Job swears his integrity by the very God who denies him justice: 'As God lives, who has taken away my right' — 'Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go.' Then he turns the friends’ own doctrine back on them — 'This is the portion of a wicked man with God' — terrors, tempest, and the east wind that 'sweeps him out of his place.'
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Verse structure: 5 words, 20 letters. The shortest word is "to·take·up" (שְׂאֵ֥ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·he·said" (וַיֹּאמַֽר, 5 letters). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·said" (root אמר, 108x in Job); "Job" (root איוב, 56x in Job); "to·take·up" (root נשא, 28x in Job). Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣סֶף [and·he·added] (156) + אִ֭יּוֹב [Job] (19) + שְׂאֵ֥ת [to·take·up] (701) + מְשָׁל֗וֹ [his·parable] (376) + וַיֹּאמַֽר [and·he·said] (257) = 1509.
Rashi
Then Job again His friends refrained from answering as Elihu reprimanded them, for they stood and replied no more (32:3).
Ralbag
Explanation of the words of the response: 'And Job again took up his parable, and said.'
Metzudat David
'And Job again took up' — seeing that no one answered him on his statements, he continued further to raise his voice in words of parable and speak his mind, the parable being: 'a path that the bird of prey has not known,' etc., and the like.
As God lives, who has taken away my right; And the Almighty, who has dealt bitterly with me;
verse value 1768
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. Verse gematria: 1768 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "he·dealt·bitterly" (הֵמַ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "my·judgment" (מִשְׁפָּטִ֑י, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "God" (חַי־אֵ֭ל), "he·dealt·bitterly" (הֵמַ֥ר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אל, 86x in Job); "my·soul" (root נפש, 35x in Job); "and·the·Almighty" (root שדי, 31x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·judgment', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: חַי־אֵ֭ל [God] (49) + הֵסִ֣יר [he·removed] (275) + מִשְׁפָּטִ֑י [my·judgment] (439) + וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י [and·the·Almighty] (320) + הֵמַ֥ר [he·dealt·bitterly] (245) + נַפְשִֽׁי [my·soul] (440) = 1768.
Rashi
As God lives I swear that indeed He took away my right. From here Rabbi Joshua derived that Job served the Omnipresent out of love. No one swears by the king’s life unless he loves the king.
Ibn Ezra
'As God lives, who has taken away my right' — he swears, 'As God lives,' that He has turned him aside [hesir, related to sorer, 'rebellious, turned away'] — or 'hesir' in its plain sense, 'taken away' — and this holds all the days that he lives.
Metzudat David
'As God lives' — behold, I swear, as God lives, who has removed the just recompense of my deeds, in that He has handed everything over to the workings of the heavenly order. 'And the Almighty' — this refers back to 'lives,' meaning: as the Almighty lives, who has embittered my soul; the matter is repeated in other words.
Metzudat Zion
'As God lives' — that is, [an oath,] just as God is alive; and so too, 'As Hashem lives' (I Kings 17:1). 'Dealt bitterly' [המר] — an expression of bitterness.
Malbim
As God lives — I swear by the name of God, who has taken away my right, and by the name of the Almighty, who has embittered my soul.
All the while my breath is in me And the spirit of God is in my nostrils,
verse value 1327
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "in·me" (בִ֑י, 2 letters) and the longest is "for·all·while" (כִּי־כׇל־ע֣וֹד, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "for·all·while" (כִּי־כׇל־ע֣וֹד), "my·breath" (נִשְׁמָתִ֣י), "in·my·nostrils" (בְּאַפִּֽי). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלוה, 41x in Job); "in·my·nostrils" (root אף, 32x in Job); "and·spirit·of" (root רוח, 29x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּי־כׇל־ע֣וֹד [for·all·while] (160) + נִשְׁמָתִ֣י [my·breath] (800) + בִ֑י [in·me] (12) + וְר֖וּחַ [and·spirit·of] (220) + אֱל֣וֹהַּ [God] (42) + בְּאַפִּֽי [in·my·nostrils] (93) = 1327.
Metzudat David
'All the while' — that is, as long as my soul is within me and the spirit of life from God is in my nostrils.
Malbim
All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils – (3–4) as long as my breath is in me, my lips will not speak iniquity, meaning I will not speak words that are the opposite of what is in my heart; for speech of the mouth that contradicts the thought of the heart is iniquity. Nor will I think in my mind false opinions, such as the arguments you have made in order to justify Hashem, and utter these thoughts with my tongue — for that would be deceit and fraud. And the two clauses of the verse run parallel: ‘as long as my breath is in me,’ that is, the life of the body and the breath of my nostrils, I will not speak iniquity; and ‘as long as the spirit of God is in my nostrils’ — which denotes the sublime, divine spirit within man, the faculty that thinks and reasons — I will not utter or think deceit. And therefore —
Surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness, Neither shall my tongue utter deceit;
verse value 2324
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "my·lips" (שְׂפָתַ֣י, 4 letters) and the longest is "if·they·speak" (אִם־תְּדַבֵּ֣רְנָה, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "if·they·speak" (אִם־תְּדַבֵּ֣רְנָה), "and·my·tongue" (וּ֝לְשׁוֹנִ֗י), "if·he·utters" (אִם־יֶהְגֶּ֥ה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "if·they·speak" (root דבר, 58x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'unrighteousness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אִם־תְּדַבֵּ֣רְנָה [if·they·speak] (702) + שְׂפָתַ֣י [my·lips] (790) + עַוְלָ֑ה [unrighteousness] (111) + וּ֝לְשׁוֹנִ֗י [and·my·tongue] (402) + אִם־יֶהְגֶּ֥ה [if·he·utters] (64) + רְמִיָּֽה [deceit] (255) = 2324.
Ibn Ezra
'Surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness' — 'my heart shall not reproach me' [see 27:6] — that is, my heart shall not be diminished, as happens to a person who has been disgraced.
Metzudat David
'Surely my lips shall not speak' — this refers back to the above, meaning: let the penalty of an oath be upon me if, all the days of my life, my lips speak unrighteousness by complaining without cause, or if my tongue speaks deceit by justifying the judgment against me only outwardly, from the lips out, while my heart does not truly think so — as if to say: I will not cry out without cause, and I will not deceitfully concede.
Metzudat Zion
'Utter' [יהגה] — [means] speak, as in 'and my tongue shall speak' (Psalms 35:28).
Far be it from me that I should justify you; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.
verse value 2276
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִּי֮, 2 letters) and the longest is "that·I·justify" (אִם־אַצְדִּ֢יק, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "far·be·it" (חָלִ֣ילָה), "that·I·justify" (אִם־אַצְדִּ֢יק), "until·I·die" (עַד־אֶגְוָ֑ע). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·me" (root מן, 33x in Job); "that·I·justify" (root צדק, 22x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'until·I·die', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: חָלִ֣ילָה [far·be·it] (83) + לִּי֮ [to·me] (40) + אִם־אַצְדִּ֢יק [that·I·justify] (246) + אֶ֫תְכֶ֥ם [you] (461) + עַד־אֶגְוָ֑ע [until·I·die] (154) + לֹֽא־אָסִ֖יר [not·I·put·away] (302) + תֻּמָּתִ֣י [my·integrity] (850) + מִמֶּֽנִּי [from·me] (140) = 2276.
Rashi
that I should justify you That I should say that you are right in condemning me. I will not give up my innocence I will not concede to your words and say that I am not innocent.
Metzudat David
'Far be it from me' — it would be a profanation and a disgrace to me if I were to say deceitfully that you are righteous in your words and that the judgment is with you, that indeed I have done wrong; for since my heart does not truly think so, I will not speak deceit, for until I die I will not remove my integrity from myself, so as to speak deceit with my mouth while my heart thinks otherwise.
Metzudat Zion
'My integrity' [תומתי] — an expression of tamimut, wholeness.
Malbim
Far be it from me that I should justify you; till I die I will not put away my integrity from me – until the day of my death I will not justify you. And even though I should die because I will not agree with your words, still, far be it from me to do so. For if I were to justify you, would I not thereby remove my integrity from myself? Would this not show that I am not innocent, seeing that I would be speaking with my mouth against the truth and against what is in my heart — the very opposite of the integrity that is my possession? But if —
My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
verse value 1932
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·my·righteousness" (בְּצִדְקָתִ֣י, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "in·my·righteousness" (בְּצִדְקָתִ֣י), "I·hold·fast" (הֶ֭חֱזַקְתִּי), "I·let·it·go" (אַרְפֶּ֑הָ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 142x in Job); "from·my·days" (root יום, 59x in Job). First appearance of the root צדקה ("in·my·righteousness") in Job. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·let·it·go', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּצִדְקָתִ֣י [in·my·righteousness] (606) + הֶ֭חֱזַקְתִּי [I·hold·fast] (530) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + אַרְפֶּ֑הָ [I·let·it·go] (286) + לֹא־יֶחֱרַ֥ף [not·he·reproaches] (329) + לְ֝בָבִ֗י [my·heart] (44) + מִיָּמָֽי [from·my·days] (100) = 1932.
