Job 16:5

Job 16:5

3 Shall¹ words of wind have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer?

4 I also could speak as you do,
If your soul were in my soul’s place.
I could heap up words against you,
And ^ashake my head at you;

5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.

6 “Though I speak, my grief is not relieved;
And if I remain silent, how am I eased?

7 But now He has ^aworn me out;
You ^bhave made desolate all my company.

8 You have shriveled me up,
And it is a ^awitness against me;
My leanness rises up against me
And bears witness to my face.

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

<< Job 16:4

Job 16:6 >>

(But I would strengthen you with my mouth With that which proceeds from the mouth - words.

And the moving of my lips - My speaking - implying that it would have been done in a mild, gentle, kind manner - so that the lips would appear just to move. Others, however, have given a different interpretation. Thus, Dr. Good renders it:

"With my own mouth will I overpower you,

Till the quivering of my lips shall fall."

But the common interpretation is to be preferred. The word rendered "moving" nı̂yd is from ּ nûd - "to move," "agitate," and hence, denotes "motion." It denotes here the motion of the lips when we speak. Gesenius renders it, "consolation," "comfort" - because this is expressed by a motion of the head.

Should assuage your grief - The word used here ( ׂ yachâśak ) means properly "to hold back," "to restrain;" Job 7:11. Here it is correctly rendered, meaning that he would hold back, or check their sorrows. In other words, he would sustain them.

**Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Job 16:5:**

Nahum 3:7

<< Job 16:4

Job 16:6 >>

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Job 16:5

Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Job 16:5:

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

**Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Job 16:5:**

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning