Job 6:26
Job 6:26 in Multiple Translations
Do you intend to correct my words, and treat as wind my cry of despair?
Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
Do ye think to reprove words, Seeing that the speeches of one that is desperate are as wind?
My words may seem wrong to you, but the words of him who has no hope are for the wind.
Are you going to argue over what I said, when the words of someone in despair should be left to blow away in the wind?
Doe ye imagine to reproue wordes, that the talke of the afflicted should be as the winde?
For reproof — do you reckon words? And for wind — sayings of the desperate.
Do you intend to reprove words, since the speeches of one who is desperate are as wind?
Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
You dress up speeches only to rebuke, and you utter words to the wind.
I am a man who has nothing to hope for, but you try to correct me, and you think what I say is nothing but wind [RHQ]!
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 6:26
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 6:26 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
הַ/לְ/הוֹכַ֣ח
מִלִּ֣ים
תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ
וּ֝/לְ/ר֗וּחַ
אִמְרֵ֥י
נֹאָֽשׁ
הַ/לְ/הוֹכַ֣ח
yâkach
H3198
to rebuke
Part | Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a
מִלִּ֣ים
millâh
H4405
speech
N-fp
תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ
châshab
H2803
to devise
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp
וּ֝/לְ/ר֗וּחַ
rûwach
H7307
spirit
Conj | Prep | N-cs
אִמְרֵ֥י
ʼêmer
H561
word
N-mp
נֹאָֽשׁ
yâʼash
H2976
to despair
V-Niphal
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Job 6:26
הַ/לְ/הוֹכַ֣ח
yâkach
H3198
"to rebuke"
Part | Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a
This Hebrew word means to rebuke or correct, and is used in the Bible to describe arguing, judging, or convincing someone of their wrongdoings. It is seen in the KJV translation as rebuke or reprove. The word is used in various forms, including to describe God's correction of his people.
Definition: 1) to prove, decide, judge, rebuke, reprove, correct, be right 1a) (Hiphil) 1a1) to decide, judge 1a2) to adjudge, appoint 1a3) to show to be right, prove 1a4) to convince, convict 1a5) to reprove, chide 1a6) to correct, rebuke 1b) (Hophal) to be chastened 1c) (Niphal) to reason, reason together 1d) (Hithp) to argue
Usage: Occurs in 55 OT verses. KJV: appoint, argue, chasten, convince, correct(-ion), daysman, dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke, reprove(-r), surely, in any wise. See also: Genesis 20:16; Psalms 38:2; Psalms 6:2.
מִלִּ֣ים
millâh
H4405
"speech"
N-fp
This Hebrew word means a word or speech, and can also refer to a topic or subject. It's used in the Bible to describe what people say or talk about.
Definition: word, speech, utterance Aramaic equivalent: mil.lah (מִלָּה "word" H4406)
Usage: Occurs in 38 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] answer, by-word, matter, any thing (what) to say, to speak(-ing), speak, talking, word. See also: 2 Samuel 23:2; Job 30:9; Psalms 19:5.
תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ
châshab
H2803
"to devise"
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp
To devise means to think or plan something, often in a clever way. In the Bible, it can mean to plot or contrive, as seen in the story of David and Goliath.
Definition: : count/regard_as 1) to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to think, account 1a2) to plan, devise, mean 1a3) to charge, impute, reckon 1a4) to esteem, value, regard 1a5) to invent 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be accounted, be thought, be esteemed 1b2) to be computed, be reckoned 1b3) to be imputed 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to think upon, consider, be mindful of 1c2) to think to do, devise, plan 1c3) to count, reckon 1d) (Hithpael) to be considered
Usage: Occurs in 122 OT verses. KJV: (make) account (of), conceive, consider, count, cunning (man, work, workman), devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine, impute, invent, be like, mean, purpose, reckon(-ing be made), regard, think. See also: Genesis 15:6; Psalms 35:4; Psalms 10:2.
