Job 32:15 — Word Study
WLCחַ֭תּוּ לֹא־ עָ֣נוּ ע֑וֹד הֶעְתִּ֖יקוּ מֵהֶ֣ם מִלִּֽים׃
BSA[Job’s friends] are dismayedchâthath■ [are amazed, they fear, completely broken or shattered] with nolôʼ moreʻôwd [nothing left] to sayʻânâh■ wordsmillâh [speech, topics] have escapedʻâthaq■ [been removed, left off]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| חַ֭תּוּ | they are dismayed | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| לֹא־ | not | Particle |
| עָ֣נוּ | they have answered | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| ע֑וֹד | again | Adv |
| הֶעְתִּ֖יקוּ | they have moved away | Verb, Hiphil, perfect third person common plural |
| מֵהֶ֣ם | from them | Preposition, suffix |
| מִלִּֽים׃ | words | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Job’s friends are dismayed, with no more to say; words have escaped them. |
| KJV | They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking. |
| ASV | They are amazed, they answer no more: They have not a word to say. |
| YLT | (They have broken down, They have not answered again, They removed from themselves words. |
| WEB | “They are amazed. They answer no more. They don’t have a word to say. |
| BBE | Fear has overcome them, they have no more answers to give; they have come to an end of words. |
Where they part company is עוֹד — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause presents the state of Job's friends, followed by a negation and a description of their inability to speak.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectמִלָּה
verbחָתַת
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 32:15
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 Friends Respondgenerated
Job 32:15 describes a moment when Job’s friends, who have been arguing with him about his suffering, find themselves at a loss for words. They are overwhelmed and unable to continue their debate, indicating the depth of Job's plight and the impact it has on those around him. This moment highlights the tension in their discussions and sets the stage for Elihu's response in the following verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 6:24–25 | Teach me, and I will be silent. Help me understand how I have erred. |
| 2 | Job 29:22 | After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew. |
| 3 | Matthew 7:23 | Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’ |
| 4 | Matthew 22:22–26 | And when they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חַ֭תּוּ, Cha.tugenerated
The verb חָתַת (cha.tat) means to be dismayed or to be completely broken down. It conveys a sense of fear or shattering, whether emotionally or physically. In this context, it indicates that Job's friends are not just surprised but utterly overwhelmed by the situation.
The parsing as a perfect tense indicates that this state of dismay is completed; they are in a state of being dismayed now as a result of their experiences. Their fear leads to silence, emphasizing their inability to respond to Job.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses dismayed for חַ֭תּוּ. The KJV and ASV similarly choose dismayed, maintaining the sense of fear and overwhelming emotion.
Where translations differ is in the rendering of עוֹד. The BSB, KJV, and ASV imply a state of having nothing left to say, while the LSV and YLT use again, suggesting a repetition or continuation of silence.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb חַ֭תּוּ governs the sentence, indicating the state of Job's friends. The structure follows with a negation לֹא and a second verb עָ֣נוּ, which describes their inability to respond.
The sentence is built around these verbs, with additional phrases providing context about their silence and the absence of words, creating a layered understanding of their emotional state.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates חַ֭תּוּ as ἐπτοήθησαν, which conveys the same sense of being dismayed or terrified. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the emotional weight of the original Hebrew.
The Greek word choice emphasizes the fear and helplessness of Job's friends, aligning with the Hebrew meaning while also adapting it to the Greek-speaking audience.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 32:15 tells us that Job’s friends are completely overwhelmed and have nothing left to say. They are at a loss for words, highlighting the depth of Job's suffering and their inability to respond to him.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means they are overwhelmed and fearful, unable to continue their arguments or discussions with Job.
They are confronted with the reality of Job's suffering and their previous arguments seem inadequate in light of his situation.
This silence sets the stage for Elihu's response, indicating a shift in the dialogue and the need for a new perspective.
Their reaction shows that sometimes, silence is a response to the weight of a situation, reflecting the limits of human understanding and speech.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some situations in my life where I have felt overwhelmed and unable to respond?
- How can I support others who are going through difficult times, as Job's friends initially intended to do?
- What does this passage teach about the limits of human understanding in the face of suffering?
- In what ways can I be more attentive to the emotional states of those around me?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like Gregory the Dialogist reference this verse to discuss the fear and silence of Job's friends in the face of profound truths.
