Job 26:4
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To whom have you uttered these words? And whose spirit spoke through you?
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This is Job's short reply to Bildad's short discourse, in which he is so far from contradicting him that he confirms what he had said, and out-does him in magnifying God and setting forth his power, to show what reason he had still to say, as he did (Job 13:2), "What you know, the same do I know also." I. He shows that Bildad's discourse was foreign to the matter he was discoursing of - though very true and good, yet not to the purpose (Job 26:2-4). II. That it was needless to the person he was discoursing with; for he knew it, and believed it, and could speak of it as well as he and better, and could add to the proofs which he had produced of God's power and greatness, which he does in the rest of his discourse (Job 26:5-13), concluding that, when they had both said what they could, all came short of the merit of the subject and it was still far from being exhausted (Job 26:14).
Open source ↗26:4 Eliphaz (4:15), Zophar (20:3), and Elihu (32:18; 33:4) all claimed to be prompted by the proper spirit (see Jer 29:8-9; 1 Cor 12:10; 1 Jn 4:1).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
For I am full of words, and my spirit within me compels me.
I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding prompts a reply.