Job 6 25

Job 6:25 kjv

How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

Job 6:25 nkjv

How forceful are right words! But what does your arguing prove?

Job 6:25 niv

How painful are honest words! But what do your arguments prove?

Job 6:25 esv

How forceful are upright words! But what does reproof from you reprove?

Job 6:25 nlt

Honest words can be painful,
but what do your criticisms amount to?

Job 6 verses

Job 6 25 Meaning

Job 6:25 expresses Job's deep frustration and irony towards his friends' words. He acknowledges the inherent power and efficacy of "upright words" or words spoken with truth and sincerity. However, he immediately contrasts this general principle with the emptiness of his friends' specific arguments, rhetorically asking what their ceaseless "proving" and "convicting" truly accomplish. He implies their arguments, though presented as wise, are in fact baseless, unconvincing, and lacking in genuine understanding or comfort for his suffering.

Job 6 25 Context

Job 6:25 is part of Job’s first comprehensive response (Job 6:1-7:21) to Eliphaz’s initial speech (Job 4:1-5:27). Eliphaz had accused Job, indirectly but clearly, of being wicked because he was suffering, suggesting that only the unrighteous truly suffer (a core tenet of the friends’ faulty theology). Job’s response is characterized by deep anguish, despair, and a fervent desire to present his case before God, asserting his innocence. In chapter 6, Job laments the intensity of his suffering, the worthlessness of his friends’ attempts at comfort, and their failure to understand his plight. He ironically notes their lack of sympathy and questions the very basis of their "wisdom" and "uprightness," viewing their counsel not as helpful guidance but as an oppressive and invalid assault on his integrity. This particular verse serves as a turning point in his address, moving from expressing his pain to directly challenging the validity of his friends’ arguments.

Job 6 25 Word analysis

• How forceful are upright words!
  • How (מַה - mah): An interrogative particle, often used in an exclamatory sense, indicating surprise or intensity. Here, it transforms a question into an emphatic statement: "Indeed, how forceful...!" It sets an ironic tone, suggesting that true upright words are powerful, but the words spoken by Job's friends fall short of this ideal.
  • forceful (נִמְרָֽצוּ - nimrâṣû): From the root maratz (מָרַץ), meaning "to be painful," "bitter," "grievous," or "severe." In the Niphal stem (passive or reflexive), it can mean "to be made severe/grievous," "to be effective," or "to be unbearable." The dual meaning is critical: on one hand, true words are forceful in their impact; on the other, the friends' "upright" words are painfully severe to Job, not in their truth, but in their condemnation and lack of understanding. It highlights Job's perception of their words as hurtful rather than healing.
  • are upright (אֶמְרֵי יֹ֖שֶׁר - ʾimrê yōšer): "Words of uprightness" or "sayings of straightness/equity."
    • ʾimrê: Plural construct form of ʾimrāh, "word," "saying."
    • yōšer: "Uprightness," "straightness," "righteousness," "integrity," "equity." From the root yashar (יָשַׁר) which implies moral correctness, absence of crookedness, and justice. The phrase refers to words spoken truly, justly, and rightly—words that embody truth and integrity. Job initially acknowledges the inherent power of such words, even as he pivots to critique his friends' usage of them.
• But what does your arguing prove?
  • But what (וּמַה - ūmah): "And what" or "But what." The conjunction waw (u) acts as an adversative, contrasting the general principle about upright words with the specific reality of their arguments.
  • does your arguing (יוֹכִ֖יחַ הוֹכֵֽחַ - yôḵîaḥ hôḵêaḥ): This is a powerful Hebrew rhetorical construction known as an infinitive absolute, using the root yakhaḥ (יָכַח) twice.
    • yôḵîaḥ: Hiphil imperfect of yakhaḥ – "to prove," "to reason," "to convict," "to argue," "to rebuke."
    • hôḵêaḥ: Hiphil infinitive absolute of yakhaḥ – emphasizes the action, creating a sense of continuous or vigorous arguing/proving/rebuking. It underscores the act of their argument rather than its outcome, suggesting a repetitive, perhaps tiresome, engagement in argumentation. The idiom intensifies the verb, often conveying "really prove," "certainly prove," or here, "what does all your proving prove?"
  • prove (מִכֶּֽם׃ - mikem): "From you" or "by you." It specifies that this ineffective argumentation originates from his friends, emphasizing that it is their particular brand of argumentation that is fruitless. The question challenges the efficacy, the wisdom, and ultimately, the truth behind their lengthy disputations.

Job 6 25 Bonus section

• Rhetorical Question as a Device: The verse employs a classic rhetorical question ("But what does your arguing prove?") not seeking information but making a strong, emphatic point about the worthlessness and futility of the friends' contributions. It places the burden of proof back on them, challenging them to demonstrate the benefit of their severe "upright" words.
• Irony and Wordplay: The potential dual meaning of nimrâṣû (forcible/painful) is a masterful piece of Hebrew irony. What should be words that are powerfully effective in truth and comfort are instead perceived by Job as powerfully painful in their condemnation. Job uses the very concept of "forceful, upright words" against his friends, suggesting that their words only carry force in a negative, harmful sense.
• Critique of Dogmatic Theology: This verse is a concise critique of a rigid, simplistic theological framework that fails to account for the complexities of human suffering and divine interaction. The friends' arguments are based on an unyielding quid pro quo – righteousness equals prosperity, wickedness equals suffering. Job, knowing his own heart and integrity, finds their proofs irrelevant and crushing.
• The Burden of Proof: Job turns the tables. While his friends demand he confess sin as proof of wickedness, Job asks them what their words have actually proved. He demonstrates that their theological conclusions do not align with his experience or offer a true pathway to understanding or peace.

Job 6 25 Commentary

Job 6:25 encapsulates Job's profound disillusionment with his friends' attempts to "comfort" him. He starts by acknowledging a universal truth: genuinely "upright words" are intrinsically powerful and impactful. This could refer to words of wisdom, truth, justice, or genuine compassion. However, his subsequent rhetorical question—"But what does your arguing prove?"—reveals the sharp irony of his situation. His friends claim to speak such words, but from Job's perspective, their constant argumentation is devoid of substance, conviction, or benefit. They present theological platitudes that do not fit his reality, seeking to condemn him rather than offer solace. The Hebrew construction for "arguing prove" highlights the ongoing, forceful, yet ultimately unproductive nature of their discussions. Job implies that their words are not truly "upright" because they fail to meet him in his pain, do not reflect a nuanced understanding of divine justice, and are devoid of empathy. True, forceful words comfort and heal, while their arguments merely exacerbate his suffering without bringing any clarity or relief.