain(-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness, fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet, ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self), provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright, fast, forth), be stable, (e-) stablish, stand, tarry, [idiom] very deed. - Strong's Number: H2714
There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֵקֶר
Transliteration: chêqer
Pronunciation: khay'-ker
Description: from חָקַר; examination, enumeration, deliberation; finding out, number, (un-) search(-able, -ed, out, -ing). - Strong's Number: H1
There are 15773 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָב
Transliteration: ʼâb
Pronunciation: awb
Description: a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.