Rashi
I have maintained my righteousness To say that I am righteous. my heart will not reproach me because of my days, i.e., because of any manner or trait with which I deported myself in my days. Therefore, perforce, my enemy shall be like a wicked man.
Ibn Ezra
Continuing from 'Surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness' (27:4) — 'my heart shall not reproach me' — that is, my heart shall not be diminished, as happens to a person who has been disgraced.
Ralbag
'Reproach' — meaning: incline. This is of the same sense as 'a bondwoman inclining toward a man' (Leviticus 19:20), meaning that she inclines from servitude toward freedom, as the Master, the Teacher of Righteousness, has noted.
Metzudat David
'My righteousness' — for behold, the righteousness that I have practiced I never practiced in a casual manner, for I held fast to it with great strength and never let it grow slack, and never in my life has my heart turned away from it.
Metzudat Zion
'Reproach' [יחרף] — an expression of turning aside, as in 'a bondwoman assigned [to a man]' (Leviticus 19:20), meaning she turns from servitude toward freedom.
Malbim
My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live – I gain by this, that my heart will never reproach me: that is, my heart will not find in itself the disgrace of having spoken falsehood and deceit.
Let my enemy be as the wicked, And let him that rises up against me be as the unrighteous.
verse value 1406
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "let·him·be" (יְהִ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·he·who·rises·against·me" (וּמִתְקוֹמְמִ֥י, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "like·wicked" (כְ֭רָשָׁע), "my·enemy" (אֹ֣יְבִ֑י), "and·he·who·rises·against·me" (וּמִתְקוֹמְמִ֥י). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "let·him·be" (root היה, 50x in Job); "like·wicked" (root רשע, 36x in Job); "and·he·who·rises·against·me" (root קום, 22x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·enemy', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: יְהִ֣י [let·him·be] (25) + כְ֭רָשָׁע [like·wicked] (590) + אֹ֣יְבִ֑י [my·enemy] (23) + וּמִתְקוֹמְמִ֥י [and·he·who·rises·against·me] (642) + כְעַוָּֽל [like·unrighteous] (126) = 1406.
Metzudat David
'Let my enemy be as the wicked' — the character of the wicked and the unrighteous is so evil in my eyes that I curse my enemy and whoever rises up against me for evil, that he should become wicked and unrighteous; for the matter is so evil in my eyes that it is accounted a curse.
Metzudat Zion
'As the wicked' [כרשע] — like the word כעול, 'as unrighteous': the comparative kaf here comes to express the plain truth of the matter [i.e., 'truly,' not merely 'as if']; and so too, 'in the night he shall be as a thief' (above, Job 24:14) [meaning he shall truly be a thief].
Malbim
Let my enemy be as the wicked, and let him that rises up against me be as the unrighteous – let my enemy do this — speak falsehood and iniquity and deceit — until he himself becomes wicked. But not I.
For what is the hope of the godless, though he gets him gain, When God takes away his soul?
verse value 2169
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "what·hope·of" (מַה־תִּקְוַ֣ת, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 30: for, though, when. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "what·hope·of" (מַה־תִּקְוַ֣ת), "he·gains" (יִבְצָ֑ע), "he·takes·away" (יֵ֖שֶׁל). The root כי appears 3 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 75x in Job); "God" (root אלוה, 41x in Job); "his·soul" (root נפש, 35x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·gains', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + מַה־תִּקְוַ֣ת [what·hope·of] (951) + חָ֭נֵף [godless] (138) + כִּ֣י [though] (30) + יִבְצָ֑ע [he·gains] (172) + כִּ֤י [when] (30) + יֵ֖שֶׁל [he·takes·away] (340) + אֱל֣וֹהַּ [God] (42) + נַפְשֽׁוֹ [his·soul] (436) = 2169.
Rashi
For what is the hope of a flatterer For why should I be a wicked man and a robber? What is the end of a wicked man who takes money by force? when God casts off Heb. ישל. When the Omnipresent casts his soul off him. This is an expression of (Exod. 3:5), “Remove (של) your shoes”; (Deut. 19:5), “and the iron [head] slips off (ונשל).”
Ibn Ezra
'Takes away' — some say it is from the root of 'plunder' (shalal). But closer to my own view is that it is related to 'shal na'alcha,' 'put off your shoe' (Exodus 3:5) — for the soul is slipped off from the body, as a shoe is slipped off the foot.
Ralbag
'Gets him gain' — meaning: he seizes by force. 'When...takes away his soul' — meaning: he remains at ease. (Ralbag reads the word as related to tranquility [shalvah] rather than to removal.)
Metzudat David
'For what is the hope' — as if to say: even according to my own view, that everything is given over to the workings of the heavenly order and it fares alike with righteous and wicked, still one ought not choose the way of the wicked; for what will be the hope of a wicked man who robs people, once God takes his soul from him? For the righteous man hopes for the pleasure of the soul, but the wicked man — for what does he hope?
Metzudat Zion
'The godless' [חנף] — a wicked person who flatters his own inclination, doing whatever it entices him to do. 'Gets him gain' [יבצע] — [means] he plunders, as in 'who gets evil gain' (Habakkuk 2:9). 'Takes away' [ישל] — an expression of removing, drawing off, as in 'take off your shoes' (Exodus 3:5).
Malbim
For what is the hope of the godless, though he gets him gain, when God takes away his soul? – (8–10) the sense of these verses is that God calls out and proclaims at all times, saying: What hope does the flatterer have — one who speaks openly the opposite of what he thinks in his heart, the opposite of the truth — what hope does he have of gain from this, that is, of profit and reward, ‘when God takes away his soul’? Will God, too, be led astray regarding him, just as he leads others astray through flattery? Or will he profit in that God will hear his cry when trouble comes upon him? Or will he profit in that he will delight in the Almighty, finding pleasure in his soul from being counted among the servants of Hashem? So He calls out and proclaims at all times — meaning, there are three possibilities: either through his flattery he will mislead Hashem; or that He will at least hear his prayer, offered as it is in flattery; or that he himself will find satisfaction in imagining that he is among the servants of Hashem. But none of this is so — he gains nothing at all from his flattery.
Will God hear his cry, When trouble comes upon him?
verse value 1972
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "God" (אֵ֑ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "will·his·cry" (הֲֽ֭צַעֲקָתוֹ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "will·his·cry" (הֲֽ֭צַעֲקָתוֹ), "when·it·comes" (כִּֽי־תָב֖וֹא), "trouble" (צָרָֽה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·him" (root על, 90x in Job); "God" (root אל, 86x in Job); "when·it·comes" (root בוא, 51x in Job). First appearance of the root צעקה ("will·his·cry") in Job. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'God', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הֲֽ֭צַעֲקָתוֹ [will·his·cry] (671) + יִשְׁמַ֥ע [he·hears] (420) + אֵ֑ל [God] (31) + כִּֽי־תָב֖וֹא [when·it·comes] (439) + עָלָ֣יו [upon·him] (116) + צָרָֽה [trouble] (295) = 1972.
Metzudat David
'His cry' — and if his hope is for bodily pleasures, will God, when trouble comes upon him, hear his cry to save him from it? As if to say: shall Hashem, for the sake of his wickedness, overturn the heavenly order — a thing He would not do even for the sake of the righteous and the innocent?
Will he have his delight in the Almighty, And call upon God at all times?
verse value 1863
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "he·shall·call" (יִקְרָ֖א, 4 letters) and the longest is "if·above·the·Almighty" (אִם־עַל־שַׁדַּ֥י, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "if·above·the·Almighty" (אִם־עַל־שַׁדַּ֥י), "he·shall·delight·himself" (יִתְעַנָּ֑ג), "he·shall·call" (יִקְרָ֖א). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אלוה, 41x in Job); "if·above·the·Almighty" (root שדי, 31x in Job); "at·all·times" (root כל, 31x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·shall·delight·himself', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: אִם־עַל־שַׁדַּ֥י [if·above·the·Almighty] (455) + יִתְעַנָּ֑ג [he·shall·delight·himself] (533) + יִקְרָ֖א [he·shall·call] (311) + אֱל֣וֹהַּ [God] (42) + בְּכׇל־עֵֽת [at·all·times] (522) = 1863.
Rashi
Or will he delight with the Almighty The double interrogative is like all double interrogatives. the first one is customarily prefixed by a “hey” and the second one by אִם ; e.g., (Amos 6:12), “Will horses run (הירצון) on the rock, or (אִם) will one plow with cattle?” (Job 6:30), “Is there (היש) injustice in my tongue, or (אִם) will my palate not understand wickedness?” Here, too, will God hearken to his cry...or will he delight with the Almighty? Will one who is a wicked man or a flatterer perhaps be able to delight and rely on the salvations of the Holy One, blessed be He, and call to Him in time of trouble? This is a question.
