Job 32:15
They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.
Original Language Analysis
חַ֭תּוּ
They were amazed
H2865
חַ֭תּוּ
They were amazed
Strong's:
H2865
Word #:
1 of 7
properly, to prostrate; hence, to break down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by confusion and fear
לֹא
H3808
לֹא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
2 of 7
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
עָ֣נוּ
they answered
H6030
עָ֣נוּ
they answered
Strong's:
H6030
Word #:
3 of 7
properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e., pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout,
ע֑וֹד
H5750
ע֑וֹד
Strong's:
H5750
Word #:
4 of 7
properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more
Historical Context
Ancient wisdom debates could last days, with participants expected to provide satisfying explanations. The friends' silence after three rounds represents intellectual defeat. Job's unanswered challenge—'show me my sin' (13:23)—stands unrefuted. Their dismay reflects the crisis when cherished theology meets contradictory reality. This mirrors contemporary situations where suffering defies simplistic explanations, demanding more sophisticated theological frameworks.
Questions for Reflection
- When has a theological framework you held proven inadequate to explain reality you encountered?
- What is the difference between humble silence before mystery and defeated silence after intellectual failure?
- How should we respond when our attempts to explain God's ways are proven insufficient?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking (חַתּוּ לֹא־עָנוּ עוֹד הֶעְתִּיקוּ מֵהֶם מִלִּים, chattu lo-'anu 'od he'tiqu mehem millim)—chatat means to be shattered, dismayed, or broken; 'anah is to answer or respond; 'ataq means to move, proceed, or depart. The phrase 'left off speaking' uses millah (words) with the sense of words departing from them—they ran out of arguments.
Elihu describes the three friends' intellectual and theological collapse. 'Amazed' (chattu) suggests they're shattered or broken—their confidence in retributive theology has been demolished by Job's integrity and arguments. They haven't been silenced by Job's superior rhetoric but by the failure of their theological framework. When your explanatory model can't account for reality, silence becomes the only honest response. This parallels Jesus silencing Sadducees (Matthew 22:34) and Peter commanding silence before mysteries beyond human comprehension (1 Peter 4:11). The friends' silence prepares for God's speeches, which will humble all human attempts to comprehend divine providence fully.