Job 8:2 - Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Bible Comments

How long wilt thou speak these things? - The flyings of murmuring and complaint, such as he had uttered in the previous chapters.

The words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? - The Syriac and Arabic (according to Walton) render this, “the spirit of pride fill thy mouth.” The Septuagint renders it, “The spirit of thy mouth is profuse of words” - πολυῤῥῆμον polurrēmon. But the common rendering is undoubtedly correct, and the expression is a very strong and beautiful one. His language of complaint and murmuring was like a tempest. It swept over all barriers, and disregarded all restraint. The same figure is found in Aristophanes, Ran. 872, as quoted by Schultens, Τυφὼς ἐχβαίειν παρασκενάξεται Tuphōs ekbainein paraskeuacetai - a tempest of words is preparing to burst forth. And in Silius Italicus, xxi. 581:

- qui tanta superbo

Facta sonas ore, et spumanti turbine perflas

Ignorantum aures.

The Chaldee renders it correctly רבא זעפא - a great tempest.

Job 8:2

2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?