Job 15:5
in Job 15For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth, And thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
KJV
For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
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This verse in Job 15
Commentary
9 notes on this verseWhence it is still further added, For thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth, and thou followest the tongue of the crafty. 'Iniquity teaches the mouth,' when there is conceived by a bad life somewhat to be spoken of a worse kind. Now because blessed Job was free in speech in proportion as he was holy in action, by his friends, who hold the type of heretics, he is found fault with at once on the grounds of a wicked life and of a bold mouth, so that it should be said, Thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth.
This site's exposition
undermine the fear of God
on Job 15:4-6
Eliphaz raises the charge from bad argument to irreligion, saying Job would "undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him". He claims "your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty", the deceit Job warned the friends against at 13:7.
This site's exposition
the language of the crafty
Eliphaz makes Job's own language the proof of his iniquity. Barnes paraphrases: the argument itself shows a guilty man. Clarke ties the crafty to the serpent of Genesis 3:1, a word from the same Hebrew root.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Because Job reproached his friends with confidence, they were irritated and hurt. This did not demonstrate any arrogance before God. In fact, since Job trusted in his own innocence, he did not take seriously at all the vain power of his accusers. Feeling ashamed in …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Job had not disputed with God from pride, but out of confidence in the truth. But Eliphaz rashly judged this to flow from wickedness and so he then says, "For your wickedness has taught your tongue," as if to say: It is apparent from the …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity,....
If we ever thought evil, let us lay our hand upon our mouth to suppress the evil thought ( Prov. xxx. 32 ), and let us by no means utter it; that is putting an imprimatur to it, publishing it with allowance, to the dishonour of God and the damage of others. Observe, When men have cast off fear and prayer their mouths utter iniquity.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
For thy mouth uttereth - In attempting to justify thyself, thou hast added iniquity to sin, and hast endeavored to impute blame to thy Maker. The tongue of the crafty - Thou hast varnished thy own conduct, and used sophistical arguments to defend thyself. Thou resemblest those cunning persons, ערומים arumim, who derive their skill and dexterity from the old serpent, “the nachash, who was ערום arum, subtle, or crafty, beyond all the beasts of the field;” Gen 3:1. Thy wisdom is not from above, but from beneath.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity - Margin, “teacheth.” That is, “your whole argument shows that you are a guilty man. A man who can defend such positions about God cannot be a pious man, or have any proper veneration for the Most High.” A man may pursue an argument, and defend positions, that shall as certainly show that he is destitute of religion as though he lived an abandoned life; and he who holds opinions that are dishonorable to God, can no more be a pious man than if he dishonored God by violating his law.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יְאַלֵּ֣ף | yealef | it teaches | H502 → | 4 times |
| עֲוֹנְךָ֣ | ʾavonekha | iniquity your | H5771 → | 233 times |
| פִ֑יךָ | fikha | mouth your | H6310 → | 498 times |
| וְ֝תִבְחַ֗ר | vetivchar | so you may choose | H977 → | 171 times |
| לְשׁ֣וֹן | leshon | [the] tongue of | H3956 → | 117 times |
| עֲרוּמִֽים׃ | ʾarumim | crafty [people] | H6175 → |
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יְאַלֵּ֣ףit teaches
yealefH502 →4 times
עֲוֹנְךָ֣iniquity your
ʾavonekhaH5771 →233 times
פִ֑יךָmouth your
fikhaH6310 →498 times
וְ֝תִבְחַ֗רso you may choose
vetivcharH977 →171 times
לְשׁ֣וֹן[the] tongue of
leshonH3956 →117 times
עֲרוּמִֽים׃crafty [people]
ʾarumimH6175 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 6:45The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow…
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 4:23
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
- Matthew 12:34–37
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
- John 7:38
Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”
- Psalms 37:30–31
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
- Ephesians 4:29
Through
James 1:26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
it leads to
- Psalms 141:3
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
- 1 Peter 3:10
For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
- Ephesians 5:4
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.
- Psalms 141:3
About Job
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XII; Hesychius of Jerusalem, HOMILIES ON JOB 18.15.5B; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.