Job 16:5

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

But I would strengthen {H553} you with {H1119} my mouth {H6310}, and the moving {H5205} of my lips {H8193} should asswage {H2820} your grief.

I could 'strengthen' you with my mouth, with lip service I could 'ease your grief.'

But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips would assuage your grief.

Commentary

In Job 16:5, Job, in the midst of his profound suffering, contrasts his own compassionate approach with the unhelpful and often accusatory counsel of his so-called friends. This verse is a poignant expression of what true comfort should look like, even as Job experiences its absence.

Context

This verse is part of Job's third response to his friends, specifically after Eliphaz's second speech in Job 15. Throughout the Book of Job, Job's friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—attempt to explain his immense suffering through the traditional theology of their time: that suffering is a direct consequence of sin. Instead of offering solace, their words often compounded Job's grief, leading him to famously declare them "miserable comforters" in Job 16:2. In Job 16:5, Job imagines a role reversal, illustrating how he would genuinely comfort them if they were in his shoes, thereby highlighting their failure to do the same for him.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Power of Words: Job underscores that words have immense power either to heal and strengthen or to wound and diminish. His friends' words inflicted pain, while he asserts his words would "asswage" (relieve) grief. This theme resonates with Proverbs 18:21, which states that "Death and life are in the power of the tongue."
  • True Empathy vs. False Condemnation: The verse powerfully distinguishes between genuine empathy, which seeks to strengthen and relieve sorrow, and judgmental condemnation, which only adds to a person's burden. Job yearns for understanding and support, not theological lectures that imply his guilt.
  • The Nature of Biblical Comfort: Job's hypothetical scenario points towards a model of comfort rooted in compassion, active listening, and gentle encouragement rather than unsolicited advice or simplistic explanations of suffering.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "asswage [your grief]" comes from the Hebrew word חָשַׂךְ (chasakh), which means "to hold back," "to restrain," or "to lessen." In this context, it vividly describes the act of alleviating or easing someone's burden of sorrow. Job's desire was not to eradicate the grief entirely, but to actively work towards diminishing its intensity and providing relief through supportive speech.

Practical Application

Job's words in Job 16:5 offer timeless lessons for how we interact with those who are suffering:

  • Choose Your Words Wisely: When comforting others, our words should aim to strengthen and soothe, not to accuse or offer facile solutions. Consider the impact of your speech, as highlighted in Ephesians 4:29.
  • Practice Empathy: Instead of immediately trying to "fix" or explain, seek to understand and share in the person's sorrow. Often, simply being present and offering a listening ear is more comforting than any advice.
  • Be a Source of Strength: True comfort involves building up the afflicted, offering hope, and reminding them they are not alone. This aligns with the biblical call to "bear ye one another's burdens" (Galatians 6:2).
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Cross-References

  • Galatians 6:1

    ¶ Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

  • Job 6:14

    ¶ To him that is afflicted pity [should be shewed] from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

  • Proverbs 27:9

    ¶ Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so [doth] the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.

  • Proverbs 27:17

    ¶ Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

  • Job 29:25

    I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one [that] comforteth the mourners.

  • Isaiah 35:3

    Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

  • Isaiah 35:4

    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.