Job 6:26
Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
Original Language Analysis
הַלְהוֹכַ֣ח
to reprove
H3198
הַלְהוֹכַ֣ח
to reprove
Strong's:
H3198
Word #:
1 of 6
to be right (i.e., correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or convict
מִלִּ֣ים
words
H4405
מִלִּ֣ים
words
Strong's:
H4405
Word #:
2 of 6
a word; collectively, a discourse; figuratively, a topic
תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ
Do ye imagine
H2803
תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ
Do ye imagine
Strong's:
H2803
Word #:
3 of 6
properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e., (literally) to weave or (generally) to fabricate; figuratively, to plot or contrive (usually in a maliciou
וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ
which are as wind
H7307
וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ
which are as wind
Strong's:
H7307
Word #:
4 of 6
wind; by resemblance breath, i.e., a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the
Cross References
Job 8:2How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?Ephesians 4:14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Historical Context
Ancient wisdom literature valued careful, measured speech, making Job's 'desperate' words particularly scandalous to his friends. The cultural expectation was that the wise maintain composure even in adversity. Job challenges this expectation by arguing that extreme suffering produces extreme speech—not because truth has changed, but because human capacity has limits.
Questions for Reflection
- How do we balance speaking truth to suffering believers while avoiding the cold legalism of Job's friends?
- When has someone dismissed your honest struggles as 'just words,' and how did that affect your faith?
- What does Christ's cry of dereliction teach us about expressing despair without losing faith?
Analysis & Commentary
Job accuses his friends of misinterpreting his words of despair as mere 'wind' (ruach, רוּחַ)—empty, meaningless utterance. The verb 'imagine' (chashab, חָשַׁב) means to devise or plan, suggesting his friends are deliberately constructing arguments against him rather than offering compassionate understanding. Job identifies himself as 'desperate' (ya'ash, יָאַשׁ), one who has lost hope—a state that requires grace, not condemnation. This verse addresses a critical pastoral failure: treating the sufferer's anguished cries as theological errors to be corrected rather than as legitimate expressions of pain. Job's friends commit the error of prioritizing doctrinal precision over love, assuming that suffering always indicates specific sin. Reformed theology recognizes that while maintaining truth is essential, we must also exercise compassion toward those whose suffering produces temporary despair, as even Christ quoted Psalm 22:1 from the cross.