Job 40:4 kjv
Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Job 40:4 nkjv
"Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth.
Job 40:4 niv
"I am unworthy?how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth.
Job 40:4 esv
"Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.
Job 40:4 nlt
"I am nothing ? how could I ever find the answers?
I will cover my mouth with my hand.
Job 40 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 39:9 | "I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for you brought it to pass." | Submission to divine providence. |
| Ps 10:18 | "…that man, who is of earth, may terrify no more." | Human frailty against God's power. |
| Isa 53:7 | "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth…" | Silent submission, foretelling Christ. |
| Mic 7:16 | "Nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall lay their hand on their mouth…" | Silence of shame before God's majesty. |
| Hab 2:20 | "But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him." | Reverent silence before God. |
| Zeph 1:7 | "Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is at hand…" | Command for reverent silence before divine judgment. |
| Rom 3:19 | "…that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be held accountable to God." | Conviction of sin leading to silence. |
| Prov 30:32 | "If you have been foolish in exalting yourself… lay your hand on your mouth." | Wisdom of humbling oneself, ceasing boasting. |
| Job 42:6 | "Therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." | Job's full repentance and self-loathing. |
| Judg 18:19 | "Be silent; put your hand over your mouth and come with us…" | Command for silence. |
| Gen 18:27 | "Abraham answered and said, "Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes."" | Humility of speaking to God. |
| 1 Kgs 19:11-12 | "…and a still small voice… And Elijah wrapped his face in his cloak…" | Acknowledging God's presence and majesty. |
| Matt 22:46 | "And no one was able to answer him a word…" | Inability to answer divine wisdom. |
| John 8:7-9 | "He who is without sin among you… they went away one by one…" | Conviction leading to inability to accuse. |
| Ps 143:2 | "Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you." | Recognition of unworthiness before God. |
| 1 Cor 4:4 | "For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me." | God's ultimate judgment. |
| Jer 1:6-9 | "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth… " | Awareness of inadequacy for God's call. |
| Num 12:8 | "With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly… Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" | Acknowledging God's direct speaking. |
| Ps 119:106 | "I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules." | Resolution to obey rather than question. |
| Isa 6:5 | "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips…" | Recognition of unholiness before God's glory. |
| Prov 28:13 | "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." | Repentance through self-acknowledgment. |
Job 40 verses
Job 40 4 Meaning
Job, in a posture of profound humility and self-realization, acknowledges his utter insignificance and moral inability to continue arguing or even speak before the omnipotent and omniscient God. His gesture of placing his hand over his mouth signifies the cessation of his former complaints and a complete submission to God's supreme authority, admitting his own unworthiness and silence in the face of divine wisdom.
Job 40 4 Context
Job 40:4 occurs immediately after God's second challenge to Job (Job 40:1-2) from the whirlwind. In the preceding chapters (Job 38-39), God systematically interrogated Job, exposing the limits of Job's knowledge regarding creation, natural order, and the divine wisdom governing the universe. God highlighted Job's inability to control creation, sustain wild animals, or comprehend the complex workings of the natural world, all of which are effortlessly managed by God. This grand display of divine omnipotence and omniscience served to humble Job. God's challenge in Job 40:2 ("Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?") demands a response from Job regarding his complaints and his self-declared righteousness (Job 27:6, 29:14, 31:35). Job 40:3 shows Job responding to God's direct question, leading directly into the profound declaration of humility found in verse 4.
Job 40 4 Word analysis
הֵן (hēn) – "Behold": An interjection signaling an emphatic assertion or declaration. It introduces Job’s deeply personal realization, marking a significant shift from his previous assertions of innocence and desire to argue with God. It functions like a solemn 'truly' or 'indeed', underscoring the sincerity of Job's admission.
קַלּוֹתִי (qallôthî) – "I am insignificant / I am vile / I am light":
- Derived from the root קלל (qalal), meaning "to be light," "swift," "trifling," "cursed," or "despised."
- Job recognizes his lightness in substance, worth, or ability in contrast to God’s immense weight of glory and wisdom.
- This is not merely humility but an abasement, a recognition of being despised or contemptible in comparison to divine majesty. It denotes a feeling of worthlessness, a complete stripping away of self-righteousness.
מָה אָשִׁיבֶךָּ (māh ’āšîḇekkā) – "what can I answer You?":
- מָה (māh) is an interrogative pronoun, "what?"
- אָשִׁיבֶךָּ (’āšîḇekkā) is "I shall answer You."
- This phrase indicates an utter inability to formulate a reply. It is not that Job will not answer, but that he cannot. His former arguments have been silenced by the overwhelming truth of God's power and wisdom. It signifies a profound intellectual and spiritual paralysis in the face of the Almighty.
שַׂמְתִּי (śamtî) – "I lay / I have placed": Perfect tense, indicating a completed action. Job has already performed this act of submission. It’s a definite, internal posture translated into a physical gesture.
יָדִי (yāḏî) – "my hand": The instrument of action. Here, it is used symbolically to cover the mouth, indicating Job's active role in silencing himself. The hand, often representing power or work, now becomes an instrument of self-restraint.
לְפִי (lěp̄î) – "over my mouth / to my mouth": The mouth, the source of Job's previous complaints, questions, and self-justifications, is now covered. This is the ultimate symbol of silence, cessation of speech, submission, and humility.
Words-group analysis:
- "Behold, I am insignificant": A stark and sudden realization of personal inadequacy and nothingness before God's majesty, marking a pivotal moment of spiritual transformation for Job. It contrasts sharply with his earlier confident claims of innocence.
- "what can I answer You?": Reflects Job’s intellectual and moral surrender. The grand questions and displays of God's power in chapters 38-39 have left Job utterly speechless, incapable of sustaining any argument against his Creator.
- "I lay my hand over my mouth": A powerful, universal gesture signifying profound silence, humility, submission, shame, and the abandonment of any further dispute or complaint. It marks the definitive end of Job’s former speeches and marks the beginning of true, reverent silence. This action speaks louder than any words Job could have uttered.
Job 40 4 Bonus section
The transformation displayed in Job 40:4, and later reinforced in Job 42:6, highlights a core theme in biblical wisdom literature: true wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Prov 1:7) and often involves acknowledging one's limitations before divine omnipotence. Job's initial responses to suffering included questioning and self-justification, a natural human tendency. However, God does not give Job a propositional answer to why he suffered but reveals His glorious nature and wisdom, leading Job to a place where he no longer needs to know the "why" in order to trust. Job’s silence, signified by his covered mouth, is more profound than any apology; it represents a comprehensive surrender of his perspective to God’s unassailable truth. This spiritual breakthrough demonstrates that intimacy with God often comes not through intellectual resolution of doubts, but through profound revelation of His glory, leading to humility and trust.
Job 40 4 Commentary
Job 40:4 captures the turning point in Job's encounter with God, demonstrating the profound effect of divine revelation on human pride. After God's two speeches, Job is utterly humbled, his previous self-righteousness and persistent questioning shattered. The word "insignificant" (qallôthî) perfectly conveys his shattered self-perception, moving from one who found himself "righteous" to one who feels "light," worthless, or despised in God's immense presence. The physical act of laying his hand over his mouth is not merely an expression of speechlessness but a deep admission of intellectual and moral incapacity. It signifies the end of his disputing, a cessation of all his complaints and arguments against God's justice. Job realizes the vast, incomprehensible gap between divine wisdom and human understanding. This act is not born of fear alone but a newfound reverence and recognition of God’s absolute sovereignty. It's an example of true repentance before God, not just a verbal confession but a deeply internal, manifested submission that silences every urge to justify oneself.