Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 6:26
Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, [which are] as wind?
26. do ye imagine ] that is, is it your purpose? think ye?
and the speeches which are as wind ] Rather, though the speeches of one that is desperate go into the wind.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Do ye imagine to reprove words? – A considerable variety of interpretation has occurred in regard to this verse. Dr. Good, following Schultens, supposes that the word translated wind here ruach means sighs, or groans, and renders it,
Would ye then take up words for reproof,
The mere venting the means of despair?
But Rosenmuller has well remarked that the word never has this signification. Noyes renders it,
Do ye mean to censure words?
The words of a man in despair are but wind.
In this, he has probably expressed the true sense. This explanation was proposed by Ludov. de Dieu, and is adopted by Rosenmuller. According to this, the sense is, Do you think it reasonable to carp at mere words? Will you pass over weighty and important arguments and facts, and dwell upon the words merely that are extorted from a man in misery? Do you not know that one in a state of despair utters many expressions which ought not to be regarded as the result of his deliberate judgment? And will you spend your time in dwelling on those words rather than on the main argument involved? This is probably the true sense of the verse; and if so it is a complaint of Job that they were disposed to make him an offender for a word rather than to enter into the real merits of the case, and especially that they were not disposed to make allowances for the hasty expressions of a man almost in despair.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 26. Do ye imagine to reprove words] Is it some expressions which in my hurry, and under the pressure of unprecedented affliction, I have uttered, that ye catch at? You can find no flaw in my conduct; would ye make me an OFFENDER for a WORD? Why endeavour to take such advantage of a man who complains in the bitterness of his heart, through despair of life and happiness?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Do ye imagine to reprove words? i.e. do you think that all your arguments are solid and unanswerable, and all my answers are but idle and empty words? Or do you think it is sufficient to cavil and quarrel with some of my words and expressions, without considering the merits of the cause, and the truth of my condition, or giving an allowance for human infirmity, or for my extreme misery, which may easily force from me some indecent expressions?
Of one that is desperate; of a poor miserable, hopeless, and helpless man; for the words of such persons are commonly neglected and despised, although there be truth and great weight in them. See Ecc 9:16. And such are generally thought to speak from deep passions and prejudices, more than from reason and judgment.
Which are as wind, i.e. which you esteem to be like the wind, vain and light, without solid substance, making a great noise with little sense, and to little purpose. But this last branch of the verse may be, and by many is, rendered otherwise, and do ye imagine (which is to be repeated out of the former clause, as is very usual in Scripture) the words of one that is desperate to be but wind, i.e. empty and vain? Do you take me for a desperate and distracted man, that knows not or cares not what he saith, but only speaks what comes first into his mind and mouth? The wind is oft used to express vain words, as Job 15:2; Jer 5:13; and vain things, Job 7:7; Pro 11:29. Some render the whole verse thus, Do you in your arguings think, or ought you to think, the discourses of a dejected, or desponding, or sorely afflicted man (such as I am) to be but words and wind, i.e. vain and empty? as indeed the discourses of such persons use to be esteemed by such as are in a higher and more prosperous condition. But you should judge more impartially, and more mercifully. Possibly the verse may be rendered thus, Do you think to reprove the speeches of a desperate, or dejected, or miserable man (such as I am, and you use me accordingly) with (the preposition being very frequently omitted and understood in the Hebrew tongue) words and with (for the Hebrew prefix lamed oft signifies with, as hath been formerly proved) wind? You think any words or arguments will be strong enough against one in my circumstances. So it agrees with the foregoing verse.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26. Do you imagineor, “mean.”
to reprove words and (toreprove) the speeches of one desperate, (which are) as wind?merenothings, not to be so narrowly taken to task? UMBREITnot so well takes the Hebrew for “as wind,” as”sentiments”; making formal “sentiments”antithetical to mere “speeches,” and supplying, not theword “reprove,” but “would you regard,” from thefirst clause.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Do ye imagine to reprove words,…. Or with words; with bare words, without any force of reasoning and argument in them? put a parcel of words together without any sense or meaning, or however without any cogency in them, and think to run me down with them? or is your scheme and device only, and which you pursue, to catch at and lay hold on some words of mine uttered in my distress, and make me an offender for a word, or for a few words, supposing they have been rashly and passionately spoken? have ye no facts to charge me with, before or since these calamities befell me? is the charge of hypocrisy and want of the fear of God to be supported by producing some hasty expressions, without pointing at one single action in my life and conversation?
