Job 5:16 Meaning and Explanation
“So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Eliphaz concludes that the poor are given hope while wickedness is silenced.
What Does Job 5:16 Mean?
Eliphaz draws his point to a close: because God rescues the needy, the poor have hope, and injustice is left with nothing to say. The mouth that boasted and accused is shut when God acts on behalf of the lowly.
The verse holds out a bright promise that hope belongs to the helpless because God Himself secures it. Evil may speak loudly for a season, but it cannot have the last word. In the end every mouth that exalts itself against God's justice will fall silent, and those who waited on Him will not be put to shame. Hope rooted in God is never misplaced.
Job 5:16 in the Original Language
avlah (עַוְלָה), 'iniquity' -- injustice or wrongdoing, here personified as silenced before God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 5:16
What does Job 5:16 mean?
Eliphaz concludes that the poor are given hope while wickedness is silenced.