What Does Job 33:29 Mean in the King James?
Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Hebrew counts God’s work with a person as returning twice, even three times.
THE MEANING
God works with you more than once; the Hebrew phrase counts the recurrence as twice, even three times. Repeated engagement is part of the verse’s picture of God’s ongoing work with a person.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that one missed moment exhausts God’s work with you: this verse names recurrence as part of the encounter.
THE ROOT
פַּעֲמַיִם שָׁלֹשׁ
paʿamayim shalosh
GROWS FROM
פ־ע־ם
To beat or strike; as a noun, a beat, step, or occasion.
“oftentimes” in this verse is paʿamayim shalosh. The Hebrew phrase counts the recurrence as twice, three times. Behind that count is a word for a beat or footfall, giving God’s work a returning rhythm rather than a single pass.
ALSO GROWS
paʿam: A step, footfall, or occasion.
פַּעַם
The step or occasion makes recurrence concrete: God’s work returns in another moment.
paʿamon: A bell.
פַּעֲמוֹן
This branch carries the root’s struck beat into sound, an echo of action that rings again.
יִפְעַל
yifʿal
GROWS FROM
פ־ע־ל
To do, act, or work.
“worketh” in this verse is yifʿal. The verb names active work with the person, not mere presence. Beside the repeated count, it presents God’s engagement as work that continues through more than one pass.
ALSO GROWS
poʿel: A worker, one who acts.
פֹּעֵל
The worker branch keeps the verse’s focus on active engagement.
peʿullah: Work, deed, or action.
פְּעֻלָּה
This branch names the work itself, echoing the verse’s repeated acts.
THE PATTERN
God’s engagement with a person is shown as recurring: the work returns in more than one encounter.
For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.THE THREAD
And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.“As at other times” uses פַּעַם (paʿam, step or occasion), the same root behind the counted times in Job 33:29. Here recurrence is a call that returns and receives an answer.
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