Job 2:13

So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that [his] grief was very great.

So they sat down {H3427} with him upon the ground {H776} seven {H7651} days {H3117} and seven {H7651} nights {H3915}, and none spake {H1696} a word {H1697} unto him: for they saw {H7200} that his grief {H3511} was very {H3966} great {H1431}.

Then they sat down with him on the ground. For seven days and seven nights, no one spoke a word to him; because they saw how much he was suffering.

Then 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.

So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Job 2:13 describes a poignant moment of silent solidarity experienced by Job's three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, in the aftermath of his unimaginable suffering. This verse marks the end of their initial journey to see Job and the beginning of their long interaction, which forms the bulk of the book.

Context

This verse follows the second devastating wave of calamities that befell Job. After losing his children, servants, and vast wealth in a single day (Job 1), Job was then afflicted with painful boils from the sole of his foot to his crown (Job 2:7). His wife had already urged him to curse God and die. It is at this low point that his three friends arrive, having heard of his distress, to mourn with him and comfort him. Their initial response, recorded in this verse, is one of profound, speechless empathy, acknowledging the unparalleled depth of his anguish.

Key Themes

  • Silent Empathy and Presence: The most striking aspect of this verse is the friends' silence for "seven days and seven nights." This extended period signifies a profound act of empathy, acknowledging that some grief is so immense that words are inadequate or even intrusive. Their presence, simply "sitting down with him upon the ground," demonstrated solidarity in his suffering without immediately offering explanations or advice. This contrasts sharply with their later, less helpful speeches that begin in Job chapter 3.
  • The Depth of Job's Suffering: The phrase "his grief was very great" underscores the unimaginable physical pain and emotional agony Job was enduring. It was so overwhelming that even his close companions, initially, could only respond with speechless awe and shared lament. This intensity of suffering is a central theme throughout the book of Job, exploring questions of faith and justice in the face of inexplicable pain.
  • Ancient Mourning Customs: The seven-day period was a common and significant time of mourning in ancient Near Eastern cultures, often associated with deep sorrow and ritualistic lament. Sitting on the ground or in ashes (Job 2:8) was a typical posture of mourning and humility, signifying utter desolation and grief.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase translated "his grief was very great" (וַיִּרְאוּ כִּי-גָדַל הַכְּאֵב מְאֹד לוֹ, vayyir'u ki-gadal hakke'ev me'od lo) emphasizes the sheer immensity of Job's pain. The word ke'ev (כְּאֵב) refers to deep pain, sorrow, or hurt, and me'od (מְאֹד) means "very, exceedingly, utterly," intensifying the description. It conveys a suffering so profound that it was immediately apparent and overwhelming to those who witnessed it, compelling their silence.

Practical Application

Job 2:13 offers a powerful lesson on how to minister to those in deep distress. Often, our first instinct is to speak, to offer solutions, or to rationalize suffering. However, this verse highlights the profound value of simply being present, listening, and allowing space for grief without judgment or immediate answers. True comfort can sometimes be found not in what is said, but in shared silence and unwavering solidarity. It reminds us that empathy often begins with presence and the humility to acknowledge a pain so great that words fall short. This initial compassionate silence stands as a model for supportive friendship in times of profound crisis, a stark contrast to the friends' subsequent, often unhelpful, theological debates.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Genesis 50:10

    And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which [is] beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.

  • Ezekiel 3:15

    Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.

  • Nehemiah 1:4

    And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned [certain] days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

  • Genesis 1:8

    And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

  • Psalms 77:4

    Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

  • Isaiah 3:26

    And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she [being] desolate shall sit upon the ground.

  • Job 4:2

    [If] we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

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