Job 13:13

13 Be silent, that I may speak, and cease from anger,

Job 13:13 Meaning and Commentary

Job 13:13

Hold your peace, let me alone
Or, cease "from me" F9: from speaking to me, or hindering me from speaking. Job might perceive, by some motions of his friends, that they were about to interrupt him; and therefore he desires they would be silent, and let him go on:

that I may speak;
or, "and I will speak",

and let come on me what [will];
either from men, or from God himself; a good man, when he knows his cause is good, and he has truth on his side, is not careful or concerned what reproach may be cast upon him, or what censures from men he may undergo; or what persecutions from them he may endure; none of these things move him from his duty, or can stop his mouth from speaking the truth; let him be threatened with what he will, he cannot but speak the things which he has seen and heard, and knows to be true; as for what may come upon him from God, that he is not solicitous about; he knows he will lay nothing upon him but what is common to men, will support him under it, or deliver him from it in his own time and way, or however make all things work together for his good: some render it, "and let something pass by me", or "from me" F11; that is, somewhat of his grief and sorrow, while he was speaking and pouring out his complaints before God; but the former sense seems best.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 (yngm) "desistite a me", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F11 (hm yle rbeyw) "ut transeat praeter me aliquid, vel a me", Schmidt.

Job 13:13 In-Context

11 shall not his whirlpool sweep you round, and terror from him fall upon you?
12 And your glorying shall prove in the end to you like ashes, and your body of clay.
13 Be silent, that I may speak, and cease from anger,
14 while I may take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.
15 Though the Mighty One should lay hand upon me, forasmuch as he has begun, verily I will speak, and plead before him.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.