וּ֝/לְ/ר֗וּחַ
rûwach
H7307
"spirit"
Conj | Prep | N-cs
In the Bible, this word for spirit refers to the breath of life, the wind, or a person's mind and emotions, as seen in the book of Ezekiel.
Definition: : spirit 1) wind, breath, mind, spirit 1a) breath 1b) wind 1b1) of heaven 1b2) quarter (of wind), side 1b3) breath of air 1b4) air, gas 1b5) vain, empty thing 1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation) 1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour 1c2) courage 1c3) temper, anger 1c4) impatience, patience 1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented) 1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse 1c7) prophetic spirit 1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals) 1d1) as gift, preserved by God, God's spirit, departing at death, disembodied being 1e) spirit (as seat of emotion) 1e1) desire 1e2) sorrow, trouble 1f) spirit 1f1) as seat or organ of mental acts 1f2) rarely of the will 1f3) as seat especially of moral character 1g) Spirit of God, the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son 1g1) as inspiring ecstatic state of prophecy 1g2) as impelling prophet to utter instruction or warning 1g3) imparting warlike energy and executive and administrative power 1g4) as endowing men with various gifts 1g5) as energy of life 1g6) as manifest in the Shekinah glory 1g7) never referred to as a depersonalised force
Usage: Occurs in 348 OT verses. KJV: air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y). See also: Genesis 1:2; Job 6:26; Psalms 1:4.
אִמְרֵ֥י
ʼêmer
H561
"word"
N-mp
This Hebrew word refers to a word or speech, like a promise or command from God. It is used in books like Genesis and Exodus to describe God's conversations with people.
Definition: utterance, speech, word, saying, promise, command
Usage: Occurs in 47 OT verses. KJV: answer, [idiom] appointed unto him, saying, speech, word. See also: Genesis 49:21; Psalms 141:6; Psalms 5:2.
נֹאָֽשׁ
yâʼash
H2976
"to despair"
V-Niphal
To despair or lose hope is the meaning of this word. It involves giving up or feeling desperate, like saying 'it's hopeless' in the face of a difficult situation.
Definition: 1) to despair 1a) (Niphal) to be despaired, be desperate 1b) (Piel) to cause to despair interj 2) it is hopeless!
Usage: Occurs in 6 OT verses. KJV: (cause to) despair, one that is desperate, be no hope. See also: 1 Samuel 27:1; Isaiah 57:10; Jeremiah 2:25.
Study Notes — Job 6:26
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 6:26 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 6:26
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 6:26
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 6:26
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 6:26
- Ellicott's Commentary on Job 6:26
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 6:26
- Cambridge Bible on Job 6:26
- Barnes' Notes on Job 6:26
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 6:26
- Sermons on Job 6:26
Context — Job Replies: My Complaint Is Just
24Teach me, and I will be silent. Help me understand how I have erred.
25How painful are honest words! But what does your argument prove?
26Do you intend to correct my words, and treat as wind my cry of despair?
27You would even cast lots for an orphan and barter away your friend. 28But now, please look at me. Would I lie to your face?Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 8:2 | “How long will you go on saying such things? The words of your mouth are a blustering wind. |
| 2 | Ephesians 4:14 | Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. |
| 3 | Job 42:3 | You asked, ‘Who is this who conceals My counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. |
| 4 | Job 40:8 | Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself? |
| 5 | Matthew 12:37 | For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” |
| 6 | Job 6:9 | that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off! |
| 7 | Job 4:3–4 | Surely you have instructed many, and have strengthened their feeble hands. Your words have steadied those who stumbled; you have braced the knees that were buckling. |
| 8 | Job 40:5 | I have spoken once, but I have no answer— twice, but I have nothing to add.” |
| 9 | Job 2:10 | “You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. |
| 10 | Job 3:3–26 | “May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is conceived.’ If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it. May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it. If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year; may it never be entered in any of the months. Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it. May it be cursed by those who curse the day — those prepared to rouse Leviathan. May its morning stars grow dark; may it wait in vain for daylight; may it not see the breaking of dawn. For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes. Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb? Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed? For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins, or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver. Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight? There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest. The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor. Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master. Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul, who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure, who rejoice and greatly exult when they can find the grave? Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water. For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me. I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.” |
Job 6:26 Summary
In Job 6:26, Job is expressing his deep frustration and hurt because he feels his friends are not taking his pain seriously. He wants them to understand that his cry of despair is genuine and not just empty words, similar to how the Psalmist felt in Psalms 38:9. Job is looking for empathy and support from his friends, rather than correction or judgment, as encouraged in Romans 12:15. This verse reminds us of the importance of being good listeners and showing compassion to those who are suffering, as we would want others to do for us, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 7:12.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Job implying about his friends' response to his situation?
Job is suggesting that his friends are not taking his pain and cry of despair seriously, but rather dismissing it as insignificant, much like the wind, as seen in Job 6:26. This is similar to the way the Psalmist felt in Psalms 38:9, where he felt his sorrow was before God, but his friends did not understand.
Is Job seeking genuine help from his friends or is he being sarcastic?
Job's question in Job 6:26 seems to be laced with sarcasm, implying that his friends are more interested in correcting him than genuinely helping him, which is why he asks them to teach him in Job 6:24, so he can understand his error.
How does Job's cry of despair relate to his overall situation?
Job's cry of despair in Job 6:26 is a reflection of the intense emotional pain he is experiencing due to his suffering, as described in Job 1:13-22, and his friends' inability to provide meaningful comfort or support, as seen in Job 6:25.
What does Job's question reveal about his expectations from his friends?
Job's question in Job 6:26 reveals that he expects his friends to provide empathy and understanding, rather than correction or judgment, similar to what the Apostle Paul encourages in Romans 12:15, to mourn with those who mourn.
Reflection Questions
- How do I respond when a friend is in despair, do I offer correction or a listening ear?
- What are some ways I can show empathy and understanding to those who are suffering, like Job?
- In what ways can I, like Job, cry out to God in my time of need, as encouraged in Psalms 50:15?
- How can I balance the need to speak truth to a friend with the need to show compassion and empathy, as seen in Ephesians 4:15?
Gill's Exposition on Job 6:26
Do ye imagine to reprove words,.... Or with words; with bare words, without any force of reasoning and argument in them?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 6:26
Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind? Do ye imagine, or mean, to reprove words, and (to reprove) the speeches of one desperate, (which are) as wind (cf.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 6:26
Do ye imagine to reprove words? i.e. do you think that all your arguments are solid and unanswerable, and all my answers are but idle and empty words? Or do you think it is sufficient to cavil and quarrel with some of my words and expressions, without considering the merits of the cause, and the truth of my condition, or giving an allowance for human infirmity, or for my extreme misery, which may easily force from me some indecent expressions? Of one that is desperate; of a poor miserable, hopeless, and helpless man; for the words of such persons are commonly neglected and despised, although there be truth and great weight in them. See . And such are generally thought to speak from deep passions and prejudices, more than from reason and judgment. Which are as wind, i.e. which you esteem to be like the wind, vain and light, without solid substance, making a great noise with little sense, and to little purpose. But this last branch of the verse may be, and by many is, rendered otherwise, and do ye imagine (which is to be repeated out of the former clause, as is very usual in Scripture) the words of one that is desperate to be but wind, i.e. empty and vain? Do you take me for a desperate and distracted man, that knows not or cares not what he saith, but only speaks what comes first into his mind and mouth? The wind is oft used to express vain words, as ; and vain things, . Some render the whole verse thus, Do you in your arguings think, or ought you to think, the discourses of a dejected, or desponding, or sorely afflicted man (such as I am) to be but words and wind, i.e. vain and empty? as indeed the discourses of such persons use to be esteemed by such as are in a higher and more prosperous condition.
