Job 21:3
Job 21:3 in Multiple Translations
Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.
Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.
Let me say what is in my mind, and after that, go on making sport of me.
Bear with me; let me speak. After I've spoken you can resume mocking me.
Suffer mee, that I may speake, and when I haue spoken, mocke on.
Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking — ye may deride.
Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.
Suffer me that I may speak; and after I have spoken, mock on.
Suffer me, and I will speak, and after, if you please, laugh at my words.
Be patient with me, and allow me to speak. Then, after I am finished speaking, you can continue to make fun of me.
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 21:3
BAB
Word Study
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Job 21:3 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
שָׂ֭אוּ/נִי
וְ/אָנֹכִ֣י
אֲדַבֵּ֑ר
וְ/אַחַ֖ר
דַּבְּרִ֣/י
תַלְעִֽיג
שָׂ֭אוּ/נִי
nâsâʼ
H5375
to lift
V-Qal-Impv-2mp | Suff
וְ/אָנֹכִ֣י
ʼânôkîy
H595
I
Conj | Pron
אֲדַבֵּ֑ר
dâbar
H1696
to speak
V-Piel-Imperf-1cs
וְ/אַחַ֖ר
ʼachar
H310
after
Conj | Adv
דַּבְּרִ֣/י
dâbar
H1696
to speak
V-Piel-Inf-a | Suff
תַלְעִֽיג
lâʻag
H3932
to mock
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 21:3
שָׂ֭אוּ/נִי
nâsâʼ
H5375
"to lift"
V-Qal-Impv-2mp | Suff
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to lift or raise something, and it's used in many ways, like lifting a burden or raising someone's status. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often talking about God lifting people up. It's about supporting or carrying something or someone.
Definition: : raise/take_up 1) to lift, bear up, carry, take 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lift, lift up 1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure 1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted 1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up 1b3) to be borne, be carried 1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist 1c2) to desire, long (fig.) 1c3) to carry, bear continuously 1c4) to take, take away 1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity) 1e2) to cause to bring, have brought
Usage: Occurs in 609 OT verses. KJV: accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ([phrase] man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, [idiom] needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, [phrase] swear, take (away, up), [idiom] utterly, wear, yield. See also: Genesis 4:13; Numbers 4:2; 1 Samuel 14:3.
וְ/אָנֹכִ֣י
ʼânôkîy
H595
"I"
Conj | Pron
This simple Hebrew word just means 'I', referring to the speaker, like in Genesis 27 where Esau says 'I' when talking to his father Isaac.
Definition: I (first pers. sing.) Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589)
Usage: Occurs in 335 OT verses. KJV: I, me, [idiom] which. See also: Genesis 3:10; Deuteronomy 11:26; 2 Samuel 3:39.
אֲדַבֵּ֑ר
dâbar
H1696
"to speak"
V-Piel-Imperf-1cs
To speak or communicate, like God speaking to Moses in Exodus or a king commanding his people. It can also mean to promise or warn someone.
Definition: : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
Usage: Occurs in 1049 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work. See also: Genesis 8:15; Exodus 12:25; Leviticus 23:9.
וְ/אַחַ֖ר
ʼachar
H310
"after"
Conj | Adv
Achar means backwards or after, used to describe something that happens later or in the rear. It is used in various senses in the Bible, including in 1 Kings 12:18.
Definition: 1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time) 1a) as an adverb 1a1) behind (of place) 1a2) afterwards (of time) 1b) as a preposition 1b1) behind, after (of place) 1b2) after (of time) 1b3) besides 1c) as a conjunction 1c) after that 1d) as a substantive 1d1) hinder part 1e) with other prepositions 1e1) from behind 1e2) from following after
Usage: Occurs in 664 OT verses. KJV: after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, [phrase] out (over) live, [phrase] persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with. See also: Genesis 5:4; Exodus 18:2; Joshua 8:14.
דַּבְּרִ֣/י
dâbar
H1696
"to speak"
V-Piel-Inf-a | Suff
To speak or communicate, like God speaking to Moses in Exodus or a king commanding his people. It can also mean to promise or warn someone.
Definition: : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
Usage: Occurs in 1049 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work. See also: Genesis 8:15; Exodus 12:25; Leviticus 23:9.
תַלְעִֽיג
lâʻag
H3932
"to mock"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2ms
To mock or deride someone is the meaning of this word, which can also imply speaking in a way that sounds like a foreign language.
Definition: 1) to mock, deride, ridicule 1a) (Qal) to mock, deride, have in derision 1b) (Niphal) to stammer 1c) (Hiphil) to mock, deride
Usage: Occurs in 18 OT verses. KJV: have in derision, laugh (to scorn), mock (on), stammering. See also: 2 Kings 19:21; Psalms 22:8; Psalms 2:4.