They were afraid, they answered no more, they removed speech from themselves. The friends of Job are well said to have been afraid of the words of Eliu, since frequently proud defenders of the Church,Early Church Fathers on Job 32 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 32:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey were amazed,.... They were like persons thunderstruck, quite surprised and astonished to hear a young man talk after this manner: they answered no more; as they had ceased to answer Job, they
Read John Gill on Job 32 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking. Here Elihu turns from the friends to Job, and so passes from the second person to the third; a transition frequent in a rebuke (Job 18:3-4).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 32 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThey, i.e. Job’ s three friends, of whom he speaks some times, in the second, and here in the third person, directing his speech to Job and the auditors of this disputation. Were amazed; they stood mute, like persons amazed, not knowing what to reply to Job’ s arguments, and wondering at his bold and confident assertions of his integrity, and of his interest in God, under such sad and manifest tokens of God’ s just displeasure against him. They answered no more, although Job gave them just occasion to reprove and confute him for his intemperate speeches and presumptuous and irreverent expressions concerning God.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 32 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 32:15 They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.Ver. 15. They were amazed] As if they had seen Medusa’ s head, or some such terrible spectacle, that had rendered them dumb. Talkative enough they have been when there was no such necessity; but now that they might speak to some purpose they stand like stocks, and are mute as fishes, whereby they bewray their ignorance and folly. Silence in some cases is sepes sapientiae, as the Rabbis speak (Pirkeaboth), the fruit and sense of wisdom, Amos 5:13; But in addition there is a sinful silence, which Luther wished never to be found guilty of, Modo impii silentii non arguar. And it is the devil, doubtless, that gaggeth…
Read John Trapp on Job 32 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15) They were amazed.—The force is given better by substituting the present tense, “They are amazed, they answer no more: they have not a word to say.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 32 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 15. They were amazed] Mr. Good translates: "They (the speeches) are dissipated; they no longer produce effect; the words have flirted away from them." Your words, being without proper reference and point, are scattered into thin air: there is nothing but sound in them; they are quite destitute of sense. But I prefer the words as spoken of Job's friends. They took their several parts in the controversy as long as they could hope to maintain their ground: for a considerable time they had been able to bring nothing new; at last, weary of their own repetitions, they gave up the contest.
Read AdamClarke on Job 32 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15–22. Turning from the three friends Elihu seems to speak in soliloquy and present to his own mind the singular situation: the three friends are discomfited before Job and reduced to silence; this should not be; therefore he will express his convictions. His breast is filled with thoughts and emotions that will not be repressed: he must speak, that he may find relief. And he will speak fearlessly and in sincerity, not regarding the person of any man.
Read Cambridge on Job 32 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThey were amazed - There also are the words of Elihu, and are designed to express his astonishment that the three friends of Job did not answer him.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 32 →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
Job’s friends are dismayed, with no more to say; words have escaped them.
“They are amazed. They answer no more. They don’t have a word to say.
Job’s friends are dismayed, with no more to say; words have escaped them.
“They are dismayed and cannot answer any more; they have nothing left to say.
Tyndale line
They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.
They are amazed, they answer no more: They have not a word to say.
They are amazed, they answer no more: they have not a word to say.
They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.
Then they fearing, answered no more, but left off their talke.
Strictly literal
They were amazed, they answered no more; words failed them.
(They have broken down, They have not answered again, They removed from themselves words.
(They have broken down, || They have not answered again, || They removed words from themselves.
They are dismayed, they answer no more: words have escaped away from them.
These three men are dumbfounded; they can answer Job no longer; they have not a word more to say.
From the Latin
They were afraid, and answered no more, and they left off speaking.
Simplified
You sit there speechless with nothing left to say.
Fear has overcome them, they have no more answers to give; they have come to an end of words.
Word by word, the decisions they made
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 and the Septuagint agree on the wording of חַ֭תּוּ, indicating that Job's friends are dismayed. The Septuagint's translation aligns closely with the Hebrew, maintaining the same core meaning throughout.
חַ֭תּוּ לֹא־ עָ֣נוּ ע֑וֹד הֶעְתִּ֖יקוּ מֵהֶ֣ם מִלִּֽים׃
7 of the 7 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 32:15
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.
The Hebrew word חָתַת (chathath) is a primitive root meaning to prostrate, break down, or cause dismay. It encompasses a range of meanings including being shattered, dismayed, or terrified, and can be used in various forms such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of breaking or causing fear. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[חָתַת] vb. be shattered, dismayed
Qal
be shattered, broken
be dismayed
Niph. and at my name he is put in awe
Pi. dismay, scare
Hiph.
shatter
cause to be dismayed
dismay, terrify
base
H2865 חָתַת be shattered, dismayed
2865 chathath khaw-thath'
a primitive root; properly, to prostrate; hence, to break
down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by
confusion and fear:--abolish, affright, be (make) afraid,
amaze, beat down, discourage, (cause to) dismay, go down,
scare, terrify.
חָתַת (cha.tat) — to to be dismayed.
1) to be shattered, be dismayed, be broken, be abolished, be afraid
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be shattered, be broken
1a2) to be dismayed
1b) (Niphal) to be broken, be dismayed
1c) (Piel) to be shattered, be dismayed, be scared
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to be dismayed
1d2) to dismay, terrify
1d3) to shatter
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
The Hebrew word עָנָה (*anah*) is built from a primitive root meaning to heed or pay attention, covering a range of meanings including to answer, respond, testify, and sing. It appears in contexts where one responds to speech or circumstances, and can also refer to singing. The lexicons indicate that it can imply both verbal responses and musical expression.
