Job 26:4 Meaning and Explanation
“To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Job asks by whose inspiration Bildad has spoken, implying that his words carry no breath of God behind them.
What Does Job 26:4 Mean?
This closes Job's short rebuke of his friend. He questions the source of Bildad's speech: whose spirit prompted it? The implication is that such cold counsel did not come from the Spirit of the living God.
The question is searching for every speaker who claims to speak for God. Words about the Almighty must be carried by something deeper than human pride if they are to give life. Job longs for a word that comes with the breath of God in it, the kind of word that is spirit and life (John 6:63).
Job 26:4 in the Original Language
ruach (רוּחַ), 'spirit' -- breath, wind, or animating spirit; Job asks what breath inspired Bildad's words.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 26:4
What does Job 26:4 mean?
Job asks by whose inspiration Bildad has spoken, implying that his words carry no breath of God behind them.