Job 4:5

5 But now a wound is come upon thee, and thou hast failed, (or fainted); it hath touched thee, and thou art troubled.

Job 4:5 Meaning and Commentary

Job 4:5

But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest
The affliction and evil that he feared, ( Job 3:25 ) ; or rather the same trials and afflictions were come upon him as had been on those whom he had instructed and reproved, and whose hands and hearts he had strengthened and comforted; and yet now thou thyself "faintest", or "art weary" F26, or art bore down and sinkest under the burden, and bearest it very impatiently F1, quite contrary to the advice given to others; and therefore it was concluded he could not be a virtuous, honest, and upright man at heart, only in show and appearance. Bolducius renders the words, "God cometh unto thee", or "thy God cometh"; very wrongly, though the sense may be the same; God cometh and visits thee by laying his afflicting hand upon thee:

it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled;
suggesting that it was but a touch, a slight one, a light affliction; thereby lessening Job's calamity and distress, or making little and light of it, and aggravating his impatience under it, that for such a trial as this he should be so excessively troubled, his passions should be so violently moved, and he be thrown into so much disorder and confusion, and be impatient beyond measure; no bounds being set to his grief, and the expressions of it; yea, even to be in the utmost consternation and amazement, as the word F2 signifies.


FOOTNOTES:

F26 Defatigaris, Cocceius.
F1 (alt) aegre tulisti, Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus; "impatienter fers", Schmidt, Michaelis, Piscator.
F2 (lhbt) "consternaris", Mercerus, Cocceius, Schmidt, Michaelis, Schultens.

Job 4:5 In-Context

3 Lo! thou hast taught full many men, and thou hast strengthened hands made faint.
4 Thy words have confirmed men doubting, and thou hast comforted knees trembling. (Thy words have confirmed men who were doubting, and thou hast strengthened trembling knees.)
5 But now a wound is come upon thee, and thou hast failed, (or fainted); it hath touched thee, and thou art troubled.
6 Where is thy dread (Where is thy fear/Where is thy reverence), thy strength, and thy patience, and the perfection of thy ways?
7 I beseech thee, have thou mind, what innocent man perished ever, either when rightful men were done away? (I beseech thee, remember, did an innocent person ever perished, or were the upright ever done away with?)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.