Job 16:5 (KJV)

What does Job 16:5 mean?

Job 16:5 means that Job wishes he could comfort and encourage his friends with his words, easing their pain if their situations were reversed. Job says that, unlike the way his friends have spoken to him, he would use his mouth to strengthen them and his lips to lessen their grief.

Job is speaking to his friends, who have been criticizing him instead of offering comfort while he suffers. In this verse, Job points out that if their roles were switched, he would use gentle and supportive words to help them feel better, highlighting the lack of true compassion in their approach.

The Hebrew behind Job 16:5

• "strengthen" (חָזַק, ḥāzaq, H553) means to make strong or encourage. Job is saying he would use his words to build up his friends, not tear them down.
• "moving" (נוּד, nūd, H5205) refers to the motion or movement of the lips, often connected to expressing sympathy or comfort. Job is emphasizing the act of speaking in a way that soothes sorrow.
• "asswage" (יַחְשֹׂךְ, yaḥśōḵ, H2820) carries the idea of restraining or lessening. Here, Job is saying he would use his words to reduce or calm their grief, not add to it.

Why Job 16:5 matters

• Job 16:5 clears up the misunderstanding that Job’s friends are helping him; instead, Job points out that their words have only made his suffering worse.
• This verse emphasizes the power of words to either hurt or heal, showing that Job values true comfort and empathy.
• Job 16:5 connects to the wider passage by highlighting the contrast between Job’s approach to suffering and the harshness of his friends, deepening the reader’s understanding of Job’s disappointment and isolation.