Job 11:2 kjv
Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?
Job 11:2 nkjv
"Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be vindicated?
Job 11:2 niv
"Are all these words to go unanswered? Is this talker to be vindicated?
Job 11:2 esv
"Should a multitude of words go unanswered, and a man full of talk be judged right?
Job 11:2 nlt
"Shouldn't someone answer this torrent of words?
Is a person proved innocent just by a lot of talking?
Job 11 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 10:19 | "When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent." | Warnings against excessive speech. |
| Prov 17:28 | "Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent." | Wisdom in silence over much talk. |
| Eccl 5:2-3 | "Be not rash with your mouth... For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words." | Caution against empty words, especially to God. |
| James 1:19 | "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;" | Emphasis on listening over speaking. |
| Job 38:2 | "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" | God's challenge to Job's extensive words. |
| Job 40:2 | "Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it." | God challenges human argumentation against Him. |
| Job 9:2-3 | "Indeed, I know that this is true: But how can a man be just before God? If one wished to contend with him, he could not answer him one of a thousand." | Humanity's inability to justify itself before God. |
| Rom 3:20 | "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." | Justification is not by human merit or deeds. |
| Gal 2:16 | "...a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ..." | Justification by faith, not human performance. |
| Isa 55:8-9 | "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." | God's wisdom transcends human understanding. |
| 1 Cor 1:20-25 | "Where is the one who is wise?... Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" | God's wisdom is superior to human intellect and words. |
| Prov 18:13 | "If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame." | Condemns rashness in speaking. |
| Prov 12:18 | "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." | Contrast between hurtful and wise words. |
| Matt 12:36-37 | "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." | Accountability for one's words. |
| Prov 27:2 | "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips." | Caution against self-praise or self-justification. |
| Titus 1:10 | "For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party." | Description of "empty talkers" in a negative light. |
| Psa 5:4-6 | "For you are not a God who delights in wickedness... The boastful shall not stand before your eyes..." | God's abhorrence of proud or empty speech. |
| Psa 141:3 | "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!" | Prayer for disciplined speech. |
| Psa 19:14 | "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." | Desire for acceptable speech to God. |
| Job 34:3-4 | "For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. Let us choose what is right; let us discern among ourselves what is good." | Elihu also emphasizes careful evaluation of words. |
| 1 Pet 4:11 | "Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking God’s very words;" | Guidance for how believers should speak. |
Job 11 verses
Job 11 2 Meaning
Job 11:2 initiates Zophar's first address, presenting two sharp rhetorical questions designed to rebuke Job. He implicitly asserts that Job's "multitude of words"—his persistent lamentations and claims of innocence—demands a strong, decisive counter-argument. Furthermore, Zophar believes that "a man full of talk," someone whom he views as excessively verbose or superficial in speech, should not be readily acquitted or considered right. His words betray impatience and a deep conviction that Job's self-vindication is presumptuous and requires firm refutation.
Job 11 2 Context
Job 11:2 begins Zophar the Naamathite's contribution to the ongoing debate with Job, marking him as the third friend to speak. This verse is uttered in response to Job's latest lament (Job 10), where Job expresses his deep anguish, questions God's dealings with him, and pleads for God to show him why He contends with him. Zophar, perhaps the most dogmatic and least sympathetic of the three friends, takes Job's words as a personal affront and a sign of Job's arrogance and presumed innocence. From Zophar's perspective, Job's extensive expressions of suffering and self-defense are not pleas from an innocent man but verbose, impious accusations against divine justice. Therefore, Zophar feels compelled to strongly refute Job, believing that such talk cannot go unchallenged or be proven right.
Job 11 2 Word analysis
- Should not: This construction forms a rhetorical question common in ancient Near Eastern discourse, where the expected answer is a definitive "No, it should not!" or "Yes, it absolutely should!" In this case, it emphasizes Zophar's strong conviction that Job's verbose appeals deserve an immediate and firm rebuttal.
- the multitude of words: Translated from the Hebrew
rov d'varim(רֹב דְּבָרִים).rovmeans "abundance" or "plenty," andd'varimmeans "words" or "matters." Zophar uses this phrase pejoratively, labeling Job's long and passionate defense as excessive, rambling, or perhaps lacking in real substance, contrasting it with the brevity and weight often associated with true wisdom (e.g., Prov 10:19). - be answered: From the Hebrew
ye'aneh(יֵעָנֶה), which is in the passive voice. This indicates that Job's prolific speech inherently demands a response or a counter-argument. Zophar feels obligated, even provoked, to offer such a counter. - Or: This conjunction links the two parallel rhetorical questions, reinforcing Zophar's core complaint about Job's speech while offering a slight shift in focus to the character of the speaker.
- should a man full of talk: Derived from the Hebrew
ish sefatayim(אִישׁ שְׂפָתַיִם), literally "a man of lips." In Hebrew, "lips" often signifies the quality or nature of one's speech. This phrase is typically used to denote someone who speaks excessively, carelessly, deceptively, or superficially—a "glib" person rather than a person of substance or truth. Zophar views Job as such an individual, implying his words lack integrity and weight. - be proved right: Translated from the Hebrew
yitsdaq(יִצְדַּק), from the roottsadeq(צדק), meaning to be just, righteous, or vindicated/acquitted. Zophar vehemently denies that Job's self-justifying claims, spoken by one he deems an "empty talker," should ever be validated, especially in the face of what Zophar sees as obvious divine judgment through Job's suffering.
Job 11 2 Bonus section
Zophar's perspective here reflects a common ancient concern about the dangers of uncontrolled speech, particularly in intellectual or spiritual debate. While rhetoric was highly valued, excessive or insincere talk was considered foolishness. The Hebrew term ish sefatayim for "man full of talk" points to a deeper character flaw in Zophar's accusation against Job—not merely speaking a lot, but speaking without wisdom, sincerity, or respect for the divine. Ironically, Zophar himself uses many words in his own speeches to condemn Job, ultimately failing to provide the true wisdom or comfort Job desperately needs.
Job 11 2 Commentary
Zophar's pronouncement in Job 11:2 reveals a legalistic and rigid theological stance. He has little patience for Job's lengthy lamentations, viewing them as verbose arguments designed to declare his innocence before God. Unlike his companions who at times display some degree of pastoral concern, Zophar is confrontational and accusatory from the outset. He interprets Job's eloquent outpourings of grief and questioning as an impious flood of words that simply must be rebutted, because to allow Job's self-defense to stand unchallenged would, in Zophar's mind, be an affront to divine justice. He believes suffering undeniably points to hidden sin, and Job's sustained protest of innocence marks him as an "empty talker" whose words, by their very nature and abundance, are unworthy of belief or vindication. Zophar's stern challenge thus sets the stage for a most unsympathetic sermon, focusing on the hidden wickedness that must be behind Job's words and suffering.