But you should judge more impartially, and more mercifully. Possibly the verse may be rendered thus, Do you think to reprove the speeches of a desperate, or dejected, or miserable man (such as I am, and you use me accordingly) with (the preposition being very frequently omitted and understood in the Hebrew tongue) words and with (for the Hebrew prefix lamed oft signifies with, as hath been formerly proved) wind? You think any words or arguments will be strong enough against one in my circumstances. So it agrees with the foregoing verse.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 6:26
Job 6:26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, [which are] as wind?Ver. 26. Do ye imagine to reprove words?] Idle and hasty words, which have more sound than sense? Think you that I do only make a noise, or rave like a madman, and am accordingly to be dealt with? Ye have not hitherto had vain, windy words from me, but words full of weight and matter, words of truth and soberness; wherefore then do ye speak thus? Do ye imagine to reprove words. And the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?] Do ye think I speak like one that is distracted, who knows not what he speaks? or that I have at once lost my hope and my wits? It is an easy and a compendious way of refuting all a man can say, to say he is mad, his words must needs be but wind without weight who is himself without reason. Mr Broughton readeth, Do ye hold the terms of the forlorn a wind? shall the poor man’ s wisdom be despised (as Solomon asketh), and his words not be heard? Ecclesiastes 9:16. Some refer this also to Job’ s friends, reading it thus, Ye frame speeches only to reprove (ye are good for little else but to find fault), and bring forth words against the wind; ye beat the empty air with your bubbles of words and senseless sayings.
Ellicott's Commentary on Job 6:26
(26) Do ye imagine to reprove words . . .?—“It cannot be your intent to reprove mere words, as mine confessedly are (Job 6:3), and as you seem to count them (Job 6:13). If so, they are hardly worthy the trouble bestowed upon them, but might be left to answer themselves.”
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 6:26
Verse 26. Do ye imagine to reprove words] Is it some expressions which in my hurry, and under the pressure of unprecedented affliction, I have uttered, that ye catch at? You can find no flaw in my conduct; would ye make me an OFFENDER for a WORD? Why endeavour to take such advantage of a man who complains in the bitterness of his heart, through despair of life and happiness?
Cambridge Bible on Job 6:26
26. do ye imagine] that is, is it your purpose? think ye? and the speeches … which are as wind] Rather, though the speeches of one that is desperate go into the wind.
Barnes' Notes on Job 6:26
Do ye imagine to reprove words? - A considerable variety of interpretation has occurred in regard to this verse. Dr.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 6:26
26. Do ye imagine, etc. — Read, Do ye think to reprove (mere) words, when the words of the despairing are as wind?
Sermons on Job 6:26
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
A Final Shaking by T. Austin-Sparks | In this sermon, the speaker uses the analogy of a boat mooring to illustrate the importance of not drifting away from the truth of Christ. He emphasizes the need to hold on tightly |
|
Ii Timothy - Part 1 - Continue in the Gospel by John Stott | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of standing firm in the word of God and not being influenced by the world. He reminds Timothy of his past and present loyalty |
|
Christ -- Our Substitute by C.H. Spurgeon | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of standing firm in the face of false teachings and worldly philosophies. He encourages the listeners to hold fast to the fai |
|
A Certain Sound by Manley Beasley | In this sermon, the speaker begins by asking for prayers for the upcoming multimedia presentation in Europe. He then reads a passage from the Bible and discusses the importance of |
|
(Titus - Part 9): Qualifications for Church Leadership Iii by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the absolute nature of the word of God. He describes it as a divine revelation that tells us what we need to know about God, although it doe |
|
|
(Titus - Part 6): Set in Order the Things That Are Wanting by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of organization and structure in the church. He uses the example of a man with a physical disability to illustrate the need for |
|
|
I Press Toward the Mark by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of seeking God's presence and experiencing His power. He uses the analogy of a pilot assuring passengers that they will soon |