Job 16 · Verse 4

Job 16:4

I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.
Job 16:4, King James Version

Job 16:4 in other translations

BSBI could also speak like you if you were in my place; I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you.
WEBI also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul’s place, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you,
ASVI also could speak as ye do; If your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could join words together against you, And shake my head at you.
YLTI also, like you, might speak, If your soul were in my soul's stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head.
DARBYI also could speak as ye: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join together words against you, and shake my head at you;
BBEIt would not be hard for me to say such things if your souls were in my soul's place; joining words together against you, and shaking my head at you:
WebsterI also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.

What does Job 16:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. heap up--rather, "marshal together (an army of) words against you." shake ... head--in mockery; it means nodding, rather than shaking; nodding is not with us, as in the East, a gesture of scorn (Is 37:22; Jr 18:16; Mt 27:39).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 I also could speak - It is probably better to render some of these permissives or potential verbs literally in the future tense, as in the Hebrew: I also Will speak. Mr. Good has adopted this mode. If your soul were in my soul's stead - If you were in my place, I also could quote many wise sayings that might tend to show that you were hypocrites and wicked men; but would this be fair? Even when I might not choose to go farther in assertion, I might shake my head by way of insinuation that there was much more behind, of which I did not choose to speak; but would this be right? That such sayings are in memory, is no proof that they were either made for me, or apply to my case.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 16:1-5

Eliphaz had represented Job's discourses as unprofitable, and nothing to the purpose; Job here gives his the same character. Those who pass censures, must expect to have them retorted; it is easy, it is endless, but what good does it do? Angry answers stir up men's passions, but never convince their judgments, nor set truth in a clear light. What Job says of his friends is true of all creatures, in comparison with…

Read the full comment on Job 16:1-5 →

Job 16:4 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.

גַּ֤ם\׀gamalsoH1571
אָנֹכִי֮'a.no.KhiIH595
כָּכֶ֪םka.Khemlike you
אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה'a.Da.Be.rahI will speakH1696
ל֤וּ\־Lu-ifH3863
יֵ֪שׁyeshthereH3426
נַפְשְׁכֶ֡םnaf.she.Khem[were] self yourH5315
תַּ֤חַתTa.chatin place ofH8478
נַפְשִׁ֗יnaf.Shiself myH5315
אַחְבִּ֣ירָה'ach.Bi.rahI will make joinH2266
עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם'a.lei.Khemon youH5921
בְּמִלִּ֑יםbe.mi.Lim<in> wordsH4405
וְאָנִ֥יעָהve.'a.Ni.'ahand I will shakeH5128
עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם'a.lei.Khemon youH5921
בְּמ֣וֹbe.MowithH1119
רֹאשִֽׁי\׃ro.Shihead myH7218

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

Cross references for Job 16:4

  • Psalms 109:25

    I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.

  • Psalms 22:7

    All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

  • Lamentations 2:15

    All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

  • 2 Kings 19:21

    This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.

  • Jeremiah 18:16

    To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:26

    And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

  • Zephaniah 2:15

    This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.

  • Matthew 27:39-40

    And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

  • Romans 12:15

    Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

  • Job 6:2-5

    Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together! For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

  • Job 35:16

    Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

  • Matthew 7:12

    Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
if your soul.
6:2-5,14; Mt 7:12; Ro 12:15; 1Co 12:26
up words.
11:2; 35:16; Pr 10:19; Ec 10:14
shake mine.
2Ki 19:21; Ps 22:7; 44:14; 109:25; Jer 18:16; La 2:15; Mt 27:39,40

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

Context

  • Job 16:3

    Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

  • Job 16:4

    I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.

  • Job 16:5

    But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

Read all of Job 16

Job 16:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		También yo hablaría como vosotros. Ojalá vuestra alma estuviera en lugar de la mía, que yo os tendría compañía en las palabras, y sobre vosotros movería mi cabeza.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Moi aussi, je pourrais parler comme vous; si votre âme était à la place de mon âme, je pourrais entasser des paroles contre vous et secouer ma tête contre vous!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Auch ich könnte reden wie ihr. Wenn eure Seele an der Stelle meiner Seele wäre, könnte ich Worte wider euch zusammenreihen, und mein Haupt über euch schütteln;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Poteram et ego similia vestri loqui, atque utinam esset anima vestra pro anima mea: