a word · preposition + noun, common masculine plural construct
end
הֲקֵ֥ץha.Ketz
H7093
an extremity · interrogative particle + noun, common masculine singular absolute
emboldeneth
יַּ֝מְרִֽיצְךָ֗yam.ri.tze.kha
H4834
properly · verb, hiphil imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular + pronominal suffix, 2nd person masculine singular
answerest
תַעֲנֶֽהta.'a.Neh
H6030
properly · verb, qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Job 6:26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
Job 15:2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
Job 8:2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?
Job 20:3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
Job 32:3-6 Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
Matthew 22:46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
Titus 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.
Titus 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Job 16:1-5
Both Job and his friends took the same way that disputants commonly take, which is to undervalue one another's sense, and wisdom, and management. The longer the saw of contention is drawn the hotter it grows; and the beginning of this sort of strife is as the letting forth of water; therefore leave it off before it be meddled with. Eliphaz had represented Job's discourses as idle, and unprofitable, and nothing to the purpose; and Job here gives his the same character. Those who are free in passing such censures must expect to have them retorted; it is easy, it is endless: but cui bono? - what good does it do? It will stir up men's passions, but will never convince their judgments, nor set tr…
"Words of wind," Hebrew. He retorts upon Eliphaz his reproach (Job 15:2).
emboldeneth--literally, "What wearies you so that ye contradict?" that is, What have I said to provoke you? &c. [SCHUTTENS]. Or, as better accords with the first clause, "Wherefore do ye weary yourselves contradicting?" [UMBREIT].
John Gill on Job 16:3
Shall vain words have an end?.... Or "words of wind" (k), vain empty words, great swelling words of vanity, mere bubbles that look big, and have nothing in them; here Job retorts what Eliphaz had insinuated concerning him and his words, Job 15:2; and he intimates such worthless discourses should have an end, and a speedy one, and not be carried on to any length, they not bearing it; and wishes they were at an end, that he might hear no more of them; and suggests that it was weak and foolish in them to continue them; that if they could speak to no better purpose, it would be best to be silent:
or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? when men are engaged in a good cause, have truth on t…
1 Then began Job, and said:
2 I have now heard such things in abundance,
Troublesome comforters are ye all!
3 Are windy words now at an end,
Or what goadeth thee that thou answerest?
4 I also would speak like you,
If only your soul were in my soul's stead.
I would weave words against you,
And shake my head at you;
5 I would encourage you with my mouth,
And the solace of my lips should soothe you.
The speech of Eliphaz, as of the other two, is meant to be comforting. It is, however, primarily an accusation; it wounds instead of soothing. Of this kind of speech, says Job, one has now heard רבּות, much, i.e., (in a pregnant sense) amply sufficient, although the word might signify elliptically (…
The Church Fathers
"What! is the beauty of the speeches the spirit? Of pride. "And who will be able to trouble you?" Although you do not like what you have said.
Job has phrased this in the form of a question and not in order to look for an argument. This means "Will I really join words together against you? Or will I really shake my head at you? Not at all! It is convenient for the righteous to take upon himself the afflictions of others and not to trample underfoot or to exaggeratedly insist wickedly, as you do concerning my torments."
Ver.3. Shall windy words have an end? For those are 'windy words,' which serve the end of temporal inflating, rather than the end of righteousness. Now oftentimes the wicked speak even good things, but because they do not say them well, they are putting forth 'windy words:' for their words, even if they be at any time sound in the sentence, are yet blown out in self-elation. But in this that is said, viz. burthensome comforters are ye all; what else are we taught by the tutorage of blessed Job, but that everyone should learn to look to it heedfully, that in the season of sorrow he never urge words of upbraiding? For if there be some points which might be justly found fault with in time of distress, they ought to be put aside, lest the comforter by rebuking heighten the sorrow, which he had it in view to alleviate. It goes on; Or is there any thing troublesome to thee, if Thou speakest? When bad men utter abusive words to those that are like to themselves, they are the more quickly silenced, in proportion as they in a moment hear concerning themselves the like to what they say to their hearers. But when they assail good men by words of contumely, nought of annoyance is occasioned them by their abuse, in, that they speak against those that hold their peace, nor are made to hear what they are, seeing that the righteous never return abuse, even when they are made to bear what they are not. And so it is well said, Or is there any thing troublesome to thee if thou speakest? As if it were said in plain words to him; 'Thou speakest the more, that thou hearest not from me any thing unpleasant concerning the conduct.' Hence it is added, I also could speak as ye do. The just man tells what he had the power to do, but lest he should depart from righteousness, he forbears what he might have done.
Dictionary and topics
Speaking · FOLLY IN — FOLLY IN
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
