Job 16:4

Job 16:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I also could speak as you do, if you were in my place; I could join words together against you and shake my head at you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I also could speak as you do, If your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, And shake my head at you;

Context of Job 16:4

2“I have heard many things like these; Miserable comforters are you all! 3Is there no end to windy words? Or what provokes you that you answer? I too could speak like you, If only I were in your place. I could compose words against you And shake my head at you. 5Or I could strengthen you with my mouth, And the condolence of my lips could lessen your pain. 6“If I speak, my pain is not lessened, And if I refrain, what pain leaves me?

Job 16:4 word by word

גַּ֤ם׀ אָנֹכִי֮ כָּכֶ֪ם אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה ל֤וּ־יֵ֪שׁ נַפְשְׁכֶ֡ם תַּ֤חַת נַפְשִׁ֗י אַחְבִּ֣ירָה עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם בְּמִלִּ֑ים וְאָנִ֥יעָה עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם בְּמ֣וֹ רֹאשִֽׁי׃Read the interlinear

• I tooגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• could speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• Ifלוּlû' lû' lû · ifH3863
• I were inתַּחַתtachath · underneath: insteadH8478
• your placeתַּחַתtachath · underneath: insteadH8478
• I could composeחָבַרchâbar · to uniteH2266
• wordsמִלָּהmillâh milleh · speechH4405
• againstעַל‛al · uponH5921
• shakeנוּעַnûa‛ · to shakeH5128
• my headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218

Cross-references for Job 16:4

• Job 6:2“Oh if only my grief were actually weighed And laid in the balances together with my disaster!
• Matthew 7:12“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
• Romans 12:15Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
• 1 Corinthians 12:26And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it.
• Job 11:2“Shall a multitude of words go unanswered, And a talkative man be acquitted?
• Job 35:16So Job opens his mouth with empty words; He multiplies words without knowledge.”
• Proverbs 10:19When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable, But one who restrains his lips is wise.
• Ecclesiastes 10:14Yet the fool multiplies words. No person knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?
• 2 Kings 19:21This is the word that the Lord has spoken against him: ‘She, the virgin daughter of Zion, has shown contempt for you and mocked you; She, the daughter of Jerusalem, has shaken her head behind you!
• Psalms 22:7All who see me deride me; They sneer, they shake their heads, saying,
• Psalms 44:14You make us a proverb among the nations, A laughingstock among the peoples.
• Psalms 109:25I also have become a disgrace to them; When they see me, they shake their head.
• Jeremiah 18:16To make their land a desolation, An object of perpetual hissing; Everyone who passes by it will be astonished And shake his head.
• Lamentations 2:15All who pass along the way Clap their hands in ridicule at you; They hiss and shake their heads At the daughter of Jerusalem: “Is this the city of which they said, ‘Perfect in beauty, A joy to all the earth’?”
• Matthew 27:39And those passing by were speaking abusively to Him, shaking their heads,

Commentaries on Job 16:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4I 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 has adopted this mode. If your soul were in my soul's stead - If you were in my place, I also could quote many wise sayings that might tend to show that you were hypocrites and wicked men; but would this be fair? Even when I might not choose to go farther in assertion, I might shake…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4I 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, that there is no difficulty in finding arguments to overwhelm the afflicted - a truth which most persons who have been unfortunate, have had opportunity to experience. I could heap up words against you - Or, rather, “I could string together words against you.”…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Job might have wanted to shake his head in to make fun or in horror (2 Kings 19:21; Psalms 22:7; 109:25; Isaiah 37:22; Jeremiah 18:16; Lamentations 2:15; Matthew 27:39).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. heap up--rather, "marshal together (an army of) words against you." shake ... head--in mockery; it means nodding, rather than shaking; nodding is not with us, as in the East, a gesture of scorn (Is 37:22; Jr 18:16; Mt 27:39).Read the comment

Topics related to Job 16:4

• Persecution
• Speaking

In the dictionaries

• Comforter
• Foul
• Plead
• Scorn
• Gesture
• Heap
• Job, Book of

Commentaries on Job 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary