Job 8:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Some individuals have a rich and expansive flow of thought and speech, while others display a scarcity in both, resulting in limited expressions. There are also those who can articulate well yet lack depth in their thoughts, and conversely, others who conceive deep insights but find their speech inadequate to convey those ideas.

Interestingly, what we observe in people can sometimes be mirrored in things devoid of consciousness. For instance, a vast reservoir of water beneath the earth may emerge through wide channels, whereas a small quantity may struggle to find a narrow exit. Another common occurrence is when an insubstantial amount of water is concealed underground, yet if it discovers a broad opening, it may trickle out, causing wide channels to appear, though they yield little. Similarly, large reserves of water may remain hidden, filtering through limited passages, resulting in minimal output.

In the realm of speech, abundant articulation often springs forth from a profound intellect, while in other instances, a lack of thought restricts meaningful communication. Sometimes, a speaker may express themself broadly, yet their words lack depth due to a feeble intellect. In other cases, a wealth of ideas may thrive internally, but a limited ability to express them restricts that overflow. Of these four presentations, only the third warrants criticism for lacking sharpness despite the overflow of words. Conversely, the first is commendable for its strength and clarity, the second merits empathy for its lack of substance, and the fourth seeks assistance due to its inability to articulate well-founded thoughts.

Only the third type calls for admonishment, for it displays eloquence while remaining shallow in meaning. This inflated and empty rhetoric reaches the ears of its audience in a great flood, yet it carries no true value. Bildad directs this accusation at the blessed Job by questioning, “And how long shall the breath of words out of thy mouth be multiplied?” In attributing verbosity to the speaker, he implies that the heart behind such speech is barren and limited. In effect, he insinuates, “You produce a surplus of words but offer little in meaningful substance.” When wicked individuals voice righteous observations, they often present concepts already well-known to everyone as if they were novel, attempting to disguise their ignorance. Thus, Bildad explicitly continues,

Thus, Baldad insists that the Lord will not abandon Job. He further posits that Job bears a double guilt before God—both for his actions and for those of his children. This line of reasoning undermines Job's final source of solace: the assurance that he had been a devoted father, raising his children with care and love, making them deserving of a fate far better than what they met.