The Meaning of Job 29:22 Explained

Job 29:22

KJV: After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.

YLT: After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,

Darby: After my words they spoke not again, and my speech dropped upon them;

ASV: After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled upon them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

After  my words  they spake not again;  and my speech  dropped  upon them. 

What does Job 29:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 29:1-25 - The Bitter Memory Of The Happy Past
How many thousands, looking back on the beautiful dawn of life which has become overcast, have uttered the thought of the opening words of this chapter! The worldling has no hope of the renewal of that blessed past; but the believer knows that in Christ he belongs to the eternal order, which enters into the devastation wrought by sin, arresting, canceling and converting evil into good.
If we believe in Jesus Christ, submit to His will, and unite ourselves to His heart, "a statelier Eden" comes back to us. God watches over us for good; His lamp shines on our way; His friendship is in our tent, and His love transfigures all things. The graphic description which follows of the life of a godly man is still true when a man's ways please the Lord. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 29

1  Job bemoans his former prosperity

What do the individual words in Job 29:22 mean?

After my words not they did speak again and on them settled [as dew] my speech
אַחֲרֵ֣י דְ֭בָרִי לֹ֣א יִשְׁנ֑וּ וְ֝עָלֵ֗ימוֹ תִּטֹּ֥ף מִלָּתִֽי

אַחֲרֵ֣י  After 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
דְ֭בָרִי  my  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יִשְׁנ֑וּ  they  did  speak  again 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: to repeat, do again, change, alter.
וְ֝עָלֵ֗ימוֹ  and  on  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
תִּטֹּ֥ף  settled  [as  dew] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נָטַף  
Sense: to drop, drip, distil, prophesy, preach, discourse.
מִלָּתִֽי  my  speech 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מִלָּה  
Sense: word, speech, utterance.