Job 35:16 Meaning and Explanation
“Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Elihu concludes that Job has spoken many words in his ignorance, without true understanding.
What Does Job 35:16 Mean?
Elihu closes his argument with a blunt verdict: in all his long protests, Job has 'open[ed] his mouth in vain,' piling up words without the knowledge to ground them. It is a sharp summary, charging Job not with wickedness but with speaking past the limits of what he can know about God's ways.
The rebuke carries a caution every believer needs. In our suffering we are quick to speak, and not all our words are wise; 'in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin' (Proverbs 10:19). Yet the chapter's last word is not condemnation but humility before mystery. When the Lord Himself finally speaks to Job, He too will ask, 'Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?' (Job 38:2) — and Job will learn to lay his hand upon his mouth and trust the God he cannot fully comprehend.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 35:16
What does Job 35:16 mean?
Elihu concludes that Job has spoken many words in his ignorance, without true understanding.