Job 26 3

Job 26:3 kjv

How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?

Job 26:3 nkjv

How have you counseled one who has no wisdom? And how have you declared sound advice to many?

Job 26:3 niv

What advice you have offered to one without wisdom! And what great insight you have displayed!

Job 26:3 esv

How you have counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge!

Job 26:3 nlt

How you have enlightened my stupidity!
What wise advice you have offered!

Job 26 verses

Job 26 3 Meaning

Job 26:3 is part of Job's sardonic response to Bildad, who has just offered a brief speech emphasizing God's power and human insignificance. Job's words are an ironic critique, implying that Bildad's counsel is empty and offers no genuine help, strength, or wisdom to one who is suffering and seeking real understanding or divine aid. He is sarcastically remarking on the futility and obviousness of Bildad's words, suggesting they contribute nothing new or effective to his predicament.

Job 26 3 Context

Job 26:3 is part of Job’s extended reply (Job 26-27) to Bildad's brief third speech in chapter 25. Bildad had reiterated the vastness of God's dominion, the purity of His being, and the inherent uncleanness and insignificance of man before Him. Bildad's contribution was general theology, true in essence, but entirely unhelpful and dismissive of Job’s particular anguish and questions about justice.Job's words in verse 3 are saturated with biting irony. He acknowledges the greatness of God's power, a theme he himself has articulated powerfully in previous speeches (e.g., Job 12:13-25), often more eloquently than his friends. His sarcasm here underscores that Bildad's sermonizing offers no genuine comfort, practical assistance, or deeper understanding for someone in his specific dire condition, who is feeling utterly powerless and forsaken. It’s a subtle but strong polemic against the inadequacy of conventional, platitudinous wisdom when faced with complex, profound suffering that transcends simple moral causality.

Job 26 3 Word analysis

• How (מָה, mah): Often interrogative ("what," "how"), but in this context, especially with the following verbs, it conveys irony or rhetorical surprise, signifying "What great help you've offered (which is none)!" or "How utterly useless was your aid!" It underscores the mockery.
• hast thou helped (עָזַרְתָּ, 'azarta): From the verb עָזַר ('azar), "to help, assist." The perfect tense here implies a completed action. Job is sarcastically reflecting on Bildad's supposed completed act of "helping," which was in fact no help at all.
• him that is without power (לְאֵין כֹּחַ, le'eyn koach):
  • אֵין ('eyn): "nothing," "not," "without."
  • כֹּחַ (koach): "strength," "power," "might." Refers to physical, mental, or moral capability. Job sees himself as one who is completely devoid of power, helpless in the face of his affliction and the unresponsiveness of God, thus Bildad's 'help' is redundant.
• how savest thou (הוֹשַׁעְתָּ, hoshata): From the verb יָשַׁע (yasha') "to save, deliver, help." Similar to "helped," this is also a sarcastic remark about Bildad's claimed "saving" act or delivering "wisdom."
• the arm that hath no strength (וּלִזְרוֹעַ לֹא עֹז, ulizroa' lo 'oz):
  • זְרוֹעַ (z'roa'): "arm." In biblical literature, the arm (especially the "outstretched arm" or "mighty arm") often symbolizes strength, power, and authority, particularly divine power and saving might. Here, it refers metaphorically to Job's own ability or any source of power that should come to his aid.
  • לֹא (lo'): "not."
  • עֹז ('oz): "strength," "might," "power." Similar to koach.
  • This phrase reiterates the previous one, emphasizing the complete lack of vital energy, effectiveness, or divine intervention on Job's behalf. Job feels his "arm" is withered and powerless.

Words-group analysis:

• How hast thou helped him that is without power?: This is a direct rhetorical question aimed at Bildad. It sarcastically highlights the absolute irrelevance and lack of actual utility in Bildad's previous speech. Bildad merely stated universally acknowledged truths about God’s might, which provided no specific insight or relief for Job, who already understood divine power but felt abandoned by it. Job emphasizes his own "powerless" state to show the hollowness of his friend's generic platitudes.
• how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?: This parallel clause reinforces the first part. The "arm" is a common biblical metaphor for power, action, and divine intervention. Job is saying, "How brilliantly you have managed to strengthen my already useless 'arm' (i.e., my ability to cope or find resolution)." This underscores the cruel irony of offering abstract religious truths when one is in acute need of practical aid, comfort, or direct divine answer. Bildad's words did not strengthen Job in any way but rather highlighted his helplessness.

Job 26 3 Bonus section

The repetitive use of "How" (מָה, mah) at the beginning of each clause, often found in sarcastic or lamenting speech, serves to amplify the irony. It’s not a genuine request for information but an exclamatory rhetorical device. Job’s statement not only expresses his frustration with Bildad but also sets the stage for Job’s magnificent, awe-filled confession of God's actual, rather than theoretical, power in the verses that follow (Job 26:5-14). He's saying, "You talk about God's power abstractly, but let me tell you about the real awesome power of God," effectively out-doing his friends in theology and eloquent praise of the Almighty while maintaining his specific protest about his suffering.

Job 26 3 Commentary

Job 26:3 is a prime example of Job’s piercing rhetoric and deep understanding of human psychology, especially under duress. His sarcasm is palpable; he is essentially telling Bildad, "What utterly useless 'help' you've provided to a man already devoid of power, and what astounding 'salvation' you've offered to an 'arm' that's utterly strengthless!" This verse highlights the profound gap between intellectual theological propositions and real-life suffering. Bildad's discourse in Job 25, while true in its depiction of God's sovereignty and human finitude, failed miserably because it offered no solace, no hope, and no direct address to Job's specific pain or questioning of divine justice in his individual case. Job yearned for true engagement, for an answer to his unique dilemma, not a rehash of well-known theological principles. The verse serves as a potent reminder that truth, when delivered without empathy, sensitivity, or applicability to the specific context, can be worse than useless; it can be hurtful, magnifying a person’s sense of isolation and despair rather than alleviating it.

• Practical Usage: It challenges us to offer genuine support and insightful understanding to those suffering, rather than trite or irrelevant platitudes. For instance, when someone faces deep personal crisis, quoting generic verses about God's power might not be as helpful as listening with empathy or offering practical assistance.