Job 15:3 - Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good?

Generated Verse: Job 15:3

What does "Job 15:3" mean?


Job 15:3 asks a rhetorical question implying that it is foolish and wrong to engage in pointless or harmful conversation. Let's break it down:

"Should he reason with unprofitable talk...": "Unprofitable talk" refers to words or arguments that have no value, offer no benefit, or fail to lead to any positive outcome. It's essentially empty or futile discourse.
"...or with speeches with which he can do no good?": This reinforces the first part. "Speeches with which he can do no good" means words that are not only unproductive but potentially even detrimental. They might cause harm, stir up trouble, or further complicate the situation.

Meaning and Context

This verse is part of a speech by Eliphaz, one of Job's friends. Eliphaz is criticizing Job's words, suggesting that Job's complaints and challenges to God are worthless and even harmful. Eliphaz believes that Job should be speaking words of wisdom and repentance instead of his bitter laments.

Essentially, Eliphaz is accusing Job of engaging in meaningless and unproductive complaining, which accomplishes nothing positive. He's implying that Job's words are not helping him or anyone else and might even be making things worse. Eliphaz's core belief is that Job must have done something wrong to deserve his suffering, and his speech is designed to persuade Job to acknowledge his sin.

In summary, Job 15:3 implies that it is foolish and wrong to engage in pointless or harmful conversation. Eliphaz uses this rhetorical question to criticize Job's lamentations, suggesting that Job should speak words of wisdom and repentance instead.

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