Job 26 · Verse 2

Job 26:2

How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?
Job 26:2, King James Version

Job 26:2 in other translations

BSB“How you have helped the powerless and saved the arm that is feeble!
WEB“How have you helped him who is without power! How have you saved the arm that has no strength!
ASVHow hast thou helped him that is without power! How hast thou saved the arm that hath no strength!
YLTWhat--thou hast helped the powerless, Saved an arm not strong!
DARBYHow hast thou helped the powerless; how saved the arm that is without strength!
BBEHow have you given help to him who has no power! how have you been the salvation of the arm which has no strength!
WebsterHow hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?

What does Job 26:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 26:2-3
THIRD SERIES.

Job 26:1-14. Job's Reply.

2-3. without power ... no strength ... no wisdom--The negatives are used instead of the positives, powerlessness, &c., designedly (so Is 31:8; De 32:21). Granting I am, as you say (Job 18:17; 15:2), powerlessness itself, &c. "How hast thou helped such a one?" savest--supportest.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 How hast thou helped him - This seems a species of irony. How wonderfully hast thou counselled the unskilful and strengthened the weak! Alas for you! ye could not give what ye did not possess! In this way the Chaldee understood these verses: "Why hast thou pretended to give succor, when thou art without strength? And save, while thy arm is weak? Why hast thou given counsel, when thou art without understanding? And supposest that thou hast shown the very essence of wisdom?"

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 26:1-4

Job derided Bildad's answer; his words were a mixture of peevishness and self-preference. Bildad ought to have laid before Job the consolations, rather than the terrors of the Almighty. Christ knows how to speak what is proper for the weary, Is 50:4; and his ministers should not grieve those whom God would not have made sad. We are often disappointed in our expectations from our friends who should comfort us; but…

Read the full comment on Job 26:1-4 →

Job 26:2 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.

מֶה\־meh-how!H4100
עָזַ֥רְתָּ'a.Zar.tayou have helpedH5826
לְלֹא\־le.lo'-<to> notH3808
כֹ֑חַKho.achpowerH3581
ה֝וֹשַׁ֗עְתָּho.Sha'.tayou have savedH3467
זְר֣וֹעַze.Ro.a'[the] armH2220
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
עֹֽז\׃'OzstrengthH5797

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

Cross references for Job 26:2

  • Job 4:3-4

    Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

  • Isaiah 35:3-4

    Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

  • Psalms 71:9

    Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

  • Job 6:12

    Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?

  • Job 16:4-5

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

  • Job 6:25

    How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

  • Job 12:2

    No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

  • Isaiah 41:5-7

    The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.

  • 1 Kings 18:27

    And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

  • Isaiah 40:14

    With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
How has thou.Bildad had produced no argument to refute Job's doctrine; and therefore Job ironically admires the assistance which Bildad had given to his friends in their extremity, and the instruction he had afforded him in his perplexity.
12:2; 1Ki 18:27
helped.
4:3,4; 6:25; 16:4,5; Isa 35:3,4; 40:14; 41:5-7

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

Context

  • Job 26:1

    But Job answered and said,

  • Job 26:2

    How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?

  • Job 26:3

    How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?

Read all of Job 26

Job 26:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿En qué ayudaste al que no tiene fuerza? ¿has amparado al brazo sin fortaleza?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Comme tu as aidé celui qui n’avait pas de puissance! Comme tu as délivré le bras qui était sans force!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wie hast du dem Ohnmächtigen geholfen, den kraftlosen Arm gerettet!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cujus adjutor es? numquid imbecillis? et sustentas brachium ejus qui non est fortis?