Job 6:1 — Word Study
WLCוַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
BSAThen JobʼÎyôwb [the patriarch famous for his patience] repliedʻânâh▸ [answered and said, responded]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיַּ֥עַן | and he answered | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| אִיּ֗וֹב | Job | Noun proper masculine |
| וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ | and he said | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Then Job replied: |
| KJV | But Job answered and said, |
| ASV | Then Job answered and said, |
| YLT | And Job answereth and saith: — |
| WEB | Then Job answered, |
| BBE | And Job made answer and said, |
All translations agree on Job's act of replying — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a subject and a verb, clearly indicating Job's action.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאִיּוֹב
verbעָנָה
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 6:1
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 His Friendsgenerated
Job 6:1 shows Job replying to his friends after they have spoken about his suffering. He is expressing the depth of his grief and the weight of his calamity, wishing that his sorrow could be measured. This chapter highlights Job's struggle and the emotional turmoil he is experiencing, as he feels the arrows of the Almighty piercing him.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 4:1 | Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עָנָה, vai.Ya.'angenerated
The verb 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.
In this verse, Job uses this verb to indicate that he is not just responding to his friends but is also expressing the weight of his suffering. The verb's form indicates that he is actively engaging in the dialogue, responding to the circumstances surrounding him.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree that Job is responding to his friends.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יַּ֥עַן governs the main clause, with the subject אִיּ֗וֹב following it. The second verb יֹּאמַֽר completes the action, indicating that Job is both answering and speaking. The structure is straightforward, with Job's reply forming a clear response to the previous dialogue.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on Job's response, highlighting his role as the speaker in this moment of dialogue.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עָנָה as ὑπολαβὼν (hypolabōn), meaning 'having answered.' This choice shows a direct engagement with the dialogue, emphasizing Job's active role in responding to his friends.
This rendering captures the essence of Job's reply, aligning with the Hebrew meaning while adapting it to the Greek context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 6:1 shows Job replying to his friends after they have spoken about his suffering. He expresses the depth of his grief and the weight of his calamity, wishing that his sorrow could be measured. This chapter highlights Job's struggle and the emotional turmoil he is experiencing, as he feels the arrows of the Almighty piercing him.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is responding to his friends' comments about his suffering, expressing his feelings and the depth of his grief.
Job wants to convey the immense weight of his suffering and how it feels overwhelming, as if it cannot be fully understood.
Job is known for his patience in the face of suffering, and his response reflects a deep struggle with that patience as he confronts his pain.
Job's reply illustrates the central theme of the book, which explores human suffering, faith, and the search for understanding in the midst of calamity.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I respond when faced with suffering or difficult circumstances?
- What can I learn from Job's patience and his way of expressing grief?
- In what ways can I support others who are going through their own struggles?
- How do I understand the balance between faith and expressing my pain?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers have commented on Job's response, often reflecting on the nature of suffering and patience, as seen in the writings of John Chrysostom.
This is what Job means, you show wisdom in the misfortunes of other people. Since you are far away from my misfortunes, you admonish me while you experience a peaceful life.Early Church Fathers on Job 6 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 6:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBut Job answered and said. Though Eliphaz thought his speech was unanswerable, being, as he and his friends judged, unquestionably true, and the fruit of strict, laborious, and diligent search and
Read John Gill on Job 6 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBut Job answered and said, No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 6 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 6:1 But Job answered and said,Ver. 1. But Job answered and said] Eliphaz thought he had silenced him, and set him down with so much reason, that he should have had nothing to reply; yet Job, desirous to disasperse himself, and to clear up his reputation, answered, and said. For indeed Negligere quid de se quisque sentiat, non solum arrogantis est, sed et dissoluti, saith one, that is, altogether to neglect what others think or speak of a man’ s self, and not to make apology, is the part not only of a proud, but of a dissolute, person; silence sometimes argueth guiltiness, or at least it strengtheneth suspicion.
