Job 32 15

Job 32:15 kjv

They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.

Job 32:15 nkjv

"They are dismayed and answer no more; Words escape them.

Job 32:15 niv

"They are dismayed and have no more to say; words have failed them.

Job 32:15 esv

"They are dismayed; they answer no more; they have not a word to say.

Job 32:15 nlt

You sit there baffled,
with nothing more to say.

Job 32 verses

Job 32 15 Meaning

Job 32:15 describes the three friends of Job (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) in a state of defeat and despair, unable to offer any further arguments or replies to Job. Their former assertiveness has vanished, leaving them bewildered and silenced, signifying the collapse of their retributive theology against Job's unwavering defense.

Job 32 15 Context

Job 32:15 is situated at a crucial transition point in the book of Job. After thirty-one chapters of intense debate between Job and his three friends (Eliphaz, Bildaz, and Zophar), the scene shifts. Job has consistently maintained his innocence and refuted his friends' conventional arguments that suffering directly correlates with sin. His friends, conversely, have become increasingly frustrated, unable to break Job's resolve or respond effectively to his challenges to their simplistic theology of retribution.Elihu, a younger man who has patiently listened to the entire discourse, now enters the dialogue. His introduction is preceded by this verse, which vividly describes the friends' current state: dismayed, having run out of words, and utterly silenced. This verse thus sets the stage for Elihu's extensive discourse (chapters 32-37), which aims to address what he perceives as errors in both Job's self-justification and the friends' failed accusations. The historical and literary context portrays a verbal stalemate where human wisdom has reached its limits, creating a void that demands a new perspective, ultimately leading to God's own intervention.

Word Analysis

• They: Refers collectively to Job’s three companions—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. Their combined wisdom, or lack thereof, has been exhausted.
• were dismayed: (Hebrew: חַתּוּ, khattū) From the root חתת (ḥāṭaṭ), meaning to be terrified, disheartened, shattered, or broken. This is a strong verb indicating not merely disappointment but a profound sense of psychological and intellectual defeat. Their confidence and logical framework were shattered by Job’s persistent righteousness and counter-arguments. This implies their arguments crumbled.
• they answered: (Hebrew: נֶעְנְנוּ, ne'enenu) From the root ענה ('ānāh), meaning to answer or respond. The Niphal imperfect indicates a reflexive or passive action, suggesting they were no longer capable of responding or had no more answers left in them.
• no more: (Hebrew: עוֹד, ʿōḏ) An adverb signifying "still," "yet," or "any more." It emphatically closes off their ability to continue the argument. It indicates finality; their well of arguments has dried up.
• they removed: (Hebrew: הִעְצִיבוּ, hi'etzivu) This word is from the root עצב (ʿāṣaḇ), which in its Qal (simple) stem usually means "to hurt," "grieve," or "be pained." In the Hifil (causative) stem here, it can mean "to cause pain," "to remove painfully," or, as rendered here, "to take away," "to put away," or "to suppress." The precise nuance here is debated. Some translations interpret it as 'caused speech to fail them,' or 'silenced speech in themselves,' or 'their spirits were grieved/saddened resulting in their silence'.
• speech: (Hebrew: מִלָּה, millāh) Literally "a word," "utterance," or "speech." It encompasses their entire argument, discourse, and all their efforts at verbal refutation. It highlights the primary mode of interaction throughout the previous chapters.
• from themselves: (Hebrew: מֵהֶם, mēhem) "From them" or "from among them." This implies the act of "removing speech" was either an internal process (they themselves gave up on speaking) or a condition inflicted upon them (speech simply departed from them due to their state). It emphasizes their internal exhaustion and cognitive bankruptcy.

Words-group Analysis:

• They were dismayed, they answered no more: This phrase powerfully conveys the utter intellectual and emotional exhaustion of Job's friends. Their initial fervent condemnations and theological positions had proven futile against Job's unwavering conviction of innocence. The verb "dismayed" suggests a deeper collapse than mere annoyance; it indicates the breaking down of their foundational understanding in the face of contradictory evidence. They could no longer muster a coherent reply because their worldview was unable to account for Job's righteous suffering.
• they removed speech from themselves: This signifies a state of absolute silence, not merely a pause in conversation. It is a striking idiom suggesting either that speech abandoned them due to their intellectual void, or that they consciously, albeit perhaps defeatedly, chose to cease speaking. Their failure to argue further was not for lack of desire to prove Job wrong, but rather for lack of any compelling words remaining. Their wisdom was exhausted.

Job 32 15 Bonus section

The Septuagint (LXX), an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, renders this verse slightly differently, indicating "they grew dumb." This translation emphasizes a physical inability to speak, akin to being struck silent, which further amplifies the notion of their complete intellectual paralysis and defeat. This theological impasse set the stage for a new revelation concerning the purpose of suffering and the nature of God's wisdom, moving beyond the simplistic retribution theology offered by the friends. The inability of the friends to respond further foreshadows the inability of human wisdom to fully comprehend the intricate workings of divine justice without divine revelation.

Job 32 15 Commentary

Job 32:15 succinctly captures the dramatic climax of the extended dialogue between Job and his friends. Their "dismay" points to a profound sense of frustration and theological dead-end. Their neatly packaged, traditional wisdom of cause-and-effect (suffering equals sin) had failed miserably to explain Job's unique case. Their repeated assertions, far from convincing Job, only exposed the limitations and harshness of their perspective. The friends' "removed speech from themselves" underscores their complete and utter defeat in the verbal sparring match. It suggests they had run out of theological ammunition, out of relevant arguments, and perhaps even out of patience. This forced silence is critical, creating a vacuum that prepares the way for Elihu's discourse and ultimately for God's direct address. Their silence highlights the bankruptcy of purely human reasoning when confronted with the mystery of suffering and the complexities of divine ways, establishing that no man can truly contend with God or fully grasp His purposes based on simplistic doctrines.