Job 13 · Verse 4

Job 13:4

But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
Job 13:4, King James Version

Job 13:4 in other translations

BSBYou, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.
WEBBut you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.
ASVBut ye are forgers of lies; Ye are all physicians of no value.
YLTAnd yet, ye are forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nought--all of you,
DARBYFor ye indeed are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
BBEBut you put a false face on things; all your attempts to put things right are of no value.
WebsterBut ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

What does Job 13:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. forgers of lies--literally, "artful twisters of vain speeches" [Umbreit].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Ye are forgers of lies - Ye frame deceitful arguments: ye reason sophistically, and pervert truth and justice, in order to support your cause. Physicians of no value - Ye are as feeble in your reasonings as ye are inefficient in your skill. Ye can neither heal the wound of my mind, nor the disease of my body. In ancient times every wise man professed skill in the healing art, and probably Job's friends had tried their skill on his body as well as on his mind. He therefore had, in his argument against their teaching, a double advantage: Your skill in divinity and physic is equal: in the former ye are forgers of lies; in the latter, ye are good-for-nothing physicians. I can see no reason to depart from the general meaning of the original to which the ancient versions adhere. The Chaldee says: "Ye are idle physicians; and, like the mortified flesh which is cut off with the knife, so are the whole of you." The imagery in the former clause is chirurpical, and refers to the sewing together, or connecting the divided sides of wounds; for טפלי topheley, which we translate forgers, comes from טפל taphal, to fasten, tie, connect, sew together. And I question whether טפלי topheley here may not as well express Surgeons, as רפאי ropheey, in the latter clause, Physicians. Ye are Chirurgeons of falsity, and worthless Physicians.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 13:1-12

With self-preference, Job declared that he needed not to be taught by them. Those who dispute are tempted to magnify themselves, and lower their brethren, more than is fit. When dismayed or distressed with the fear of wrath, the force of temptation, or the weight of affliction, we should apply to the Physician of our souls, who never rejects any, never prescribes amiss, and never leaves any case uncured. To Him we…

Read the full comment on Job 13:1-12 →

Job 13:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְֽאוּלָ֗םve.'u.Lamand butH199
אַתֶּ֥ם'a.TemyouH859
טֹֽפְלֵי\־to.fe.lei-[are] smearers ofH2950
שָׁ֑קֶרSha.kerfalsehoodH8267
רֹפְאֵ֖יro.fe.'Ei[are] physicians ofH7495
אֱלִ֣ל'e.LilworthlessnessH457
כֻּלְּכֶֽם\׃ku.le.Khemall of youH3605

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 13:4

  • Psalms 119:69

    The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.

  • Job 16:2

    I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

  • Jeremiah 23:32

    Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.

  • Jeremiah 6:14

    They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

  • Mark 5:26

    And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

  • Jeremiah 8:22

    Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

  • Hosea 5:13

    When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.

  • Jeremiah 30:13

    There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.

  • Jeremiah 46:11

    Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured.

  • Ezekiel 34:4

    The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

  • Mark 2:17

    When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

  • Job 6:21

    For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
ye are forgers.
4:7-11; 5:1-5; 8:3,4; 18:5-21; 21:27-34; 22:6-30; Ex 20:16
Ps 119:69
physicians.
6:21; 16:2; Jer 6:14; 8:22; 30:13; 46:11; Eze 34:4; Ho 5:13; Mr 2:17
Mr 5:26

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 13:3

    Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

  • Job 13:4

    But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

  • Job 13:5

    O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

Read all of Job 13

Job 13:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Que ciertamente vosotros sois fraguadores de mentira; sois todos vosotros médicos nulos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais pour vous, vous êtes des forgeurs de mensonges, des médecins de néant, vous tous!
German
Elberfelder 1871		ihr hingegen seid Lügenschmiede, nichtige Ärzte, ihr alle!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		prius vos ostendens fabricatores mendacii, et cultores perversorum dogmatum.