[עוּן] vb. dwell
base
עָנָה 316 vb. answer, respond
Qal
answer, respond to sthg. said, actual or implied
respond to an occasion, speak in view of circumstances
money meets all demands
specif. respond as a witness, testify
less oft. make response as one accused (respondent)
Niph.
make answer
be answered
Hiph. wholly dub.; causes all things to respond in the joy of his heart
base
עָנָה vb. sing
Qal sing, utter tunefully
Pi. sing sweetly of it
base
H6030a עוּן dwell H6030b עָנָה answer, respond .. answer, respond to sthg. said, actual or implied
. . respond to an occasion, speak in view of circumstances
. money meets all demands
. . specif. respond as a witness, testify
. less oft. make response as one accused (respondent)
. . make answer
. be answered
. wholly dub.; causes all things to respond in the joy of his heart
H6030c עָנָה sing
6030 `anah aw-naw'
a primitive root; properly, to eye or (generally) to heed,
i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extens. to
begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify,
announce:--give account, afflict (by mistake for 6031),
(cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for 6031), cry,
hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, X scholar, (give a) shout, sing
(together by course), speak, testify, utter, (bear) witness.
See also 1042, 1043.
see HEBREW for 06031
see HEBREW for 06031
see HEBREW for 01042
see HEBREW for 01043
עוּן (un) — to dwell.
(Qal) to dwell
עָנָה (a.nah) — to answer.
1) to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to answer, respond to
1a2) to testify, respond as a witness
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to make answer
1b2) to be answered, receive answer
Aramaic equivalent: a.nah (עֲנָה "to answer" H6032)
עָנָה (a.nah) — to sing.
(Qal) to sing, utter tunefully
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
עוֹד (owd) primarily denotes a sense of iteration or continuance, functioning mostly as an adverb meaning 'still,' 'yet,' or 'again.' It can also imply addition or repetition, as in 'more' or 'besides.' The word appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing persistence or continuation.
עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
base
H5750 עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
5750 `owd ode
or rod {ode}; from 5749; properly, iteration or continuance;
used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again,
repeatedly, still, more:--again, X all life long, at all,
besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer,
(any) more(-over), X once, since, (be) still, when, (good,
the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet
(within).
see HEBREW for 05749
עוֹד (od) — still.
subst
1) a going round, continuance
adv
2) still, yet, again, besides
2a) still, yet (of continuance or persistence)
2b) still, yet, more (of addition or repetition)
2c) again
2d) still, moreover, besides
Aramaic equivalent: od (עוֹד "still" H5751)
Adv — AdvHAcmsa
a-gen': Advb. denoting repetition; in New Testament, generally for palin, "back," "once more." Occasionally, it has the force of a connective, synonymous with "moreover," as in Ro 15:10 ff; 1Co 3:20, etc. The expression "born again" of the King James Version, Joh 3:3,7; 1Pe 1:23, translating the Greek "anothen" and "ana" in composition, becomes in the Revised Version (British and American) "anew," i.e. "over again." As these particles mean "from above" and "up," their use as indicating repetition is sometimes disputed, but without further foundation than that "again" does not exhaust the meaning.
עָתַק (athaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to move, proceed, or advance. It can refer to physical movement or the figurative sense of growing old or being removed. The entries indicate uses in both the Qal and Hiphil stems, with the Hiphil form also meaning to transcribe or copy out. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
עָתַק move, proceed, advance
Qal
move
advance
Hiph.
move forward
he who removeth mountains
very late transcribe (remove from one book or roll to another)
base
H6275 עָתַק move, proceed, advance .. move
. advance
. . move forward
. he who removeth mountains
. very late transcribe (remove from one book or roll to another)
6275 `athaq aw-thak'
a primitive root; to remove (intransitive or transitive)
figuratively, to grow old; specifically, to transcribe:--copy
out, leave off, become (wax) old, remove.
עָתַק (a.taq) — to proceed.
1) to move, proceed, advance, move on, become old, be removed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to move
1a2) to advance (in years), grow old and weak
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to move forward, proceed, move on
1b2) to remove
1b3) to transcribe
V-Hiphil-Perf-3cp — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person common pluralHVhp3cp
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
HRd/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp3mp
מִלָּה (millah) means 'word' or 'speech' and can refer to a discourse or topic. It is derived from a root that suggests collective speech or utterance. The term encompasses various forms of communication, including answers and by-words. The Aramaic equivalent is also מִלָּה.
מִלָּה n.f. word, speech, utterance
base
H4405 מִלָּה
4405 millah mil-law'
from 4448 (plural masculine as if from milleh {mil-leh'}; a
word; collectively, a discourse; figuratively, a topic:--+
answer, by-word, matter, any thing (what) to say, to
speak(-ing), speak, talking, word.
see HEBREW for 04448
מִלָּה (mil.lah) — speech.
word, speech, utterance
Aramaic equivalent: mil.lah (מִלָּה "word" H4406)
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa