Job 13:5

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

O that {H5414} ye would altogether {H2790} hold your peace {H2790}! and it should be your wisdom {H2451}.

Complete Jewish Bible

I wish you would just stay silent; for you, that would be wisdom!

Berean Standard Bible

If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!

American Standard Version

Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
In the midst of his profound and inexplicable suffering, Job expresses a poignant and exasperated plea to his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Having endured their prolonged and often accusatory speeches, Job yearns for their silence, declaring that their refraining from words would, in fact, be the truest demonstration of wisdom they could offer. This verse encapsulates Job's deep frustration with their misguided counsel and highlights his desperate need for empathetic presence over judgmental pronouncements.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 13:5 is situated within Job's extended response to the second cycle of speeches from his three friends (Job 12-14). Following Eliphaz's second speech in [Job 15](/job/15 "Job 15 - Eliphaz's Second Speech"), Bildad's in [Job 18](/job/18 "Job 18 - Bildad's Second Speech"), and Zophar's in [Job 20](/job/20 "Job 20 - Zophar's Second Speech"), Job has consistently defended his integrity before God, even as he grapples with the immense pain and confusion of his circumstances. His friends, clinging to the traditional retribution theology, insist that Job's suffering must be a direct consequence of his sin. Job, however, maintains his innocence and challenges their simplistic explanations, often accusing them of speaking falsely about God (as seen in [Job 13:7-9](/job/13-7 "Job 13:7-9 - Job accuses his friends of deceit")). This particular verse, [Job 13:5](/job/13-5 "Job 13:5 - Job's plea for silence"), serves as a climactic expression of his exasperation, directly preceding his bold declaration of trust in God despite his suffering, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" ([Job 13:15](/job/13-15 "Job 13:15 - Job's declaration of trust")).
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The book of Job is a masterpiece of ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature, a genre that explores life's profound questions, often through dialogue and poetic discourse. In the ancient world, friends and counselors were expected to offer wisdom and comfort in times of distress. However, the prevailing theological framework, particularly among the Israelites, often adhered to a strict doctrine of retribution: the righteous prosper, and the wicked suffer. Job's friends represent this traditional view, attempting to apply it rigidly to Job's situation. Their counsel, while perhaps well-intentioned, reflects a cultural understanding that struggled to reconcile innocent suffering with a just God. The setting, though not explicitly detailed, points to a patriarchal society where such philosophical debates were common among wise men, often taking place in a public or semi-public forum, emphasizing the importance of spoken wisdom and the potential for its misuse.
* **Key Themes:** Job 13:5 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Job. Firstly, it underscores the **limits of human wisdom** when confronted with divine mystery and profound suffering. The friends, despite their theological knowledge, fail to grasp the complexity of Job's situation, offering only pat answers that prove unhelpful and even harmful. Secondly, the verse highlights the theme of **true vs. false comfort**. Job's longing for silence reveals that genuine comfort often lies in empathetic presence and humble listening rather than in judgmental pronouncements or simplistic theological explanations, which Job later labels "miserable comforters" in [Job 16:2](/job/16-2 "Job 16:2 - Job's lament about his friends"). Finally, it touches upon the **nature of God's justice and sovereignty**, challenging the neat categories of retribution theology. Job's suffering, unexplained by his sin, forces a re-evaluation of how God interacts with humanity, setting the stage for God's ultimate revelation in [Job 38-41](/job/38 "Job 38 - God's First Speech to Job").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Hold your peace (Hebrew, _ḥārash'_):** This verb means "to be silent," "to be dumb," or "to be deaf." It conveys a sense of stillness and refraining from speech, often implying a deliberate act of silence. In this context, it's not merely a request for quiet, but a profound desire for them to cease their harmful and misguided discourse entirely. It suggests that their current speech is not only unhelpful but actively detrimental.
* **Altogether (Hebrew, _kullah'_):** This adverb emphasizes the totality of Job's desire. He doesn't want partial silence or a brief pause; he wishes for them to be *completely* silent. This highlights the depth of his exasperation and the comprehensive failure of their attempts to comfort him. Their words have become unbearable, and only absolute cessation will suffice.
* **Wisdom (Hebrew, _ḥokmah'_):** This term refers to practical skill, prudence, sound judgment, and insight. It's often associated with understanding the ways of God and applying that understanding to life. Job's statement is a powerful indictment: their silence would not just be *an* act of wisdom, but it would *be* their wisdom, implying that their current voluble counsel entirely lacks this quality. It suggests that true wisdom, in this context, lies in humility, restraint, and the recognition of one's own limitations.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"O that ye would altogether hold your peace!":** This opening exclamation conveys Job's profound exasperation and desperate longing. The "O that" (מִי־יִתֵּן, _mî-yittēn_) expresses a fervent wish or desire, almost a lament. He is not merely suggesting silence but passionately pleading for it, indicating the immense burden their words have become. The emphasis on "altogether" underscores his desire for a complete cessation of their counsel, signifying that their previous attempts at comfort have been not only ineffective but actively harmful. Job perceives their continuous speech as a torment rather than a solace.
* **"and it should be your wisdom.":** This clause delivers a cutting indictment. Job asserts that the greatest display of wisdom his friends could offer would be their silence. This is deeply ironic, as they have presented themselves as wise counselors, dispensing theological truths. Job reverses their premise, implying that their current speech is foolish, misguided, and devoid of true understanding. True wisdom, in Job's view, would involve recognizing the limits of their knowledge, the futility of their arguments, and the greater need for empathetic presence and humble restraint in the face of suffering they cannot comprehend. Their silence would be an admission of their intellectual and spiritual inadequacy in this situation.

