Job 13:5 - Exposition

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, and a time to speak" ( Ecclesiastes 3:1 , Ecclesiastes 3:7 ); nor is the rule of La Trappe altogether a wise one. But probably ten times as much harm is done in the world by speaking as by keeping silence. "Words for God" need especial care and caution. If they do not do good, the harm that they may do is incalculable.