Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 8:2
How long wilt thou speak these [things]? and [how long shall] the words of thy mouth [be like] a strong wind?
How long wilt thou speak these things? – The flyings of murmuring and complaint, such as he had uttered in the previous chapters.
The words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? – The Syriac and Arabic (according to Walton) render this, the spirit of pride fill thy mouth. The Septuagint renders it, The spirit of thy mouth is profuse of words – polurremon. But the common rendering is undoubtedly correct, and the expression is a very strong and beautiful one. His language of complaint and murmuring was like a tempest. It swept over all barriers, and disregarded all restraint. The same figure is found in Aristophanes, Ran. 872, as quoted by Schultens, Tuphos ekbainein paraskeuacetai – a tempest of words is preparing to burst forth. And in Silius Italicus, xxi. 581:
– qui tanta superbo
Facta sonas ore, et spumanti turbine perflas
Ignorantum aures.
The Chaldee renders it correctly – a great tempest.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. How long wilt thou speak these things?] Wilt thou still go on to charge God foolishly? Thy heavy affliction proves that thou art under his wrath; and his wrath, thus manifested, proves that it is for thy sins that he punisheth thee.
Be like a strong wind?] The Arabic, with which the Syriac agrees, is [Syriac] rucholazomati, the spirit of pride. Wilt thou continue to breathe forth a tempest of words? This is more literal.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. Boisterous and violent, swelling and furious, opposing all persons and things that stand in thy way, not sparing either God or men.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. like a . . . wind?disregardingrestraints, and daring against God.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
How long wilt thou speak these [things]?…. Either what he had delivered in the “third” chapter in cursing the day of his birth, and wishing for death, in which sentiments he still continued, and resolutely defended; or those expressed in the “two” preceding chapters, in answer to Eliphaz; this he said, as wondering that he should be able to continue his discourse to such a length, and to express himself with such vehemence, when his spirits might be thought to be so greatly depressed by his afflictions, and his body enfeebled by diseases; or as angry with him for his blasphemy against God, as he was ready to term it, his bold and daring speeches of him, and charge of unrighteousness on him, and for his disregard to what Eliphaz had said, his contempt of in and opposition to it; or as impatient at his long reply, wanting him to cease speaking, that he might return an answer, and therefore breaks in upon him before he had well done, see
Job 18:2; or as despising what he had said, representing it as idle talk, and as mere trifling; and so some render the words, “how long wilt thou trifle after this sort?” g or throw out such nonsense and fabulous stuff as this?
and [how long shall] the words of thy mouth [be like] a strong wind? blustering, boisterous, and noisy, to which passionate words, expressed in a loud and sonorous manner, may be compared; and so we say of a man in a passion and rage, that he “storms”. Bildad thought that his speeches were hard and rough, and stout against God, and very indecent and unbecoming a creature to his Maker, and not kind and civil to them his friends; and yet they were like wind, vain and empty, great swelling words, but words of vanity; they were spoken, and seemed big, but had nothing solid and substantial in them, as Bildad thought.
g “nugaberis haec”, Cocceius; “talia”, Tigurine version; “talk after this sort?” Broughton.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The first strophe THE COURSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE DISPLAYS THE JUSTICE OF GOD, Job 8:2-7.
a. Since God cannot pervert the right, the death of Job’s children shows that they must have sinned, Job 8:2-4.
2. A strong wind Omit like. A common figure with poets. The irony of Aristophanes furnishes a good comment: “A whirlwind of words is preparing to burst forth.” Job’s words are also boisterous, but none the less empty.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 8:2. How long wilt thou speak these things? How long wilt thou trifle in this manner? He compares his words in the next clause to a strong wind, to denote the vehemence and impetuosity wherewith, according to his opinion, the pride of Job’s heart burst forth against God. There is a passage in Silius Italicus, which is a fine comment upon this verse.
Qui tanta superbo Facta sonas ore, et spumanti turbine perflas Ignorantum aures. Lib. xi. ver. 581.
With haughty mouth who speaks such swelling deeds, And like a foaming tempest overflows The vulgar ears.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Job 8:2 How long wilt thou speak these [things]? and [how long shall] the words of thy mouth [be like] a strong wind?
Ver. 2. How long wilt thou speak these things? ] Quousque effaberis ista. q.d. Hast thou nothing better than this to utter? (Tremel.) Be silent for shame, or forbear at least to vent thy spleen against God, of whose proceedings with thee thou hast heavily complained; thy words have been stout against the Lord, and thou hast taken too much liberty of language in this tempest of talk.
And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
How long . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.
words = sayings.
wind. Hebrew. ruach App-9.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
How long: Job 11:2, Job 11:3, Job 16:3, Job 18:2, Job 19:2, Job 19:3, Exo 10:3, Exo 10:7, Pro 1:22
the words: Job 6:9, Job 6:26, Job 7:11, Job 15:2, 1Ki 19:11
Reciprocal: 1Sa 1:14 – How long Job 34:37 – multiplieth Psa 139:4 – there is not Jer 5:13 – the prophets
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 8:2. How long wilt thou speak these things? &c. Why dost thou persist to talk in this manner? and why are thy words thus vehement? As a strong wind which overturns all things without any moderation, and suffers nothing else to be heard, so thy boisterous and violent words will not permit the voice of truth and wisdom to be heard.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:2 How long wilt thou speak these [things]? and [how long shall] the words of thy mouth {a} [be like] a strong wind?
(a) He declares that their words which would diminish anything from the justice of God, are but as a puff of wind that vanishes away.