Metzudat David
'Will he have his delight in the Almighty' — will he rely upon Hashem to delight him with good, and will he trust to call upon Hashem in his time of need? As if to say: is not even the prayer of the righteous man unheard, let alone that of a wicked man and a sinner?
I will teach you concerning the hand of God; That which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.
verse value 1709
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "God" (בְּיַד־אֵ֑ל, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "I·will·teach" (אוֹרֶ֣ה), "God" (בְּיַד־אֵ֑ל), "I·will·conceal" (אֲכַחֵֽד). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 142x in Job); "God" (root אל, 86x in Job); "with·the·Almighty" (root שדי, 31x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'God', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: אוֹרֶ֣ה [I·will·teach] (212) + אֶתְכֶ֣ם [you] (461) + בְּיַד־אֵ֑ל [God] (47) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + עִם־שַׁ֝דַּ֗י [with·the·Almighty] (424) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + אֲכַחֵֽד [I·will·conceal] (33) = 1709.
Rashi
I will instruct you what the standard is that is in God’s hand, and the way... what is with the Almighty I will not conceal Like (above 23:10), “Because He knows the way that is with me.”
Ralbag
'I will teach' — meaning: I will learn.
Metzudat David
'I will teach you' — as if to say: my words are not meant to entice people to choose the way of the wicked; rather, I am teaching you the governance that is in the hand of God, and I will not refrain from speaking of what is with the Almighty, lest they attach injustice to the Omnipresent regarding the recompense of the righteous and the wicked, since everything comes through the workings of the heavenly order; but even so, it is proper to choose righteousness for the sake of the pleasure of the soul.
Metzudat Zion
'I will teach' [אורה] — [means] I will instruct, as in 'teaches knowledge' (Isaiah 28:9). 'Conceal' [אכחד] — [means] I will withhold.
Malbim
I will teach you concerning the hand of God; that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal – I will instruct and teach you, so that you hear the things I speak ‘concerning the hand of God’ — I have set these words in the hand of Hashem, as though it were He Himself calling out and proclaiming them. ‘That which is with the Almighty I will not conceal,’ for these words are with the Almighty, who surely hates flattery and falsehood and deceit — and how could I conceal this, which is the truth?
Behold, all you yourselves have seen it; Why then have you become altogether vain?
verse value 1644
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "vanity" (הֶ֣בֶל, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·why·then" (וְלָמָּה־זֶּ֝֗ה, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "behold·you" (הֵן־אַתֶּ֣ם), "you·have·seen" (חֲזִיתֶ֑ם), "and·why·then" (וְלָמָּה־זֶּ֝֗ה). The root הבל appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "all·of·you" (root כל, 31x in Job); "behold·you" (root הן, 23x in Job); "and·why·then" (root מה, 23x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·have·seen', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הֵן־אַתֶּ֣ם [behold·you] (496) + כֻּלְּכֶ֣ם [all·of·you] (110) + חֲזִיתֶ֑ם [you·have·seen] (465) + וְלָמָּה־זֶּ֝֗ה [and·why·then] (93) + הֶ֣בֶל [vanity] (37) + תֶּהְבָּֽלוּ [you·become·vain] (443) = 1644.
Rashi
all of you have seen that this is the portion of a wicked man. now why do you become altogether vain? To be wicked and hypocritical.
Metzudat David
'Behold, all you,' etc. — as if to say: is not the downfall of the wicked itself well known and common, so much so that you have all seen it yourselves? And surely I would not deny what is plainly observed — so why then do you speak vanity for nothing, thinking that I choose the way of the wicked?
Metzudat Zion
'Have seen' [חזיתם] — [i.e.,] you have seen [it].
Malbim
Behold, all you yourselves have seen it; why then have you become altogether vain? – (12–13) he adds that there is no need at all for him to teach you these things, for behold, all of you have yourselves witnessed them: throughout the whole debate they told him that he was punished for flattery, for not being whole within as he appeared without. So you all agree that flattery is hateful in the eyes of Hashem. I therefore ask you: why have you spoken such vain, empty words? ‘This is the portion of a wicked man with God’ — since you admit that speech uttered in flattery, deceit, and falsehood is not good, why have you spoken vain words in flattery and deceit in answer to the question of the prosperity of the wicked — that the portion of the wicked man, and the reward he receives from God, is —
This is the portion of a wicked man with God, And the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty.
