Job 40:3-5

B. JOB LEARNS OF HIS LIMITATIONS. (Job 40:3-5)

TEXT 40:3-5

3 Then Job answered Jehovah, and said,
4 Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee?

I lay my hand upon my mouth.

5 Once have I spoken, and I will not answer;

Yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.

COMMENT 40:3-5

Job 40:3Job breaks his silence by confession.

Job 40:4He acknowledges that Yahweh's challenges are beyond his ability and that he is contemptible (A. V. small account)Genesis 16:4 ff; Nahum 1:14. The hand over the mouth was a Near Eastern gesture of awed silenceJob 21:5; Job 29:9. Job is no longer hostile, but humble. When Yahweh broke His silence, He also broke Job's pride.

Job 40:5This entire verse is repeated in Job 42:4-5. This fact enables us to recover the verb -wsp, which is almost totally lacking in The Qumran Targum. Job declines to answer Yahweh; he has already said more than he knowsJob 9:22; Job 13:20. Twice before Job poured forth his rhetorical wisdom, but now he sits in speechless wonder before the mystery of Yahweh's providential might. The majesty of creation now silences this small scoffer. But Yahweh will once and for all speak in The Shattering of Silence.