Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.
Parallel translations
- KJV Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
- BSB Surely you have instructed many, and have strengthened their feeble hands.
- NKJV Surely you have instructed many, And you have strengthened weak hands.
- NASB “Behold, you have taught many, And you have strengthened weak hands.
- NLT “In the past you have encouraged many people; you have strengthened those who were weak.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Eliphaz reminds Job that he has instructed and strengthened many. He appeals to Job's past ministry to others.
Overview
Eliphaz recalls how Job once taught and steadied those who were weak, acknowledging his former godliness and helpfulness. This sets up a contrast with Job's present collapse. The compliment, however, becomes the basis for a subtle rebuke that Job should now practice what he preached.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Isa 35:3Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.
- Prov 10:21The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.
- Job 16:5but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.
- Luke 22:32but I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when once you have turned again, establish your brothers.”
- Heb 12:12Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,
- Eph 4:29Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.
- Luke 22:43An angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him.
- Deut 3:28But commission Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you shall see.”
- Prov 15:7The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so with the heart of fools.
- Ezek 13:22Because with lies you have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, and be saved alive.
- Isa 50:4The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary. He wakens morning by morning, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
- Gen 18:19For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
- Prov 16:21The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.
- Ezra 6:22and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; because Yahweh had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of God, the God of Israel’s house.
- Col 4:6Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 4:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.