verse value 2298
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "this" (זֶ֤ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "portion·of·man" (חֵלֶק־אָדָ֖ם, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "they·take" (יִקָּֽחוּ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "God" (root אל, 86x in Job); "wicked" (root רשע, 36x in Job); "from·the·Almighty" (root שדי, 31x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'God', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: זֶ֤ה [this] (12) + חֵלֶק־אָדָ֖ם [portion·of·man] (183) + רָשָׁ֥ע [wicked] (570) + עִם־אֵ֑ל [God] (141) + וְֽנַחֲלַ֥ת [and·heritage·of] (494) + עָ֝רִיצִ֗ים [oppressors] (420) + מִשַּׁדַּ֥י [from·the·Almighty] (354) + יִקָּֽחוּ [they·take] (124) = 2298.
Ralbag
'Oppressors' — these are the powerful men who do violence to other people, relying on their strength and might.
Metzudat David
'This is the portion' — meaning, this is the portion of the wicked man, spoken of below, which you have seen; is it not also kept in store with God, to be brought upon him by means of the heavenly order, just as it is kept in store to be brought upon the righteous man? And although the wicked man is destined for the loss of his soul in the eternal world, still, in his lifetime, one and the same fate befalls him and the righteous man, for he too is not saved from the workings of the heavenly order. 'And the heritage' — this is what is stated below: it is the heritage of the ruthless, who take strength to seize what is not theirs — that which they receive from the Almighty by means of the heavenly order, just as the righteous receive theirs; the matter is repeated in other words.
If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not have bread enough.
verse value 1314
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 33 letters. Verse gematria: 1314 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "they·shall·be·sated·with·bread" (יִשְׂבְּעוּ־לָֽחֶם, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "if·they·multiply" (אִם־יִרְבּ֣וּ), "for·the·sword" (לְמוֹ־חָ֑רֶב), "and·his·offspring" (וְ֝צֶאֱצָאָ֗יו). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 142x in Job); "his·sons" (root בן, 26x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·the·sword', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אִם־יִרְבּ֣וּ [if·they·multiply] (259) + בָנָ֣יו [his·sons] (68) + לְמוֹ־חָ֑רֶב [for·the·sword] (286) + וְ֝צֶאֱצָאָ֗יו [and·his·offspring] (204) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יִשְׂבְּעוּ־לָֽחֶם [they·shall·be·sated·with·bread] (466) = 1314.
Rashi
If his sons increase they will increase for the sword. in death They will die amidst suffering and sicknesses, until his widows will be happy at their death and will not weep.
Metzudat David
'If his children be multiplied' — even if the children of the wicked man multiply, at times he will not rejoice in them, for they will be given over to the sword; and even if his offspring — that is, his grandchildren — increase, at times they will not have their fill of bread.
Metzudat Zion
'For the sword' [למו חרב] — [i.e.,] for the sword [the form למו functions like אל, 'to/for']; and so too 'to his mouth' (below, Job 40:4).
Malbim
If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword; and his offspring shall not have bread enough – just as Bildad said, in his own view, that the wicked man is punished through Hashem's cutting off his children. But is this not itself a vain answer? For behold —
Those that remain of him shall be buried by pestilence, And his widows shall make no lamentation.
verse value 2347
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·his·widows" (וְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יו, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "his·survivors" (שְׂ֭רִידָו), "by·pestilence" (בַּמָּ֣וֶת), "they·shall·be·buried" (יִקָּבֵ֑רוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 142x in Job); "by·pestilence" (root מות, 23x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·shall·be·buried', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: שְׂ֭רִידָו [his·survivors] (520) + בַּמָּ֣וֶת [by·pestilence] (448) + יִקָּבֵ֑רוּ [they·shall·be·buried] (318) + וְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יו [and·his·widows] (543) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + תִבְכֶּֽינָה [they·shall·weep] (487) = 2347.
Ibn Ezra
'Those that remain of him' — the sons who survive the sword.
Ralbag
'Those that remain of him' — these are his sons, for they are the survivors who remain after a person is gone.
Metzudat David
'Those that remain of him' — those who survive the sword shall, at times, also be buried on this same day, at the time death comes upon him; and for this reason his widows shall not weep for them, lest his heart be broken — as our sages of blessed memory said: when a sick man loses a relative, one does not weep before him, lest his heart be broken.
Metzudat Zion
'Those that remain' [שרידיו] — [i.e.,] those left over from them.
