Job 16 5

Job 16:5 kjv

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

Job 16:5 nkjv

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.

Job 16:5 niv

But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.

Job 16:5 esv

I could strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain.

Job 16:5 nlt

But if it were me, I would encourage you.
I would try to take away your grief.

Job 16 verses

Job 16 5 Meaning

Job 16:5 encapsulates Job's deep desire for true empathy and effective comfort, contrasting it with the hollow words of his friends. He states that if roles were reversed, he would not exacerbate their suffering but would actively provide strength through his counsel and ease their pain with his comforting words. This verse highlights the profound difference between judgmental, accusatory speech and truly compassionate, edifying communication. It is Job's articulation of how genuine support for the afflicted should manifest: through words that build up and soothe, rather than tear down and wound.

Job 16 5 Context

Job 16:5 is part of Job’s third and extended response to his friends, specifically to Eliphaz's second speech. By this point, Job is exasperated with his friends' repetitive, unhelpful, and even tormenting "comfort." He opens this chapter (Job 16:2) by directly calling them "miserable comforters" who have added to his sorrow instead of alleviating it. In this verse, Job imagines a hypothetical scenario: if they were suffering as he was, and he was in their position, he would act differently. He presents a sharp contrast between their accusatory, destructive words and the truly empathetic, strengthening, and pain-alleviating counsel he would offer. His statement highlights the deep emotional pain inflicted by ill-conceived spiritual advice, asserting the need for genuine compassion in times of distress.

Job 16 5 Word analysis

• "But I would strengthen you":
  • Hebrew: אֲחַזֵּקְכֶ֥ם ('akhaẕekkem), from root חָזַק (chazaq).
  • Significance: Implies making firm, stable, reinforcing, giving moral or physical strength. Job means he would provide solid support and resilience, in direct opposition to his friends' words, which erode his spirit and stability. This points to the need for encouragement during trials, not further burdens.
• "with my mouth":
  • Hebrew: בְּפִ֖י (bᵉfî).
  • Significance: Emphasizes that the instrument of strength and comfort would be his words. This underscores the potency of verbal communication, reflecting a foundational biblical truth about the power of the tongue, whether for good or ill (e.g., Pro 18:21). Job highlights the choice of how words are used.
• "and the solace":
  • Hebrew: וְנִיד (vᵉniyḏ), from נוּד (nud).
  • Significance: Nuwd suggests movement, a sympathetic nodding or wagging of the head in commiseration, or the gentle outpouring of grief or sympathy. It is an act of deep identification and tender emotional expression. It signifies an active, empathic engagement aimed at alleviating suffering, beyond mere words of doctrine. It is distinct from merely mouthing platitudes.
• "of my lips":
  • Hebrew: שְׂפָתַ֥י (s'faṯay).
  • Significance: Reiterates the mouth/words as the medium. Used in conjunction with "solace," it specifically refers to gentle, compassionate speech or expressions, distinct from the harsh judgments Job's friends uttered. It underlines that not all words are equal; the nature of the speech is paramount.
• "would ease your pain":
  • Hebrew: וְחֶשְׂכַ֣ת מִכְאוֹב (vᵉcheskaṯ mikh'ov). Chaskath from חָשַׂךְ (chasakh) means "to withhold," "restrain," or "spare," and mikh'ov means "pain" or "grief."
  • Significance: Literally "and the restraining/lessening of pain/grief." This expresses a proactive, alleviating action. Job states he would hold back or diminish their suffering through his counsel, rather than amplifying it, as his friends had done. It emphasizes comfort and relief as the objective of true compassionate speech. This contrasts with his friends who had done the opposite by pouring salt on his wounds.

Words-Group Analysis

• "But I would strengthen you with my mouth": This phrase asserts Job's intention to offer positive, active support through speech. It highlights the constructive potential of human words to build up and reinforce the spirit, providing stability in distress, rather than weakening it through criticism or false comfort.
• "and the solace of my lips would ease your pain": This complements the first phrase, detailing the specific type of comfort offered. It moves beyond just "strength" to active alleviation of suffering through empathetic speech and a sympathetic presence. "Solace of my lips" captures a deeply compassionate utterance or gesture that recognizes and genuinely seeks to mitigate the suffering of another. It reflects the heart behind the words, ensuring they are truly designed to reduce distress rather than cause more.

Job 16 5 Bonus section

Job's statement in Job 16:5 reveals a sophisticated understanding of pastoral care long before the concept was formalized. It critiques a purely intellectual or theological response to suffering, emphasizing that doctrine, when applied without empathy, can be harmful. Job's ideal comfort transcends mere platitudes or logical deductions, focusing on the impact of words on the suffering soul. His longing for strengthening and pain-easing speech highlights the difference between condemnation and compassion, showing that truly ministering to the afflicted requires seeing their anguish through their eyes and responding with genuine human (and divinely-inspired) tenderness, mirroring God's own approach to humanity's brokenness. This anticipates the New Testament emphasis on speaking truth in love (Eph 4:15) and bearing one another's burdens (Gal 6:2).

Job 16 5 Commentary

Job 16:5 presents a poignant ideal of how to minister to those in distress, a sharp counter-example to the approach taken by Job's friends. Their rigid theological frameworks and insistence on Job's presumed sin amplified his suffering, offering "miserable comfort" (Job 16:2). In contrast, Job envisions a ministry of genuine empathy. "Strengthen you with my mouth" speaks to the active impartation of resolve and inner fortitude through encouraging words. This is not passive listening but an engagement aimed at shoring up the spirit. The phrase "the solace of my lips would ease your pain" reveals a deep understanding of the delicate nature of suffering. It is about tenderly moving to alleviate, to withhold pain, rather than inflict it. True biblical comfort, exemplified by Christ (Isa 50:4, the one who knows how to sustain the weary), empowers and soothes. This verse serves as an enduring principle for Christian care: our words, born of love and wisdom, must seek to strengthen the weak, to bind up the brokenhearted, and to lighten the load of suffering, aligning with God's own character as the ultimate Comforter.