Job 5:16
So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
Original Language Analysis
וַתְּהִ֣י
H1961
וַתְּהִ֣י
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
1 of 6
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
לַדַּ֣ל
So the poor
H1800
לַדַּ֣ל
So the poor
Strong's:
H1800
Word #:
2 of 6
properly, dangling, i.e., (by implication) weak or thin
תִּקְוָ֑ה
hath hope
H8615
תִּקְוָ֑ה
hath hope
Strong's:
H8615
Word #:
3 of 6
literally a cord (as an attachment); figuratively, expectancy
Historical Context
The silencing of iniquity/wickedness appears throughout ancient Near Eastern justice literature as the ideal outcome of divine or royal intervention. Eliphaz wrongly applies this to argue that Job's unsilenced complaints prove his wickedness.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you maintain Christian hope while honestly expressing pain and confusion?
- What distinguishes biblical lament from the complaints of the wicked that God silences?
Analysis & Commentary
Eliphaz concludes: 'So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.' The poor receive hope because God acts on their behalf, while wickedness ('iniquity') is silenced. This beautiful theology becomes a weapon when Eliphaz implies Job's continuing suffering and vocal lament prove he's not among the hopeful poor but rather the silenced wicked. True Reformed theology affirms that God's people have hope even in continued suffering (Romans 5:3-5) and that lament is legitimate (Lamentations).