Study Notes — Job 21:3
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 21:3 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 21:3
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 21:3
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 21:3
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 21:3
- Cambridge Bible on Job 21:3
- Barnes' Notes on Job 21:3
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 21:3
Context — Job: God Will Punish the Wicked
1Then Job answered:
2“Listen carefully to my words; let this be your consolation to me.
3Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.
4Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient? 5Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 17:2 | Surely mockers surround me, and my eyes must gaze at their rebellion. |
| 2 | Job 16:10 | They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me. |
| 3 | Job 16:20 | My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God. |
| 4 | Job 33:31–33 | Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you. But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.” |
| 5 | Job 13:9 | Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him like a man? |
| 6 | Job 13:13 | Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may. |
| 7 | Job 12:4–5 | I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping. |
Job 21:3 Summary
In this verse, Job is asking his friends to listen to him without interrupting, and then they can respond however they want. He's feeling frustrated and desperate, and just wants to be heard. This is something we can all relate to, as seen in Job 7:11, where Job expresses his desire to speak and be heard. We can learn from Job's example to create space for others to share their thoughts and feelings, and to listen carefully to what they have to say, just as God listens to us in our prayers, as promised in Jeremiah 29:12.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Job ask his friends to bear with him while he speaks?
Job asks his friends to bear with him because he wants to express his feelings and thoughts without interruption, as seen in Job 21:3, and this is a pattern seen in other Bible characters, such as Jeremiah when he says 'Let me lament' in Lamentations 3:1
Is Job being sarcastic when he says his friends may go on mocking?
Yes, Job is being sarcastic, as he feels his friends have not been truly listening to him, and this is evident in the way he asks them to 'bear with me while I speak', implying they have not been giving him a fair hearing, similar to how the Psalmist feels in Psalms 38:9
What is the tone of Job's speech in this verse?
The tone of Job's speech is one of frustration and desperation, as he feels his friends have not been understanding or supportive, and he is seeking to express himself honestly, as also seen in Job 10:1
How does this verse relate to the broader context of the book of Job?
This verse fits into the larger narrative of Job, where Job is seeking to understand why he is suffering, and his friends are trying to offer explanations, but Job feels they are not truly hearing him, which is a theme that continues throughout the book, such as in Job 32:1-22
Reflection Questions
- What are some times when you felt like you weren't being heard, and how did you respond?
- How can you create space for others to share their thoughts and feelings without interrupting or judging them, as Job asks his friends to do in Job 21:3?
- In what ways can you identify with Job's feelings of frustration and desperation, and how can you bring those feelings to God in prayer, as encouraged in Psalms 62:8?
- What are some ways you can practice active listening, and how can this improve your relationships with others, as seen in James 1:19-20?
Gill's Exposition on Job 21:3
Suffer me that I may speak,.... To go on with his discourse, without any interruption, until he had finished it; as he before craves their attention, here he entreats their patience to hear him out,
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 21:3
Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on. 'Then you may go on with your mockings' (Job 17:2).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 21:3
Suffer me that I may speak without such interruption as you have given me, ; and if I do not defend my cause with solid and convincing arguments, go on in your scoffs if you please.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 21:3
Job 21:3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.Ver. 3. Suffer me that I may speak] Say that it be suffering to you to hear me (for now I see you have, as they write of some creatures, fel in aure), yet put yourselves to the pain of hearing me, and bear me, though I am burdensome to you, though my speeches cross the grain of your spirits. See 2 Corinthians 11:1. I will promise you to speak nothing worthy of a scoff, such as was that of Theophrastus, Let him shun the talkative man who would not be put into a fit of a fever (Theoph. Charact. cap. de garrul.). Or that of Aristotle, before whom when one, having made a long and idle discourse, concluded it thus, I doubt I have been too tedious unto you, sir philosopher, with my many words: In good sooth, said Aristotle, you have not been tedious to me, for I gave no heed to anything you said (Plut. de Garrulit.). And after I have spoken, mock on] Heb. Mock thou on, thou Zophar (to whom he turned his speech, and very likely his eye also), if thou canst find in thy heart to mock at so much reason as I shall allege in mine own defence; I gainstand thee not. He lacked no wit who said, If a wise man speak evil of thee or to thee, endure him; if a fool, slight him. Sile, et funestam dedisti plagam, trouble not thyself at his taunts, and thou punishest him sufficiently (Chrysost.).
Cambridge Bible on Job 21:3
3. mock on] This last word is sing. and seems addressed to Zophar the last speaker, whose pictures of the fate of the wicked deeply wounded Job. Having heard his account of the prosperity of the wicked, they shall have leave then to proceed with their bitter taunts and insinuations if they have a mind.
Barnes' Notes on Job 21:3
Suffer me that I may speak - Allow me to speak without interruption, or bear with me while I freely express my sentiments - it is all that I now ask.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 21:3
3. Mock on — Literally, thou mayest mock. He means Zophar, whose remarks were thus far the most cruel and lacerating of all. In his would-be coup-de-grace Zophar exhausted himself, and speaks no more.