Job 4:6
in Job 4Is your reverence not your confidence, and the uprightness of your ways your hope?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, And the integrity of thy ways thy hope?
KJV
Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?
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This verse in Job 4
Commentary
12 notes on this verseIs not this thy fear - I think Coverdale hits the true meaning: Where is now thy feare of God, thy stedfastnesse, thy pacience, and the perfectnesse of thy life? If these be genuine, surely there is no cause for all this complaint, vexation, and despair. That this is the meaning, the next words show.
This site's exposition
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied
on Job 4:1-6
Eliphaz opens with a question that answers itself, so his gentleness is a formality before the argument begins. He recalls the counsel Job once gave, how he "strengthened their feeble hands". Then he turns that memory into a charge, "But now trouble has come upon you, and you are weary".
This site's exposition
Is your reverence not your confidence
Eliphaz questions Job's reverence and uprightness. Clarke hears a challenge asking where Job's fear of God has gone, and Wesley takes Eliphaz to mean Job's piety was mere talk and appearance. Matthew Henry answers from Proverbs 24:10 that faint strength in the day of distress is still strength.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
While Scripture's spirit witnesses on behalf of Job that he has not committed any folly against God, Eliphaz incorrectly understands the reason behind what has been imposed upon Job. Eliphaz believes that Job suffers because of trespasses, and he thinks the words Job has spoken …
"Is not your fear based on folly, as is your hope, and your mischievous ways?" That is to say, was there not a foolish intention behind your actions? Eliphaz means, "Either you have not done these things, or your life is full of evil. Or you do not fear God with a righteous intention and all that you say is mere words. Your hope is based on folly." Eliphaz states that Job's hope was filled with foolishness. Why? Is it necessary to say that? Is it not possible that after often helping his neighbor, he has now fallen into misfortune? "No," says Eliphaz.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Where is thy fear, thy strength, thy patience, and the perfectness of thy ways? All which same he makes to succeed that sentence which he set before, saying, But now a stroke is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. Thus he declares that they were brought to nought all of them together, in this, that he blames blessed Job's being troubled by the scourge.
He also exaggerated the subsequent impatience which appeared in Job from his past life. For virtue which fails so quickly in trial does not seem true because, as it is written in Sirach, "Gold and silver are proved in fire; men are proven in the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Thy fear - We now plainly see what was the nature of thy fear of God, thy confidence in him, the uprightness of thy ways, and thy hope in God's mercy. Thy present carriage discovers that it was but mere talk and appearance. Innocent - Therefore thou art guilty of some great, though secret crimes, and thy sin hath now found thee out.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
If it had been sincere, would it not have kept thee from this despair?" It is true, if thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength, thy grace, is small ( Prov. xxiv. 10 ); but it does not therefore follow that thou hast no grace, no strength at all. A man's character is not to be taken from a single act.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Is not this thy fear,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
If so, bethink thee, who ever perished being innocent?" [UMBREIT]. But Lu 13:2, 3 shows that, though there is a retributive divine government even in this life, yet we cannot judge by the mere outward appearance. "One event is outwardly to the righteous and to the wicked" (Ec 9:2); but yet we must take it on trust, that God deals righteously even now (Ps 37:25;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Is not this thy fear, thy confidence? - There has been considerable variety in the interpretation of this verse. Dr. Good renders it, Is thy piety then nothing? thy hope Thy contidence? or the uprightness of thy ways? Noyes renders it, Is not thy fear of God thy hope, And the uprightness of thy ways the confidence? Rosenmuller translates it, Is not in thy piety and integrity of life Thy confidence and hope? In the Vulgate it is translated, “Where is thy fear, thy fortitude, thy patience, and the integrity of thy ways?” In the Septuagint, “Is not thy fear founded on folly, and thy hope, and the evil of thy way?” Castellio translates it, Nimirum tanturn religionis, quantum expectationis; Quantum spei, tanturn habebas integritatis morum; And the idea according to his version is, that he had as much religion as was prompted by the hope of reward; that his piety and integrity were sustained only by his hope, and were not the result of principle; and that of course his religion was purely selfish. If this be the sense, it is designed to be a reproach, and accords with the charge in the question of Satan Job 1:9, “Doth Job fear God for naught?” Rosenmuller adopts the opinion of Ludovicus de Dieu, and explains it as meaning,” You seemed to be a man fearing God, and a man of integrity, and you were led hence to cherish high hopes and expectations; but now you perceive that you were deceived. Your piety was not sincere and genuine, for the truly pious do not thus suffer. Remember therefore that no one perishes being innocent.” Codurcus renders it, “All thy hope was placed in thy religion, and thy expectation in the rectitude of thy ways; consider now, who perishes being innocent?” The true sentiment of the passage has undoubtedly been expressed by Good, Noyes. and Codurcus. […]
The words behind it
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הֲלֹ֣א | halo' | ¿ not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִ֭רְאָתְךָ | yiratekha | [is] fear your | H3374 → | 45 times |
| כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָ | kislatekha | confidence your | H3690 → | |
| תִּ֝קְוָתְךָ֗ | tikvatecha | hope your | H8615 → | 34 times |
| וְתֹ֣ם | vetom | and [the] integrity of | H8537 → | |
| דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃ | derakheikha | ways your | H1870 → | 707 times |
הֲלֹ֣א¿ not
halo'H3808 →5168 times
יִ֭רְאָתְךָ[is] fear your
yiratekhaH3374 →45 times
כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָconfidence your
kislatekhaH3690 →
תִּ֝קְוָתְךָ֗hope your
tikvatechaH8615 →34 times
וְתֹ֣םand [the] integrity of
vetomH8537 →
דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃ways your
derakheikhaH1870 →707 times
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
Job 1:1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
it leads to
- James 5:11
See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
- Ezekiel 14:14
then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.
- Ezekiel 14:20
then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves.
- Job 28:28
And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
- James 5:11
Through
Proverbs 3:26for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.
it leads to
- Psalms 91:3
Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly plague.
- Proverbs 14:26
He who fears the LORD is secure in confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge.
- 1 Samuel 2:9
He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail.
- Psalms 91:9–10
Because you have made the LORD your dwelling— my refuge, the Most High—
- Psalms 91:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Job
This page draws on 11 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 (1832-1869); Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON JOB 4:6; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book V; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON JOB 4:6; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.