Read John Trapp on Job 6 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersVI.(1) But Job answered and said.—Job replies to Eliphaz with the despair of a man who has been baulked of sympathy when he hoped to find it. We cannot trace, nor must we expect to find, the formal reply of a logical argument, fliphaz, he feels, has so misjudged his case that he is neither worthy of a direct reply nor susceptible of one. It is enough for him to reiterate his complaint, and long for one who can enter into it.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 6 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleCHAPTER VI Job answers, and vindicates himself; and shows that the great affliction which he suffered was the cause of his complaining, by which life was rendered burdensome to him, 1-13. He complains that, whereas he expected consolation from his friends, he had received nothing but the bitterest reproaches, on the assumed ground that he must be a wicked man, else God would not so grievously afflict him, 14-20. He shows them that they knew nothing of his case, and that they had no compassion, 21-23. And then entreats them, if they can, to show him in what he has offended, as he is ready to acknowledge and correct every trespass, 24-30. NOTES ON CHAP. VI
Read AdamClarke on Job 6 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and CollegesCh. Job 6:1-13. Job defends the violence of his complaints and his despair Eliphaz had made no reference directly to sin on Job’s part; but he drew dark pictures of the evilness of human nature before the eye of his friend, and for his advantage. Job shews a dislike to touch this point. His dislike is that of a man conscious of his innocence, and who can hardly believe that his friends seriously mean what their indirect allusions seem to imply. Hence he attaches his reply to what Eliphaz had openly expressed, namely, his wonder at the despair of Job and his blameable impatience. The idea of his having sinned he touches only in passing and with strong repudiation of it (ch. Job 6:28-30).…
Read Cambridge on Job 6 →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
Then Job replied:
Then Job answered,
Then Job replied:
Then Job responded:
Tyndale line
But Job answered and said,
Then Job answered and said,
Then Job answered and said,
But Job answered and said,
Bvt Iob answered, and said,
Strictly literal
And Job answered and said,
And Job answereth and saith: —
And Job answers and says:
Then answered Job, and said,
Then Job answered and said,
From the Latin
But Job answered, and said:
Simplified
Then Job responded:
And Job made answer and said,
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 this verse, with the same three key components present in both. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of Job's response across these ancient texts.
וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
3 of the 3 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 6:1
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 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
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
אִיּוֹב (Iyowb) refers to Job, a patriarch known for his patience, as described in the book of Job. The name is associated with the meaning 'hated' or 'persecuted.' It is mentioned in the context of the Exile and Return, and its exact meaning remains uncertain.
אִיּוֹב n.pr.m. Job (meaning unknown)
base
H347 אִיּוֹב
347 'Iyowb ee-yobe'
from 340; hated (i.e. persecuted); Ijob, the patriarch famous
for his patience:--Job.
see HEBREW for 0340
אִיּוֹב (iy.yov) — Job.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Job.1.1
Also named: Iōb (Ἰώβ "Job" G2492)
§ Job = "hated"
a patriarch, the subject of the book of Job
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
job ('iyobh, meaning of name doubtful; some conjecturing "object of enmity," others "he who turns," etc., to God; both uncertain guesses; Iob): The titular hero of the Book of Job, represented as a wealthy and pious land-holder who lived in patriarchal times, or at least conditions, in the land of Uz, on the borders of Idumea. Outside of the Book of Job he is mentioned by Ezekiel (Eze 14:14,20) as one of 3 great personages whose representative righteousness would presumably avail, if that of any individuals could, to redeem the nation; the other two being Noah, an ancient patriarch, and Daniel, a contemporary of the prophet. It is difficult to determine whether Job was an actual personage or not. If known through legend, it must have been on account of some such experience as is narrated in the book, an experience unique enough to…
Job
Persecuted, an Arabian patriarch who resided in the land of Uz (q.v.). While living in the midst of great prosperity, he was suddenly overwhelmed by a series of sore trials that fell upon him. Amid all his sufferings he maintained his integrity. Once more God visited him with the rich tokens of his goodness and even greater prosperity than he had enjoyed before. He survived the period of trial for one hundred and forty years, and died in a good old age, an example to succeeding generations of integrity (Ezek. 14:14, 20) and of submissive patience under the sorest calamities (James 5:11). His history, so far as it is known, is recorded in his book.
the patriarch, from whom one of the books of the Old Testament is named. His residence in the land of Uz marks him as belonging to a branch of the Aramean race, which had settled in the lower part of Mesopatamia (Probably to the south or southeast of Palestine, in Idumean Arabia), adjacent to the Sabeans and Chaldeans. The opinions of Job and his friends are thus peculiarly interesting as exhibiting an aspect of the patriarchal religion outside of the family of Abraham, and as yet uninfluenced by the legislation of Moses. The form of worship belongs essentially to the early patriarchal type; with little of ceremonial ritual, without a separate priesthood, it is thoroughly domestic in form and spirit. Job is represented as a chieftain of immense wealth and high rank, blameless in all the relations of life. What we know of his history is given in the book that bears his name.
A patriarch distinguished for his integrity and piety, his wealth, honors, and domestic happiness, whom God permitted, for the trial of his faith, to be deprived of friends, property, and health, and at once plunged into deep affliction. He lived in the land of Uz, lying, it is generally thought, in Eastern Edom, probably not far from Bozrah.
THE BOOK OF JOB, has originated much criticism, and on many points a considerable diversity of opinion still exists. Sceptics have denied its inspiration, and called it a mere philosophical romance; but no one who respects revelation can entertain this notion, or doubt that Job was a real person. Inspired writers testify to both. See Eze 14:14 Jas 5:11, and compare 1Co 3:19 with
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Hc/Vqw3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms