So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

JOB 5:16KJV
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Job 5:16 (KJV)

What does Job 5:16 mean?

Job 5:16 says that those who are poor have reason to hope, and that wrongdoing is silenced or stopped. The verse points to a reversal where the vulnerable find encouragement, and those who act unjustly are no longer able to speak or defend themselves.

In the story, Eliphaz is speaking to Job, trying to explain how God brings justice into the world. Eliphaz claims that God’s actions give hope to people who are suffering or oppressed, while at the same time putting an end to the boasting or arguments of those who do wrong. This verse is part of Eliphaz’s larger speech about how God ultimately sets things right.

The Hebrew behind Job 5:16

  • The word for "poor" is דַּל (dal, H1800), which often refers to someone who is weak, powerless, or lacking resources, not just financially but in any way vulnerable.
  • "Hope" is תִּקְוָה (tiqvah, H8615), which means expectation or something to look forward to, suggesting not just wishful thinking but a real sense of possibility.
  • "Iniquity" is עַוְלָה (avlah, H5766), meaning injustice or wrongdoing, emphasizing actions that are morally or legally wrong.
  • "Stoppeth" is קָפַץ (qafatz, H7092), which means to shut or close, here describing how injustice is forced to be silent or unable to respond.
  • "Mouth" is פֶּה (peh, H6310), simply meaning mouth, but in this context, it refers to the voice or arguments of those doing wrong being silenced.

Why Job 5:16 matters

  • Job 5:16 clarifies that hope is not just a vague feeling but a real expectation given to those who are suffering, showing that the verse is about justice being restored.
  • The verse highlights the idea that injustice is not just punished but also silenced, which means that those who do wrong lose their power to influence or harm others.
  • In the flow of Eliphaz’s speech, this verse shows his belief that God’s justice is active in the world, offering comfort to the oppressed and warning to the oppressors.

Where else these words appear

“stoppeth” Hebrew H7092 · used in 7 verses

  • Deuteronomy 15:7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
  • Psalms 77:9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
  • Song of Solomon 2:8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.

“hope” Hebrew H8615 · used in 33 verses

  • Joshua 2:18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.
  • Job 14:19 The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
  • Proverbs 23:18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

“poor” Hebrew H1800 · used in 46 verses

  • Exodus 23:3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
  • Psalms 72:13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
  • Proverbs 28:15 As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.

“iniquity” Hebrew H5766 · used in 51 verses

  • Leviticus 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
  • Job 34:10 Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
  • Isaiah 59:3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.