Job 11:3 — Word Study
WLCבַּ֭דֶּיךָ מְתִ֣ים יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג וְאֵ֣ין מַכְלִֽם׃
BSAShould your babblingbad [empty boasts, lies] ◂put othersmath [men, people] to silencechârash▸ [be quiet, still] Will you scofflâʻag▸ [mock, deride] withoutʼayin rebukekâlam [shame, humiliation]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בַּ֭דֶּיךָ | empty boasts your | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| מְתִ֣ים | men | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו | will they silence? | Verb, Hiphil, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג | and have you mocked? | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect second person masculine singular |
| וְאֵ֣ין | and there not | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| מַכְלִֽם׃ | [is one who] puts to shame | Verb, Hiphil, participle (active) masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Should your babbling put others to silence? Will you scoff without rebuke? |
| KJV | Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? |
| ASV | Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? |
| YLT | Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing! |
| WEB | Should your boastings make men hold their peace? When you mock, will no man make you ashamed? |
| BBE | Are your words of pride to make men keep quiet? and are you to make sport, with no one to put you to shame? |
The translations agree on the rendering of בַּדֶּיךָ as your babbling or empty boasts.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with two subordinate phrases, emphasizing the challenge posed by Job to Zophar's accusations.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectכָּלַם
verbחָרֵשׁ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 11:3
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Response to Zophargenerated
Job 11:3 is part of Job's reply to Zophar, who has accused him of wrongdoing. Job challenges the validity of Zophar's claims, questioning whether his empty talk can truly silence others. This passage highlights the theme of unjust accusations and the need for genuine discourse. In the surrounding verses, Job continues to assert his integrity and calls for a response from God, emphasizing the importance of truth in communication.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 13:4 | You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians. |
| 2 | Job 15:2–3 | “Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind? |
| 3 | Job 24:25 | If this is not so, then who can prove me a liar and reduce my words to nothing?” |
| 4 | Job 12:4 | I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. |
| 5 | Job 13:9 | Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him like a man? |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בַּדֶּיךָ, Ba.dei.khagenerated
The word בַּד (bad) refers to empty or idle talk, suggesting a lack of substance in one's words. It is often used to describe falsehoods or bragging, indicating a sense of deceitfulness. The parsing as a noun in the construct state with a suffix shows it is directly linked to the subject, implying ownership of such empty speech.
This term appears in contexts warning against dishonesty and is used to characterize those who engage in such speech. Job uses it here to critique Zophar's claims, suggesting that they are baseless and lack true merit.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree here, consistently rendering בַּדֶּיךָ as your babbling or empty boasts across versions like the BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו (will they silence?) governs the main clause, with two subordinate clauses attached: one questioning the validity of empty talk and the other addressing mockery. This structure emphasizes the relationship between the accusations and the need for accountability.
The sentence's arrangement highlights Job's challenges to Zophar's claims, placing the focus on the actions of both speaking and being silent, which are central to the argument.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates the verb יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו as γίνου, which means 'to become' or 'to be.' This choice reflects a widening of the concept, suggesting not just silence but a transformation of state, perhaps indicating a deeper level of accountability.
This translation choice indicates an interpretative layer that may imply a shift from mere silence to a more profound change in the speaker's condition.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 11:3 questions whether Zophar's empty words can truly silence others and whether mockery can go unchallenged. Job is responding to accusations against him, asserting that such speech lacks substance and should not go without a response.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job refers to Zophar's words as empty and lacking truth, suggesting that they do not hold any real weight or validity.
Job is challenging the notion that mere words, especially those lacking substance, can effectively silence or discredit others.
Mocking implies a lack of respect and accountability, which Job suggests should not be tolerated without response.
This verse reflects the themes of integrity, the challenge of false accusations, and the importance of honest discourse in the face of adversity.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I encountered empty words in my own life, and how have they affected me?
- How can I ensure that my speech is truthful and holds substance in my conversations with others?
- What is the impact of mockery in discussions, and how can I address it when I see it?
- How can I better respond to accusations or criticisms that I believe are unfounded?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like John Chrysostom and Gregory the Dialogist reference this verse to discuss the nature of truth and accountability in speech.
Zophar means, “Is there none to answer you?” meaning other than we ourselves. Or it could mean: “There is nobody who knows your misfortunes, apart from God, and if he had wanted to disgrace you,Early Church Fathers on Job 11 →
Should men hold their peace at thee only? and when thou mockest at others, shall no man confute thee? The uninstructed mind, as we have said, is sorely galled by the sentences of truth, and reckons silence to be a punishment;Early Church Fathers on Job 11 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 11:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleShould thy lies make men hold their peace?.... By which he means, either lies in common, untruths wilfully told, which are sins of a scandalous nature, which good men will not dare to commit
Read John Gill on Job 11 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryShould thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? Should thy lies make men hold their peace? - "lies" - rather, vain boasting [ badiym (H907)] (Isaiah 16:6; Jeremiah 48:30).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 11 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThy lies, i.e. thy false opinions and assertions, both concerning thyself and thy own innocency, and concerning the counsels and ways of God, make men hold their peace; as if thy arguments were unanswerable. When thou mockest, both God, , and us, and our friendly and faithful counsels, ,15,25,26, shall no man make thee ashamed, by discovering thy errors and follies?
Read Matthew Poole on Job 11 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 11:3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?Ver. 3. Should thy lies make men hold their peace?] Or, thy toys, toilsome toys, hammered in thine own head, hatched in thine own heart, which is deceitful above all things, and so a fit shop to frame lies in; but should we be silent at the hearing of them, and so become guilty of thy sin by a tacit consent? Can any mortal wight hear what thou hast said in behalf of thine own imaginary innocence, Job 6:29-30, and how bold an appeal thou hast made to God as a witness thereof, Job 10:7, and not reply upon thee, and reprove thee? The truth is, had Job been a liar, as Zophar would make of…
Read John Trapp on Job 11 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 3. Should thy lies make men hold their peace?] This is a very severe reproof, and not justified by the occasion. And when thou mockest] As thou despisest others, shall no man put thee to scorn? Zophar could never think that the solemn and awful manner in which Job spoke could be called bubbling, as some would translate the term לעג laag. He might consider Job's speech as sarcastic and severe, but he could not consider it as nonsense.
Read AdamClarke on Job 11 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. Should thy lies] Or, Shall thy boastings, or, as Reuss, “ton verbiage.” The reference is probably to Job’s assertions of his own innocence, or perhaps the general scope of his speech. The word “men” is as we should say “people”—shall thy boastings put people to silence? and when thou mockest] Or, so that thou mockest, none putting thee to shame. Job’s “mockery” or irreligious, sceptical talk is summed up in Job 11:4. This mockery is called “scorning,” ch. Job 34:6.
Read Cambridge on Job 11 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleShould thy lies - Margin, “devices.” Rosenmuller renders this, “should men bear thy boastings with silence?” Dr.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 11 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible3. Thy lies — The Hebrew also means babblings, boastings. “To say or to suggest that a man lies, is, with us, enough to kindle the weakest spirit, and is, with many, a murderous affront, while an
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 11 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Should your babbling put others to silence? Will you scoff without rebuke?
Should your boastings make men hold their peace? When you mock, will no man make you ashamed?
Should your babbling put others to silence? Will you scoff without rebuke?
Will your idle talk reduce people to silence, and will no one rebuke you when you mock?
Tyndale line
Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
Should thy falsehoods make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
Should men holde their peace at thy lyes? and when thou mockest others, shall none make thee ashamed?
Strictly literal
Should thy fictions make men hold their peace? and shouldest thou mock, and no one make [thee] ashamed?
Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!
Your boastings make men keep silent, || You scorn, and none is causing blushing!
Thy inventions are to bring men to silence; and when thou utterest thy mocking no one is to cause thee to feel abashed!
Should your boasting make others remain silent? When you mock, will no one make you feel ashamed?
From the Latin
Shall men hold their peace to thee only? and when thou hast mocked others, shall no man confute thee?
Simplified
Should all your babbling force people to keep quiet? When you mock, shouldn't someone make you feel ashamed?
Are your words of pride to make men keep quiet? and are you to make sport, with no one to put you to shame?
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is consistent with the Septuagint in terms of the core message, although only two of the six words match directly. The differences in word order and phrasing in the Septuagint suggest a different interpretative approach rather than a direct textual variation.
בַּ֭דֶּיךָ מְתִ֣ים יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג וְאֵ֣ין מַכְלִֽם׃
2 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 11:3
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
בַּד (bad) refers to empty or idle talk, as well as to those who engage in such speech, described as empty talkers or praters. It can also denote a brag or lie, and is associated with the concept of a liar. The word is built from a root that suggests emptiness, and it appears in contexts related to deceitful speech.
[בַּד] n.m.
empty, idle talk
concr. empty talkers, praters
base
H907 [בַּד] . empty, idle talk
. concr. empty talkers, praters
907 bad bad
from 908; a brag or lie; also a liar:--liar, lie.
see HEBREW for 0908
בַּד (bad) — bluster.
empty talk, idle talk, liar, lie
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp2ms
מַת (mat) refers to a male or man, often used in both prose and poetry. The term emphasizes adult males and can imply a group of men, sometimes with less focus on gender. It is derived from a related word, but its usage is primarily in the plural form.
[מַת] n.m. male, man
males, men
usu. less emphasis on sex
elsewhere only poet.
base
H4962 [מַת] male, man
4962 math math
from the same as 4970; properly, an adult (as of full
length); by implication, a man (only in the plural):--+ few,
X friends, men, persons, X small.
see HEBREW for 04970
מַת (mat) — man.
1) male, man
1a) males, men
1b) few men (in prose)
1b1) less emphasis on sex
1c) men (poetic)
1c1) less emphasis on sex
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
The Hebrew word חָרַשׁ (*charash*) encompasses meanings related to cutting, engraving, and plowing, as well as devising, often with a negative connotation. It also has a related form, חָרֵשׁ (*charesh*), which means to be silent or deaf. The entries indicate a range of uses, from physical actions to metaphorical implications of secrecy and silence.
[חָרַשׁ] vb. cut in, engrave, plough, devise
Qal
cut in, engrave
plough
devise
Niph. Zion, as a field she shall be ploughed
Hiph. fabricating mischief against
base
[חָרֵשׁ] vb. 1. be silent, dumb, speechless; 2. be deaf; chiefly poet.
Qal
be silent, alw. of God’s keeping silence when men pray
be deaf
Hiph.
be silent (= exhibit silence)
once causat. make silent
be deaf, shew deafness
base
H2790a חָרַשׁ cut in, engrave, plough, devise H2790b חָרֵשׁ . be silent, dumb, speechless
. be deaf; chiefly poet.
2790 charash khaw-rash'
a primitive root; to scratch, i.e. (by implication) to
engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate
(of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad sense);
hence (from the idea of secrecy) to be silent, to let alone;
hence (by implication) to be deaf (as an accompaniment of
dumbness):--X altogether, cease, conceal, be deaf, devise,
ear, graven, imagine, leave off speaking, hold peace,
plow(-er, man), be quiet, rest, practise secretly, keep
silence, be silent, speak not a word, be still, hold tongue,
worker.
חָרַשׁ (cha.rash) — to plow/plot.
1) to cut in, plough, engrave, devise
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to cut in, engrave
1a2) to plough
1a3) to devise
1b) (Niphal) to be ploughed
1c) (Hiphil) to plot evil
חָרֵשׁ (cha.resh) — be quiet.
1) to be silent, be dumb, be speechless, be deaf
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be silent
1a2) to be deaf
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to be silent, keep quiet
1b2) to make silent
1b3) to be deaf, show deafness
1c) (Hithpael) to remain silent
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVhi3mp
si'-lens: Five Hebrew roots, with various derivatives, and two Greek words are thus translated. The word is used literally for dumbness, interrupted speech, as in La 2:10; Ps 32:3; Ec 3:7; Am 5:13; Ac 15:12; 1Co 14:28; 1Ti 2:11,12 the King James Version (the American Standard Revised Version "quietness"); Re 8:1, or figuratively of the unanswered prayers of the believer (Ps 83:1; 35:22;
לָעַג (la'ag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to mock or deride. It can also refer to stammering, particularly in the Niphal form, which suggests speaking unintelligibly. The entries indicate that the word conveys ridicule and scorn, with variations in its use across different grammatical forms.
[לָעַג] vb. mock, deride; also (Niph.) stammer, poet.
Qal mock, deride, have in derision
Niph. a people stammering of tongue (i.e. barbarians)
Hiph. mock, deride
base
H3932 [לָעַג] mock, deride; also (Niph.) stammer, poet.
3932 la`ag law-ag'
a primitive root; to deride; by implication (as if imitating
a foreigner) to speak unintelligibly:--have in derision, laugh
(to scorn), mock (on), stammering.
לָעַג (la.ag) — to mock.
1) to mock, deride, ridicule
1a) (Qal) to mock, deride, have in derision
1b) (Niphal) to stammer
1c) (Hiphil) to mock, deride
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect second person masculine singularHc/Vqw2ms
אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.
אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought
to nothing, as nothing
cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
in circumst. clauses
with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
with prefixes
base
H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing
. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
. in circumst. clauses
. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
. with prefixes
369 'ayin ah'-yin
as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not
exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative
particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,
in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,
thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),
well-nigh, without. Compare 370.
see HEBREW for 0370
אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.
1) nothing, not, nought n
1a) nothing, nought neg
1b) not
1c) to have not (of possession) adv
1d) without w/prep
1e) for lack of
Conj | Part — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
כָּלַם (kalam) is a Hebrew verb that primarily means to humiliate or insult. It has various forms, including Niphal (to be humiliated) and Hiphil (to humiliate others). The word conveys a sense of shame and confusion, indicating both the act of causing shame and the experience of being shamed.
[כָּלַם] vb. only Niph. Hoph. be humiliated, Hiph. humiliate
Niph. be humiliated, ashamed, put to shame, dishonoured, confounded
Hiph.
put to shame = insult, humiliate
exhibit shame
Hoph.
we were not insulted, humiliated
they were put to shame, dishonoured, confounded
base
H3637 [כָּלַם] only Niph. Hoph. be humiliated, Hiph. humiliate
3637 kalam kaw-lawm'
a primitive root; properly, to wound; but only figuratively,
to taunt or insult:--be (make) ashamed, blush, be confounded,
be put to confusion, hurt, reproach, (do, put to) shame.
כָּלַם (ka.lam) — be humiliated.
1) to insult, shame, humiliate, blush, be ashamed, be put to shame, be reproached, be put to confusion, be humiliated
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be humiliated, be ashamed
1a2) to be put to shame, be dishonoured, be confounded
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to put to shame, insult, humiliate, cause shame to
1b2) to exhibit shame
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be insulted, be humiliated
1c2) to be put to shame, be dishonoured, be confounded
V-Hiphil — Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine singularHVhrmsa
sham (bosh, "to be ashamed," bosheth, "shame," qalon; aischune, "ignominy," atimia, "dishonor," and other words): An oft-recurring word in Scripture almost uniformly bound up with a sense of sin and guilt. It is figuratively set forth as a wild beast (Jer 3:24), a Nessus-garment (Jer 3:25), a blight (Jer 20:18), a sin against one's own soul (Hab 2:10), and twice as the condensed symbol of Hebrew abomination--Baal (Jer 11:13 margin; Ho 9:10 margin; see ISH-BOSHETH). It is bracketed with defeat (Isa 30:3), reproach…