#### Literary Devices
Job 13:5 effectively employs several **literary devices** to convey Job's intense frustration and the profound critique of his friends' counsel. The most prominent is **Irony**, as Job declares that their silence, rather than their elaborate speeches, would be the true manifestation of wisdom. This directly contradicts their self-perception as wise counselors and exposes the emptiness of their words. **Hyperbole** is also present in Job's fervent wish for them to "altogether hold their peace," emphasizing the extreme degree of his exasperation and the overwhelming nature of their unhelpful discourse. Furthermore, the verse uses **Apostrophe**, as Job directly addresses his friends with a passionate plea, lending a dramatic and personal intensity to his lament. The contrast between their perceived wisdom and Job's call for their silence creates a powerful rhetorical effect, highlighting the chasm between superficial theological answers and the depth of human suffering.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 13:5 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of true wisdom, contrasting it sharply with human presumption and simplistic theological frameworks. It challenges the notion that all suffering is directly attributable to sin, forcing a re-evaluation of God's ways and the limits of human understanding. The verse implicitly champions the wisdom of humility, empathy, and patient presence over dogmatic pronouncements. It suggests that in the face of inexplicable pain, the most profound theological response might not be a spoken word, but a reverent silence that acknowledges the mystery of God's sovereignty and the depth of human anguish. This humility allows space for God to speak and for true comfort to emerge, rather than imposing human-centric explanations onto divine providence.

* [Proverbs 17:28](/proverbs/17-28 "Proverbs 17:28 - Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent")
* [James 1:19](/james/1-19 "James 1:19 - Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger")
* [Ecclesiastes 3:7](/ecclesiastes/3-7 "Ecclesiastes 3:7 - A time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job's exasperated cry in Job 13:5 resonates deeply with the human experience of suffering and the often-unhelpful responses of those around us. This verse serves as a profound reminder for all who seek to comfort, counsel, or minister to others: true wisdom often lies not in having all the answers or in offering immediate, simplistic explanations, but in the humble, empathetic act of listening and knowing when to refrain from speaking. In moments of distress, the most valuable gift we can offer is our presence, our patient ear, and our willingness to sit in silence with another's pain, acknowledging the mystery and complexity of their experience. It challenges us to resist the urge to "fix" or "explain away" suffering, and instead, to cultivate a compassionate heart that prioritizes genuine understanding over theological correctness or judgmental analysis. This requires humility, self-awareness, and a profound respect for the individual's journey.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **When faced with someone's suffering, what is my immediate inclination: to speak or to listen?**
* **In what situations might my "wise" words actually be more harmful than helpful?**
* **How can I cultivate a greater capacity for empathetic presence and silence in my relationships?**
* **What does Job 13:5 teach me about the limits of my own understanding regarding God's ways and human suffering?**