Malbim
Those that remain of him shall be buried by pestilence, and his widows shall make no lamentation – behold, we have seen that the wicked man dies in great tranquility: the remnant left of his own bones is buried at once when he dies, and his widows do not weep at all after his death, for there remains to them silver and gold and great wealth for the support of his widows and orphans; and they live at ease and prosper, and no evil comes near them.
Though he heaps up silver as the dust, And prepares raiment as the clay;
verse value 1615
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "silver" (כָּ֑סֶף, 3 letters) and the longest is "though·he·heaps·up" (אִם־יִצְבֹּ֣ר, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "though·he·heaps·up" (אִם־יִצְבֹּ֣ר), "and·like·the·clay" (וְ֝כַחֹ֗מֶר), "raiment" (מַלְבּֽוּשׁ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "like·the·dust" (root עפר, 24x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'silver', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אִם־יִצְבֹּ֣ר [though·he·heaps·up] (343) + כֶּעָפָ֣ר [like·the·dust] (370) + כָּ֑סֶף [silver] (160) + וְ֝כַחֹ֗מֶר [and·like·the·clay] (274) + יָכִ֥ין [he·prepares] (90) + מַלְבּֽוּשׁ [raiment] (378) = 1615.
Metzudat David
'Though he heaps up' — even if he heaps up much silver like the dust, and prepares abundant clothing like the clay.
Metzudat Zion
'Heaps up' [יצבור] — an expression of a heap, a pile, as in 'and heaps up dust' (Habakkuk 1:10).
Malbim
Though he heaps up silver as the dust, and prepares raiment as the clay – (16–17) he adds, saying that even if it should be as you say, that his wealth does not endure in his sons' hands: even though he heaps up silver as the dust and prepares raiment as the clay, the raiment he prepares the righteous man will wear, and the silver he amassed the innocent will divide — meaning that after his death strangers will inherit the fruit of his labor, and it will not endure in his sons' hands. So even if it should be as you say —
He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, And the innocent shall divide the silver.
verse value 1116
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. Verse gematria: 1116 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "innocent" (נָקִ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·just" (וְצַדִּ֣יק, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "and·just" (וְצַדִּ֣יק), "he·shall·put·on" (יִלְבָּ֑שׁ). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·shall·put·on', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יָ֭כִין [he·may·prepare] (90) + וְצַדִּ֣יק [and·just] (210) + יִלְבָּ֑שׁ [he·shall·put·on] (342) + וְ֝כֶ֗סֶף [and·silver] (166) + נָקִ֥י [innocent] (160) + יַחֲלֹֽק [he·shall·divide] (148) = 1116.
Rashi
and He will distribute [his] money to the innocent The Holy One, blessed be He, will distribute the wicked man’s money to an innocent one.
Ralbag
'And the innocent shall divide the silver' — the innocent man divides up his silver and scatters it, in place of the wicked man who had gathered it; the point is that the innocent one comes to control what had been his — the wicked man's.
Metzudat David
'He may prepare it' — sometimes it is the wicked man alone who prepares it, but in the end it all comes into the hand of the righteous, and he puts it on; and the wicked man's silver comes into the hand of the innocent, who divides it among whomever seems right in his eyes. This is as if to say: since it sometimes happens that the righteous man prospers even more than the wicked, why then would anyone choose the way of the wicked?
He builds his house as a moth, And as a booth which the keeper makes.
verse value 1691
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 21 letters. The shortest word is "he·builds" (בָּנָ֣ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·like·booth" (וּ֝כְסֻכָּ֗ה, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "he·builds" (בָּנָ֣ה), "like·the·moth" (כָעָ֣שׁ), "and·like·booth" (וּ֝כְסֻכָּ֗ה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "makes" (root עשה, 36x in Job); "his·house" (root בית, 26x in Job). First appearance of the root סכה ("and·like·booth") in Job. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·house', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: בָּנָ֣ה [he·builds] (57) + כָעָ֣שׁ [like·the·moth] (390) + בֵּית֑וֹ [his·house] (418) + וּ֝כְסֻכָּ֗ה [and·like·booth] (111) + עָשָׂ֥ה [makes] (375) + נֹצֵֽר [keeper] (340) = 1691.
Rashi
He builds...as a moth As a moth, who builds his hole which does not endure, and like a booth that the watchman of the fig tree and the vineyard makes, which is not permanent. (Another explanation: that the watchman of the vineyard, who does not watch it at all times, made. I heard this. Absent in certain editions.)
Ibn Ezra
'He builds his house as a moth' — that his house will stand as flimsy as a moth's work, in the sense of 'a moth is made'; and there a watchman is stationed over his house, like a wall that guards him at night.
