The Meaning of Job 2:12 Explained

Job 2:12

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Job 2:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 2:1-13 - "among The Ashes"
It gives God deep pleasure when He can point to one of His servants who has borne fiery trial with unwavering patience and faith. The adversary comes back from his restless, ceaseless rounds, 1 Peter 5:8; but there is one soul at least which has resisted his worst attacks. Observing Job, the principalities and powers in the heavenly places have learned that God can make a man love Him, not for His gifts, but for Himself, Ephesians 3:10.
The adversary suggests a severe test, and God permits it because he knows His child. A limit, however, is put upon the ordeal, 1 Corinthians 10:13, r.v. The story is very comforting, because we see that we are not the sport of chance, but in every detail our education is being carried out by our Father's hand. Our dearest friends may advise us to renounce God and die, but in Gethsemane our Lord taught us to take the Father's will at all costs-though it seem to spell death-sure that he will not leave us in the grave, Psalms 16:10. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 2

1  Satan, appearing again before God, obtains further leave to tempt Job
7  He afflicts him with sore boils
9  Job reproves his wife, who moved him to curse God
11  His three friends console with him in silence

What do the individual words in Job 2:12 mean?

And when they raised - their eyes from afar and not did recognize him and they lifted their voices and wept and tore each one his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven
וַיִּשְׂא֨וּ אֶת־ עֵינֵיהֶ֤ם מֵרָחוֹק֙ וְלֹ֣א הִכִּירֻ֔הוּ וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ קוֹלָ֖ם וַיִּבְכּ֑וּ וַֽיִּקְרְעוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מְעִל֔וֹ וַיִּזְרְק֥וּ עָפָ֛ר עַל־ רָאשֵׁיהֶ֖ם הַשָּׁמָֽיְמָה

וַיִּשְׂא֨וּ  And  when  they  raised 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֵינֵיהֶ֤ם  their  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, third person masculine plural
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
מֵרָחוֹק֙  from  afar 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָחֹוק  
Sense: remote, far, distant, distant lands, distant ones.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הִכִּירֻ֔הוּ  did  recognize  him 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכַר 
Sense: to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard.
וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ  and  they  lifted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
קוֹלָ֖ם  their  voices 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
וַיִּבְכּ֑וּ  and  wept 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּכָה  
Sense: to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears.
וַֽיִּקְרְעוּ֙  and  tore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָרַע  
Sense: to tear, tear in pieces.
אִ֣ישׁ  each  one 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מְעִל֔וֹ  his  robe 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מְעִיל  
Sense: robe.
וַיִּזְרְק֥וּ  and  sprinkled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: זָרַק 
Sense: to scatter, sprinkle, toss, throw, scatter abundantly, strew.
עָפָ֛ר  dust 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָפָר  
Sense: dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish.
רָאשֵׁיהֶ֖ם  his  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הַשָּׁמָֽיְמָה  toward  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.