and the speeches of one that is desperate, [which are] as wind? that is, do ye imagine to reprove them? or, are; your thoughts wholly and solely intent on them? are these only the strong reasons you have to produce to fix the sin of hypocrisy upon me? for by him that is “desperate” he means himself; not that he despaired of his everlasting salvation; he was far from despair; he was a strong believer, and determined that, though he was slain, he would trust in the Lord; he was well assured he should be justified, both here and hereafter; and full well knew that his Redeemer lived, and that though he died, he should rise again and be happy in the vision of God for ever: but he despaired of a restoration to outward happiness, which Eliphaz had suggested, should he behave well; but, alas! his condition was forlorn and miserable, and there was no hope with him of being better; his children were dead, his substance in the hands of robbers, his health so extremely bad that he had no expectation of a recovery to his former state; and therefore it was very unkind and ungenerous to lay hold upon and aggravate the speeches of such an one, and improve them against him; and especially as they were only “for refreshment” c, as some choose to render the words, see Job 32:20; they were uttered to give vent to his sorrow and grief, and not with any ill design against God or men; or the sense of the whole is, that they imagined that their words were right and fit to reprove with, and that there were force and strength in them, and had a tendency to work conviction and bring to confession; but as for the words of Job, they treated them “as wind”; as idle, vain, and empty, and useless and fruitless as the wind.
c “ad respirium”, Schultens.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(26) Do ye imagine to reprove words . . .?It cannot be your intent to reprove mere words, as mine confessedly are (Job. 6:3), and as you seem to count them (Job. 6:13). If so, they are hardly worthy the trouble bestowed upon them, but might be left to answer themselves.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. Do ye imagine, etc. Read, Do ye think to reprove (mere) words, when the words of the despairing are as wind? Instead of displaying wisdom by forcible words, their folly is conspicuous in taking up for reproof the words of despair rather than the actions and character of a lifetime. “Certainly a dangerous expression for Job to make,” (says Dillmann,) “when he thus depreciates words.” Such a sentiment, moreover, is quite inconsistent with Job’s high tone of morals, expressed in his anxiety for his children. (Note on Job 1:5.) The view of the recent commentator Hitzig relieves the difficulty by rendering the latter clause thus: And even the HASTY speech of the despairing. The Hebrew will justify such a rendering of ; literally, to (the) wind, as he satisfactorily shows.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 6:26. Do ye imagine to reprove words Do you devise speeches to insult me; and the words of him who is desperate, are they as the wind? Heath.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Job 6:26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, [which are] as wind?
Ver. 26. Do ye imagine to reprove words? ] Idle and hasty words, which have more sound than sense? Think you that I do only make a noise, or rave like a madman, and am accordingly to be dealt with? Ye have not hitherto had vain, windy words from me, but words full of weight and matter, words of truth and soberness; wherefore then do ye speak thus? Do ye imagine to reprove words.
And the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
wind. Hebrew. ruach. App-9.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
reprove: Job 2:10, Job 3:3-26, Job 4:3, Job 4:4, Job 34:3-9, Job 38:2, Job 40:5, Job 40:8, Job 42:3, Job 42:7, Mat 12:37
one that: Job 6:4, Job 6:9, Job 10:1
as wind: Job 8:2, Hos 12:1, Eph 4:14
Reciprocal: Job 7:11 – I will not Job 15:2 – vain knowledge Job 16:3 – vain words Jer 5:13 – the prophets
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 6:26. Do you imagine to reprove words? What! is all your wisdom employed for this, to catch hold of and reprove some of my words, without making allowance for human infirmity or extreme misery? and the speeches of one that is desperate? Of a poor, miserable, helpless, and hopeless man; which are as wind Which you esteem to be like wind, vain and light, without solidity, giving a sound, but with little sense, and to little purpose. Heath renders it, Are they as the wind? vain and empty.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
6:26 Do ye imagine to reprove {q} words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, [which are] as wind?
(q) Do you object to my words because I would be thought to speak foolishly, and am now in misery?