Job 13:5-15:35

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 13:1-12

Job here warmly expresses his resentment of the unkindness of his friends. I. He comes up with them as one that understood the matter in dispute as well as they, and did not need to be taught by them, Job 13:1, 2. They compelled him, as the Corinthians did Paul, to commend himself and his own knowledge, yet not in a way of self-applause, but of self-justification. All he had before said his eye had seen confirmed by many instances, and his ear had heard seconded by many authorities, and he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 13:5

And that ye would altogether hold your peace ,.... Since what they said of him was not true, nor anything to the purpose, or that tended to the comfort of his afflicted soul, but the reverse; and therefore he could have wished they had never broke silence, but continued as they were the first seven days of their visit; and now, since they had spoken, and had done no good by speaking, but hurt, he desires for the future they would be silent, and say no more: and it should be your wisdom :... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 13:5

Hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom - In Proverbs 17:28 ; we have the following apophtheym: "Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips, a man of understanding." There is no reason to say that Solomon quotes from Job: I have already expressed my opinion that the high antiquity attributed to this book is perfectly unfounded, and that there is much more evidence that Solomon was its author, than there is that it was the composition of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 13:1-12

Correction of the friends. I. TRANSITION IN JOB 'S ADDRESS . ( Job 13:1-3 .). He pauses for a moment before entering on a new course of thought. He asserts that his experience has not been without fruit. The eye , the ear , the mouth ( Job 12:11 ), are the physical symbols of living and actual experience. So St. John: "That which we have heard ,… seen with our eyes looked upon, and our bands have handled" ( 1 John 1:1 ). And in no particular is their knowledge, in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 13:1-16

Job to Zophar: 4. A wounded soul at bay. I. THE VOICE OF FIERCE RECRIMINATION . Transfixing on the spear-point of his remorseless logic the men who had mocked at his misery, and converted his very piety into a laughing-stock, with infinite scorn Job holds them up a spectacle to angels and to men, charging them with at least three most detestable offences. 1 . Ignoring of facts. They had favoured him with their views of how God conducted the affairs of the universe, citing... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 13:1-22

Man's injustice and the justice of God. Job proceeds to turn the tables upon these self-complacent friends, who are so disposed to moralize and find illustrations of their conceptions of the Divine righteousness at his expense. His friends, however, really do him a service; not, indeed, by manifesting the sympathy he craves, but by throwing him upon his own resources—still better, by throwing him upon his God. The tonic of opposition is sometimes far more needed in mental suffering than is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 13:3-13

The second section of Job's argument is prefaced, like the first ( Job 12:2-5 ), with a complaint with respect to the conduct of his opponents. He taxes them with the fabrication of lies (verse 4), with want of skill as physicians of souls (verse 4), with vindicating God by reasonings in which they do not themselves believe (verses 7, 8), and consequently with really mocking him (verse 9). Having warned them that they are more likely to offend God than to please him by such arguments as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 13:5

Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! The friends had "held their peace" for seven days after their arrival ( Job 2:13 ). Oh that they would have held it altogether ! Their words had done nothing but exasperate and goad almost to madness. There is a mournful pathos in Job's entreates to them to be silent (comp verse 13). And it should be your wisdom . "Speech," it has been said, "is silvern, silence is golden." No doubt" there is a time for everything … a time to keep silence,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 13:5

Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! - You would show your wisdom by silence. Since you can say nothing that is adapted to give comfort, or to explain the true state of the case, it would be wise to say nothing; compare Proverbs 17:28 : “Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise.” read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Job 13:4-5

Job 13:4-5. Ye are forgers of lies That is, authors of false doctrine, namely, that great afflictions are peculiar to hypocrites and wicked men. All physicians of no value Unfaithful and unskilful; prescribing bad remedies: and misapplying good ones. O that ye would altogether hold your peace The best proof of your wisdom would be never to say a word more of these matters; for then your ignorance and folly would be concealed, which are now made manifest by your speaking concerning what... read more

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