Job 29:5 portrays Job’s heartfelt longing for God’s past favor and his children’s companionship, highlighting the depth of his sorrow and the steadfastness of God’s mercy.
Job 29:5 says, “When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me,” (v.5). Job uses the name “the Almighty,” which in Hebrew often appears as “El Shaddai,” reflecting God’s sovereign power and intimate involvement in human affairs. Here, Job recalls a season of life filled with divine favor, longing for the close fellowship he once had with the LORD. Prior to this moment, Satan had brought calamity upon Job—destroying his property and causing the death of his children, a tragedy that highlighted the intensity of his grief. Yet even as he laments, Job is remembering that God’s watchful presence, which he once felt so keenly, never fully abandoned him.
In this verse, “And my children were around me,” (v.5), Job also grieves the loss of familial closeness, as in the early chapters his sons and daughters perished under dire circumstances. Written around what many scholars believe to be the Patriarchal era (circa 2000-1800 B.C.), this account testifies to the enduring human longing for security and relationship. Job’s reflections point to how, in his earlier days, joy and blessing seemed woven into everyday life—an insight into the way God sometimes allows seasons of suffering to deepen dependence on Him.
By remembering “When the Almighty was yet with me,” (v.5), Job underscores a central theme of the entire book: he desires God’s nearness, despite circumstances that challenge his understanding. Much like believers in the New Testament era who long for Christ’s presence (Matthew 28:20), Job displays a faith that holds onto God’s character when all other comforts are removed. This foreshadows the truth that in Jesus, the Almighty extends His grace amid our deepest sorrows (John 16:33).
Job reminisces on these blessings as a reminder that knowing God by faith holds greater value than any earthly comfort.
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Job 29:5 meaning
Job 29:5 says, “When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me,” (v.5). Job uses the name “the Almighty,” which in Hebrew often appears as “El Shaddai,” reflecting God’s sovereign power and intimate involvement in human affairs. Here, Job recalls a season of life filled with divine favor, longing for the close fellowship he once had with the LORD. Prior to this moment, Satan had brought calamity upon Job—destroying his property and causing the death of his children, a tragedy that highlighted the intensity of his grief. Yet even as he laments, Job is remembering that God’s watchful presence, which he once felt so keenly, never fully abandoned him.
In this verse, “And my children were around me,” (v.5), Job also grieves the loss of familial closeness, as in the early chapters his sons and daughters perished under dire circumstances. Written around what many scholars believe to be the Patriarchal era (circa 2000-1800 B.C.), this account testifies to the enduring human longing for security and relationship. Job’s reflections point to how, in his earlier days, joy and blessing seemed woven into everyday life—an insight into the way God sometimes allows seasons of suffering to deepen dependence on Him.
By remembering “When the Almighty was yet with me,” (v.5), Job underscores a central theme of the entire book: he desires God’s nearness, despite circumstances that challenge his understanding. Much like believers in the New Testament era who long for Christ’s presence (Matthew 28:20), Job displays a faith that holds onto God’s character when all other comforts are removed. This foreshadows the truth that in Jesus, the Almighty extends His grace amid our deepest sorrows (John 16:33).
Job reminisces on these blessings as a reminder that knowing God by faith holds greater value than any earthly comfort.