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; you are miserable comforters, all of you! 3Is there no end to your futile words? What compels you to answer? I too could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could compose words against you and shake my head at you. 5But I would strengthen you with my mouth and comfort from my lips would bring you relief. 6“Yet, if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I refrain, does it not go away from 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• 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 6:2“If only my grief could be weighed and my calamity placed on the scales.
• Matthew 7:12So in all things, do to others what you would want them to do to you—for this is the Torah and the Prophets.
• Romans 12:15Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
• 1 Corinthians 12:26If one part suffers, all the parts suffer together. If one part is honored, all the parts rejoice together.
• Job 11:2“Should so many words go unanswered? Is a man justified by his lips?
• Job 35:16So Job opens his mouth with nonsense, without knowledge he multiplies words.”
• Proverbs 10:19When words abound, transgression is unavoidable. but whoever restrains his lips is wise.
• Ecclesiastes 10:14and the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will happen after him?
• 2 Kings 19:21This is the word that Adonai has spoken about him: “The virgin Daughter of Zion will despise you and mock you. The Daughter of Jerusalem will shake her head at you.
• Psalms 22:7Am I a worm, and not a man? Am I a scorn of men, despised by people?
• Psalms 44:14You made us a taunt for our neighbors, a scorn and ridicule for those around us.
• Psalms 109:25And I have become a taunt to them. When they see me, they wag their head.
• Jeremiah 18:16Their land will become a horror, a perpetual hissing— every one passing by will be stunned and shake his head.
• Lamentations 2:15All who pass your way clap their hands at you. They hiss and shake their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem. “Is this the city of which they said, ‘The perfection of beauty,’ ‘the joy of the whole earth’?”
• Matthew 27:39Those passing by were jeering at 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