Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 13:5

O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

5. This verse is suggested by the last clause of the preceding their impotence to help was such that their silence would be the most helpful thing they could offer. There is a final sarcasm at Zophar’s speech in the reference to “wisdom”; cf. Pro 17:28, Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise; and the si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses, quoted by all the commentators.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! – You would show your wisdom by silence. Since you can say nothing that is adapted to give comfort, or to explain the true state of the case, it would be wise to say nothing; compare Pro 17:28 : Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 5. Hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.] In Pr 17:28 we have the following apophtheym: “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips, a man of understanding.” There is no reason to say that Solomon quotes from Job: I have already expressed my opinion that the high antiquity attributed to this book is perfectly unfounded, and that there is much more evidence that Solomon was its author, than there is that it was the composition of Moses. But, whenever Job lived, whether before Abraham or after Moses, the book was not written till the time of Solomon, if not later. But as to the saying in question, it is a general apophthegm, and may be found among the wise sayings of all nations.

I may observe here, that a silent man is not likely to be a fool; for a fool will be always prating, or, according to another adage, a fool’s bolt is soon shot. The Latins have the same proverb: Vir sapit, qui pauca loquitur, “A wise man speaks little.”

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

For then your ignorance and folly had been concealed, which is now manifest. Compare Pro 17:28.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

5. (Pr17:28). The Arabs say, “The wise are dumb; silence iswisdom.”

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And that ye would altogether hold your peace,…. Since what they said of him was not true, nor anything to the purpose, or that tended to the comfort of his afflicted soul, but the reverse; and therefore he could have wished they had never broke silence, but continued as they were the first seven days of their visit; and now, since they had spoken, and had done no good by speaking, but hurt, he desires for the future they would be silent, and say no more:

and it should be your wisdom: it would be the greatest evidence of it they could give; they had shown none by speaking; it would be a proof of some in them, should they hold their peace; a very biting expression this see Pr 17:28.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(5) O that ye would altogether hold your peace! is singularly like the sentiment of Pro. 17:28. Their wisdom will consist in listening to his wisdom rather than displaying their own folly.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

5. Wisdom The Arabs say, “The wise are dumb, and silence is wisdom,” “Silence gains love,” “To repent after silence is better than to repent after wisdom.” Cited by Erpenius.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments