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

2I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all. 3Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? 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. 5But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief. 6Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

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 also could speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• ifלוּlû' lû' lû · ifH3863
• your soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
• wereיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• stead, I could heap upחָבַרchâbar · to uniteH2266
• wordsמִלָּהmillâh milleh · speechH4405
• against you, and shakeנוּעַnûa‛ · to shakeH5128
• mine headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• atבְּמוֹbemô · in/at/byH1119

Cross-references for Job 16:4

• Job 6:2Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!
• Matthew 7:12Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
• Romans 12:15Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
• 1 Corinthians 12:26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
• Job 11:2Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?
• Job 35:16Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
• Proverbs 10:19In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
• Ecclesiastes 10:14A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
• 2 Kings 19:21This is the word that Yhwh hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
• Psalms 22:7All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
• Psalms 44:14Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.
• Psalms 109:25I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.
• Jeremiah 18:16To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
• Lamentations 2:15All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
• Matthew 27:39And they that passed by reviled him, wagging 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