Job 40:4

“Indeed, I am completely unworthy ¹  – how could I reply to you? I put ²  my hand over my mouth to silence myself. ³ 

Ge 18:27; Ge 32:10; Jud 18:19; 2Sa 24:10; 1Ki 19:4; Ezr 9:6,15; Ne 9:33; Job 9:31-35; Job 16:21; Job 21:5; Job 23:4-7; Job 29:9; Job 31:37; Job 42:6; Ps 39:9; Ps 51:4,5; Pr 30:32; Isa 6:5; Isa 53:6; Isa 64:6; Da 9:5,7; Mic 7:16; Hab 2:20; Zec 2:13; Lu 5:8; Lu 15:18,19; Lu 18:13; 1Ti 1:15

¹ tn The word קַלֹּתִי (qalloti) means “to be light; to be of small account; to be unimportant.” From this comes the meaning “contemptible,” which in the causative stem would mean “to treat with contempt; to curse.” Dhorme tries to make the sentence a conditional clause and suggests this meaning: “If I have been thoughtless.” There is really no “if” in Job’s mind.

² tn The perfect verb here should be classified as an instantaneous perfect; the action is simultaneous with the words.

³ tn The words “to silence myself” are supplied in the translation for clarity.