### FAQ

**Why were Job's friends unable to offer him true comfort?**

Answer: Job's friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, were unable to offer true comfort because their theological framework was rigid and simplistic. They operated under the assumption of strict retribution theology, believing that all suffering was a direct consequence of sin. Therefore, when Job suffered immensely, they concluded he must have committed a great sin, despite his protestations of innocence. Their counsel quickly devolved into accusations and attempts to force Job to confess a sin he hadn't committed. They prioritized their theological system over Job's actual experience and need for empathy, failing to listen to his anguish or acknowledge the mystery of his situation. Their words, rather than bringing solace, added to his torment, making their silence a more desirable "wisdom" ([Job 16:2](/job/16-2 "Job 16:2 - Job's friends are miserable comforters")).

**What does Job mean when he says their silence would be their "wisdom"?**

Answer: When Job states that his friends' silence would be their "wisdom," he is making a deeply ironic and critical statement. He means that their current speeches, filled with misguided accusations and simplistic theological explanations, are utterly devoid of true wisdom. Instead of offering genuine insight or comfort, their words are foolish and harmful. Therefore, the wisest action they could take would be to stop speaking altogether. This implies that true wisdom, in this context, involves humility, restraint, and the recognition of one's own limited understanding in the face of profound suffering. It suggests that sometimes, the most profound and empathetic response is not to speak, but to listen and be present in silence ([Proverbs 17:28](/proverbs/17-28 "Proverbs 17:28 - Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 13:5, with its poignant plea for the wisdom of silence in the face of suffering, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in several ways. First, Jesus Himself embodies the ultimate empathetic Comforter, not through simplistic theological explanations, but through His identification with human suffering. Unlike Job's friends, Christ "sympathizes with our weaknesses" ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus, our sympathetic High Priest")), having experienced temptation and pain, yet without sin. He often met human need with a compassionate presence, sometimes with few words, sometimes with a powerful healing touch, always with perfect understanding. Second, the "wisdom" Job longed for in his friends' silence is ultimately found in the wisdom of God, which is revealed in Christ and confounds human reasoning ([1 Corinthians 1:25](/1_corinthians/1-25 "1 Corinthians 1:25 - The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom")). The cross, seemingly foolish to the world, is God's ultimate demonstration of wisdom and power, providing a solution to sin and suffering far beyond human comprehension or simplistic retribution theology. Finally, Jesus' own silence before His accusers during His trial ([Isaiah 53:7](/isaiah/53-7 "Isaiah 53:7 - He was silent before His accusers"), [Matthew 27:12-14](/matthew/27-12 "Matthew 27:12-14 - Jesus' silence before Pilate")) stands as a powerful testament to a wisdom that transcends human words and accusations, a silence that spoke volumes of His innocent suffering and redemptive purpose. In Christ, the longing for true wisdom and compassionate understanding, so desperately expressed by Job, is perfectly fulfilled.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Proverbs 17:28

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: [and] he that shutteth his lips [is esteemed] a man of understanding.

Job 13:13

¶ Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what [will].

Ecclesiastes 5:3

For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice [is known] by multitude of words.

James 1:19

¶ Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

Job 18:2

How long [will it be ere] ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.

Job 19:2

How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?

Job 21:2

Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.