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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Job 16:4-5

Job then, with the supercilious contempt peculiar to him and in justification of his rejection of their "comfort," holds up a picture of it before them: their method is not a difficult one, he also could adopt it, if his case were theirs; he could shake his head over them and give them lip-comfort enough.

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See also Job 16:4-5 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 16:4. _I ALSO COULD SPEAK_] It is probably better to render some of these _permissives_ or _potential verbs_ literally in the _future tense_, as in the Hebrew: _I also WILL speak_. Mr. _Good...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    I ALSO COULD SPEAK AS YE DO - In the same reproachful manner, and stringing together old proverbs and maxims as you have. IF YOUR SOUL WERE IN MY SOUL’S STEAD - If you were in my place. The idea is,...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER S 16-17 JOB'S REPLY TO ELIPHAZ _ 1. Miserable comforters are ye all (Job 16:1)_ 2. Oh God! Thou hast done it! (Job 16:6) 3. Yet I look to Thee (Job 16:15) 4. Trouble upon trouble; self-pit...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    Job has had enough of his tormenting comforters (Job 16:2 f.). He could, if the positions were reversed, well enough offer them such mere verbal consolation (the stress in Job 16:5 is on mouth and lip...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    YOUR SOUL. you (emph.) Hebrew. _nephesh._ App-13. MY SOUL. me (emph.) Hebrew. _nephesh._ App-13....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    I ALSO COULD SPEAK, &C.— _I also could speak as well as you: if your soul were in my soul's stead, would I accumulate sentences against you? would I shake my head at you?_ Heath. The rendering of this...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    B. JOB'S TRIALVINDICATION OR? (Job 16:1, Job 17:16). 1. The words of his friends are aimless and unprofitable. (Job 16:1-5) TEXT 16:1-5 16 THEN JOB ANSWERED AND SAID, 2 I have heard many such thing...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _I ALSO COULD SPEAK AS YE DO: IF YOUR SOUL WERE IN MY SOUL'S STEAD, I COULD HEAP UP WORDS AGAINST YOU, AND SHAKE MINE HEAD AT YOU._ If your soul were in my souls stead - if you were in my place, suff...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB'S FOURTH SPEECH (JOB 16:17) See introductory remarks on Job 15-21. 1-5. Job retorts scornfully that he too could offer such empty 'comfort' if he were in the friends' place....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Job’s friends wanted to help him. They tried to teach him about God. They tried to show Job his errors. And they wanted to encourage him. But their words did not help Job. They never understood the r...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOB, A SERVANT OF GOD Job _KEITH SIMONS_ Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible. This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 16 JOB REPLIES TO ELIPHAZ’S...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    IF YOUR SOUL. — _i.e., person=“_ If you were in my place, I could heap up words,” &c. It is doubtful whether this is in contrast to what comes afterwards in the fifth verse, as in the Authorised Versi...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    גַּ֤ם ׀ אָנֹכִי֮ כָּכֶ֪ם אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה ל֤וּ ־יֵ֪שׁ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    XIV. "MY WITNESS IN HEAVEN" Job 16:1; Job 17:1 Job SPEAKS IF it were comforting to be told of misery and misfortune, to hear the doom of insolent evildoers described again and again in varying term...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    TURNING FROM “MISERABLE COMFORTERS” UNTO GOD Job 16:1 With bitterness the sufferer turns from his comforters to God. As the r.v. makes clear, he says that if he were in their place and they in his,...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Job immediately answered. His answer dealt less with the argument they suggested than before. While the darkness was still about him, and in some senses the agony of his soul was deepening, yet it is...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    I also could speak as ye [do]: if your (c) soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and (d) shake mine head at you. (c) I would that you felt what I do. (d) That is, mock at...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _My soul. If you had experienced my state of misery, (Haydock) I surely would not have behaved thus to you. (Calmet) Facile, cum valemus, recta consilia ægrotis damus:_ Tu si hic sis, aliter sentias....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (3) Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? (4) I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4 THROUGH 31. As to the friends of Job, they do not call for any extended remarks. They urge the doctrine that God's earthly government is a full measure and...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    I ALSO COULD SPEAK AS YE [DO],.... As big words, with as high a tone, with as stiff a neck, and as haughtily and loftily; or "ought I to speak as you do" m? that I ought not, nor would you think I oug...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    I also could speak as ye [do]: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you. Ver. 4. _I also could speak as you do, &c._] Every whit as curiousl...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _I could also speak as ye do_ It is an easy thing to trample upon those that are down, and to find fault with what those say who are in extremity of pain and affliction. _If your soul were in my soul'...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    JOB COMPLAINS OF THE UNMERCIFUL ATTITUDE OF HIS FRIENDS...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    I also could speak as ye do, he might serve them in the same manner, pay them in like coin; IF YOUR SOUL WERE IN MY SOUL'S STEAD, if they were in his place, I COULD HEAP UP WORDS AGAINST YOU, weaving...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB REPROVES THEIR HEARTLESSNESS (vv.1-5) Eliphaz had claimed to be giving Job "the consolations of God," and this moves Job to reply bitterly, "Miserable comforters are you all!" (v.2). Instead of...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "I TOO COULD SPEAK LIKE YOU": If the circumstances were reversed, Job could certainly fire verbal bullets at them, yet in verse. he seems to indicate that he would try to help them. "He could do far...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-5 Eliphaz had represented Job's discourses as unprofitable, and nothing to the purpose; Job here gives his the same character. Those who pass censures, must expect to have them retorted; it is easy...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    _ If your soul_, i.e. your person, as GENESIS 12:5. I COULD HEAP UP WORDS AGAINST YOU, i.e. I could multiply accusations and reproaches against you, as you do against me. SHAKE MINE HEAD AT YOU; in wa...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 16:4 speak H1696 (H8762) If H3863 soul H5315 were H3426 souls H5315 up H2266 (H8686) words...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Job charges that Eliphaz is but heaping up words. CHARACTERS: God, Job, three friends. CONCLUSION: It is a great comfort to a good man who lies under the censures of brethren who do not un...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 16:2. _Miserable comforters are ye all._ The Vulgate, “burdensome comforters,” who afflicted instead of consoling their friend. Job 16:3. _Shall vain words have an end._ He plainly tells Eliphaz...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 16:1 Job responds again. He begins by pointing out that his friends have failed as comforters (Job 16:2), even though comfort was their original purpose for coming to him (see...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _JOB’S SECOND REPLY TO ELIPHAZ_ I. Complains of the want of sympathy on the part of his friends (Job 16:2). 1. _They gave him only verses from the ancients about the punishment of the wicked and the...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION Job answers the second speech of Eliphaz in a discourse which occupies two (short) chapters, and is thus not much more lengthy than the speech of his antagonist. His tone is very despairing...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So Job answered and said, I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are you all. Shall empty words (Job 16:1) Talking about vanity, he said, Shall empty words have an end? or what emboldens...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 12:26; 2 Kings 19:21; Ecclesiastes 10:14; Jeremiah 18:16;...

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