Job 13 6

Job 13:6 kjv

Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

Job 13:6 nkjv

Now hear my reasoning, And heed the pleadings of my lips.

Job 13:6 niv

Hear now my argument; listen to the pleas of my lips.

Job 13:6 esv

Hear now my argument and listen to the pleadings of my lips.

Job 13:6 nlt

Listen to my charge;
pay attention to my arguments.

Job 13 verses

Job 13 6 Meaning

Job 13:6 presents Job's fervent plea to his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, to attentively listen to his defense and the arguments he is about to put forth. He urges them to give genuine consideration to his 'reasoning' (a form of moral argument or vindication) and to the 'pleadings' emanating from his lips, which imply a legal-style controversy or case he is presenting. Essentially, Job is demanding a fair hearing, challenging his friends to move beyond their rigid theological frameworks and truly comprehend his perspective on his suffering.

Job 13 6 Context

Job 13:6 is situated within Job’s response to the third round of speeches from his friends, specifically following Zophar's words (though Zophar’s third speech isn’t recorded in full, Job’s subsequent response continues the pattern). Prior to this verse, Job has lamented the inefficacy of his friends’ "comfort" (Job 13:4) and expressed a desire for their silence (Job 13:5) – indicating he no longer views them as helpful counselors. Instead, he shifts his focus towards desiring an audience with God himself (Job 13:3). Verse 6 marks a pivot: having criticized their words and longed for silence from them, he now calls them to active listening concerning his words. He sees himself as being in a legal-style dispute, and he desires to present his defense. This reflects Job's deeper frustration with their misapplication of traditional theology and his insistent search for understanding directly from God concerning his inexplicable suffering.

Job 13 6 Word analysis

• Hear now: From the Hebrew שְׁמָעוּ־נָא (sh'ma‘ū-nā’). שְׁמָעוּ (sh'ma‘ū) is an imperative form of שָׁמַע (shamah), meaning "to hear, listen, understand, obey." נָא (nā’) is an enclitic particle functioning as a plea or exhortation ("please," "I pray," "now"). This phrase signifies an urgent and earnest appeal for not just passive hearing but for attentive and comprehending listening, similar to the command "Shema" in Deut 6:4. It implies a desire for them to truly grasp his position, rather than merely having his words fall upon deaf ears.
• my reasoning: From the Hebrew תּוֹכַחְתִּי (tôkachtī), derived from תּוֹכַחַת (tokahath). This term denotes a "rebuke, correction, argument, reasoning, admonition, or plea." In the context of Job’s legal metaphor, it specifically refers to his defense or the argument he intends to present to justify himself or expose the flaws in his friends' logic. It carries a sense of formal presentation and vindication.
• and hearken: From the Hebrew הַקְשִׁיבוּ (haqshīvū). This is the Hiphil imperative of קָשַׁב (qashab), meaning "to give ear, attend, incline the ear." It implies an even stronger degree of attentiveness and focus than שָׁמַע (shamah). It conveys a deliberate act of listening, with the ear inclined and mind fully engaged, ready to absorb and understand the speaker's words.
• to the pleadings: From the Hebrew רִיבֹתַי (rîḇōthay), derived from רִיב (rib). This term fundamentally means "contention, dispute, controversy, legal case, lawsuit, or quarrel." It emphatically places Job's upcoming discourse within a judicial framework. He views his speech not as casual conversation but as a formal legal argument in a court setting, where his innocence is at stake, and he must defend himself against false accusations and interpretations.
• of my lips: From the Hebrew שְׂפָתָי (s’phātāy). This specifies the origin of the "pleadings." It emphasizes that these are his own words, personally uttered and presented. It underlines the direct and earnest nature of his communication, coming directly from his very being as a personal testimony or defense. It also indicates his reliance on speech as the means of establishing his case.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• Hear now my reasoning: This combination underscores Job's desperate desire for a focused and earnest reception of his logical arguments and defenses. It’s a demand for intellectual engagement with his perspective, rather than dismissal.
• and hearken to the pleadings of my lips: This phrase parallels and intensifies the first, re-emphasizing the urgency of his plea. "Hearken" demands even deeper attention, and "pleadings of my lips" explicitly reveals the legal, disputational nature of what he is about to speak, underscoring that his words are a formal case presented orally. The parallel structure signifies a complete and urgent request for them to genuinely listen to his legal defense against their accusations and faulty theology.

Job 13 6 Bonus section

The strong imperatives ("Hear now," "hearken") signify Job’s weariness with his friends' monologue and his insistence on reciprocal listening. He is demanding the same respect and attention he believes he has extended to their discourses. This verse foreshadows Elihu's similar call for attention in Job 33:1, highlighting a recurring theme in the book: the failure to truly listen as a barrier to understanding. From a Christian theological perspective, this plea for a hearing from Job, a righteous man facing undeserved suffering, resonates with Christ's own "pleadings" to God on the cross (Luke 23:34, Matt 27:46) and the ongoing plea of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:26-27). It also reminds believers of the New Testament emphasis on being "swift to hear, slow to speak" (James 1:19), urging a posture of humility and empathy in all dialogue.

Job 13 6 Commentary

Job 13:6 captures the desperate heart of a suffering man who has been deeply misunderstood. After rounds of conventional, albeit unhelpful, theological pronouncements from his friends, Job here implores them for a change in approach: for them to truly listen to him. The choice of words, especially "reasoning" (which carries the weight of a vindicating argument) and "pleadings" (implying a legal dispute or controversy), reveals Job’s profound conviction that he is in the right and that his suffering is not due to any hidden sin, contrary to his friends’ assumptions. He isn't merely asking for quiet, but for attentive and open-minded reception of his defense, recognizing that without such a hearing, true understanding and justice cannot prevail. It underscores the universal human need to be genuinely heard, especially when one is in distress and facing false judgment. This verse can serve as a potent reminder of the importance of active listening in compassionate interaction and conflict resolution. When engaging in difficult conversations, whether with friends or adversaries, one must genuinely "hear now" and "hearken to the pleadings," suspending judgment to truly understand the other's perspective.