Job 16:4

Job 16:4 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 head at you.

Ver. 4. I also could speak as you do, &c.] Every whit as curiously, as furiously. I could scold and scoff as freely as you do, but I know no warrant so to retort and retaliate; "being reviled, we bless; being defamed, we entreat," 1Co 4:12-13. To render railing for railing is to think to wash off dirt with dirt.

If your soul were in my soul’s stead] Some read it optatively, as Isa 64:1, Would to God your soul were in my soul’s stead; for then I would heap up words against you, and act your part upon you; but Job was not so malicious or vindictive as to think that tallying of injuries is but justice. Hypocritis nihil est crudelius, impatientius, et vindictae cupidius, saith Luther. Hypocrites are cruel, spiteful, and revengeful; but Job was none such. He, therefore, telleth his friends that if they were in his condition he would deal much more mildly with them.

I could heap up words against you] I could, but would not. Posse et nolle, nobile est (Sen.). Or thus, Would I heap up, &c., and handle you thus discourteously, by speeches and gestures, as you do me? It were easy to wag a wicked tongue, and to shake my head at you in despite and mockery; but were this religion? Doth not moral philosophy say, If a wise man speak evil of thee, endure him; if a fool, pardon him? Vincit qui patitar, as David did Saul, overcoming evil with good, though, when he marched against Nabal, how rough and rash was he in a resolution of revenge! 1Sa 25:32.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Job 16:4. 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’s stead — If our conditions were changed, and you were in misery like me, and I at ease like you; I could heap up words against you — As you do against me; that is, I could multiply accusations and reproaches against you, and how would you like it? how would you bear it? and shake my head at you — In a way of derision, as this phrase is commonly used. Heath renders these clauses interrogatively, thus: If your soul were in my soul’s stead, would I accumulate sentences against you? would I shake my head at you? Which rendering gives the verse a very pathetic turn.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16:4 Job might have wanted to shake his head in mockery or in horror (2 Kgs 19:21; Pss 22:7; 109:25; Isa 37:22; Jer 18:16; Lam 2:15; Matt 27:39).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

I would you felt that which I do.

That is, mock at your misery, as you do at mine.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

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 (Isa 37:22; Jer 18:16; Mat 27:39).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 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 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 my head by way of insinuation that there was much more behind, of which I did not choose to speak; but would this be right? That such sayings are in memory, is no proof that they were either made for me, or apply to my case.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(4) 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 Version, or whether it may not be in parallelism with it; thus: “I would make myself a companion to you—condole and sympathise with you. in words, and shake my head at you as a mark of sympathy.” The phrase differs somewhat from that in Psa_22:7; Isa_37:22, where to shake the head expresses contempt and derision.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. I could heap up words] Rather, I could compose words. By “composing” or joining together words Job means making formal, artificial and heartless speeches; cf. the string of traditional sayings put together by Eliphaz, ch. Job_15:20 seq.

shake mine head at you] “A gesture of astonishment, as much as to say ‘Eh! I would not have thought that the pious man, as it appears from his misfortunes, had been so great a sinner’ ” (Hitzig), cf. Psa_22:7, Isa_37:22.

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.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But I would strengthen you with my mouth,.... Comfort them with the words of his mouth; so God strengthens his people with strength in their souls, when he answers them with good and comfortable words; an angel strengthened Christ as man when in an agony, comforting him, suggesting comfortable things to him; so one saint may strengthen and comfort another when in distress, whether of soul or body; see Psa 138:3; and thus Job had strengthened and comforted others, with his words in former times, as Eliphaz himself owns, Job 4:3 and so he would again, were there a change in his circumstances, and objects presented:

and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief: words uttered by him, which are done by the moving of the lips, should be such as would have a tendency to allay grief, to stop, restrain, forbid, and lessen sorrow; at least that it might not break out in an extravagant way, and exceed bounds, and that his friends might not be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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, 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.” The idea is not that of heaping up, or accumulating; it is that of tying together, or uniting; and refers here to stringing together old maxims, saws, and proverbs, in the form of a set argument or discourse. The idea of Job is, that their discourses were nothing but ancient proverbs, thrown together, or strung along without regard to order, pertinency, or force. The Hebrew word used here (חבר châbar) means to bind, to bind together, to associate, to be confederate. It may be applied to friends - united in friendship; to nations - united in an alliance, etc. Gesenius supposes that it means here that he “would make a league with words against them;” but the above seems to be the more probable interpretation. The Septuagint renders it, “then I could insult you - ἐναλοῦμαι enaloumai - with words.” Jerome (Vulgate) “I would console you with words, and move my head over you.” The Chaldee is as the Hebrew - חבר châbar. Dr. Good renders it, “against you will I string together old sayings.”

And shake mine head at you - An action common to all countries and ages, expressive of contempt, or of threatening; compare Jer 18:16; Lam 2:15; Zep 2:15; Mat 27:39. So Lucretius ii. 1163:

Jamque caput quassans grandis suspirat ararat

Crebrius incassum magnum cecidisse laborem.

In like manner Virgil, Aeneid xii. 292:

Tum quassanos caput, haec effudit pectore dicta.

So, also, Homer, Odyssey ε e:

Κινήσας δὲ κάρη πρότι ὅν μυθήσατο Θυμόν.

Kinēsas de karē proti hon muthēsato thumon.

The meaning of Job here is, that be could as easily have expressed contempt, reproach, and scorn, as they did. It required no uncommon talent to do it, and he felt that he would have been fully sufficient for the task.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

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. (Terent. Andria.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

If your soul, i.e. your person, as Gen 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 way of derision, as this phrase is most commonly used; as 2Ki 19:21; Psa 22:7; Isa 37:22; Mat 27:39.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. Heap up words — Knit together words. The ministry of words is nothing without the ministry of the heart.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul"s stead, I could heap up words against you. It is only too easy to heap up rhetorical declamation against an unfortunate sufferer, whose physical and mental agonies absorb almost his whole attention. If you were in my place and condition, and I in yours, I could moralize in your tone and spirit for hours. And shake my head at you. A Hebrew mode of expressing condemnation of a man"s conduct. (see Psa_22:7 Isa_37:22 Jer_18:16 Mat_27:39, etc.)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I could collect and join words together

Job speaks of thinking of useless things to say as if his words were random items that he collected and joined together. AT: "I could think of things to say" (See: Metaphor)

shake my head

This is an action that shows disapproval. (See: Symbolic Action)

in mockery

The word "mockery" can be expressed as a verb. AT: "to mock you" (See: Abstract Nouns)

I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the quivering of my lips will bring you relief!

The words "mouth" and "lips" are metonyms for the words or messages that a person speaks using his mouth and lips. Here Job is speaking sarcastically and means the opposite of what he says. AT: "My words would surely not be encouraging to you! They would surely not lighten your grief" or "By speaking to you as you spoke to me earlier, I would not encourage you or lighten your grief!" (See: Metonymy and Irony)

with my mouth

Here Job's "mouth" represents what he says. AT: "with what I say" (See: Metonymy)

the quivering of my lips

This is a metonym for the words or message that he speaks. AT: "my comforting words" (See: Metonymy)

will bring you relief

This speaks of grief as if it were a heavy physical burden. AT: "will lessen your grief" or "will help you feel less grief" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

word

mock

comfort

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

could speak like you I know how to chide as you do.

if your soul were in pain instead of my soul, I too would join words together against you and shake my head at you in your cry, and encourage you with my mouth, saying, “Be still, have courage, and endure your sufferings,” just as you are saying to me.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.