Metzudat David
'He builds his house as a moth' — meaning, at times his house is destroyed as easily as the house of a moth, or as a booth that a vineyard-keeper builds for himself to sit in.
Metzudat Zion
'As a moth' [כעש] — a kind of worm, an insect. 'The keeper' [נוצר] — [i.e.,] a watchman.
Malbim
He builds his house as a moth, and as a booth which the keeper makes – just as the moth, when it wraps itself in its cocoon, that cocoon is its house, and once it emerges from the cocoon the wind carries its house away; and likewise, as a booth which the vineyard-keeper makes — for when the vineyard is harvested, the booth falls into ruin — so too his house comes to nothing and is destroyed after his death. To this I respond:
He lies down rich, but there shall be nought to gather; He opens his eyes, and his wealth is not.
verse value 1557
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·it·is·not" (וְאֵינֶֽנּוּ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "rich" (עָשִׁ֣יר), "he·opens" (פָּקַ֣ח). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 142x in Job); "his·eyes" (root עין, 46x in Job); "and·it·is·not" (root אין, 39x in Job). First appearance of the root אסף ("he·is·gathered") in Job. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·is·gathered', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: עָשִׁ֣יר [rich] (580) + יִ֭שְׁכַּב [he·lies·down] (332) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + יֵאָסֵ֑ף [he·is·gathered] (151) + עֵינָ֖יו [his·eyes] (146) + פָּקַ֣ח [he·opens] (188) + וְאֵינֶֽנּוּ [and·it·is·not] (123) = 1557.
Rashi
He dies rich He will die with his riches, but sometimes he will not be gathered in to burial.
Ibn Ezra
'He lies down rich, but there shall be nought to gather' — even though he has not yet died.
Metzudat David
'He lies down rich' — at times, when a man lies down sick upon his bed, he is still rich and has not yet died in his wealth; his eyes are still open, and he has not died and gone to the grave — yet already his wealth is lost and he has nothing, for from the moment he fell upon his bed his strength was broken, and everything that was his came to nothing.
Metzudat Zion
'There shall be nought to gather' [יאסף] — [i.e.,] he shall die, as in 'Aaron shall be gathered [to his people]' (Numbers 20:26). 'Opens' [פקח] — [means] opens, as in 'who opens the eyes of the blind' (Psalms 146:8).
Malbim
He lies down rich, but there shall be nought to gather; he opens his eyes, and his wealth is not – even though the very moment after his death his house and possessions are destroyed, still, when he lies down and dies, he dies rich. So even if he is not gathered for burial, and all his wealth is lost at once, what should he care about this? For, if he opens his eyes — were he able to open his eyes and see what happens after him — he would see that he no longer exists, for he has already departed the world. Why then should he grieve over his ruined house, since he is no longer in the world and has no need of house or possessions — just as the moth does not grieve over its house, nor the vineyard-keeper over his ruined booth, once he no longer needs it.
Terrors overtake him like waters; A tempest steals him away in the night.
verse value 1964
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "like·the·water" (כַ֭מַּיִם, 4 letters) and the longest is "it·overtakes·him" (תַּשִּׂיגֵ֣הוּ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "it·overtakes·him" (תַּשִּׂיגֵ֣הוּ). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'terrors', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: תַּשִּׂיגֵ֣הוּ [it·overtakes·him] (724) + כַ֭מַּיִם [like·the·water] (110) + בַּלָּה֑וֹת [terrors] (443) + לַ֝֗יְלָה [night] (75) + גְּנָבַ֥תּוּ [it·steals·him] (461) + סוּפָֽה [tempest] (151) = 1964.
Rashi
Terrors Demons. a tempest snatches him away and casts him away in disgrace.
Ibn Ezra
'Like waters' — suddenly, all at once, for that is the way of rivers.
Ralbag
'Terrors overtake him like waters' — terror after terror overtakes him without pause, just as water flows in a torrent without pause.
Metzudat David
'Overtake him' — at times terrors overtake him in rapid succession, one after another, like a flood of water that never lets up. 'In the night' — from the greatness of his terror he does not remain in his house until the light of day, for while it is still night he flees for his life, as though a storm-wind had stolen him away by night, out of his house.
Metzudat Zion
'Terrors' [בלהות] — [i.e.,] sudden frights.
Malbim
Terrors overtake him like waters; a tempest steals him away in the night – (20–21) meaning, all that you have said about the destruction of his children and possessions after his death is no punishment at all. Rather, it ought to be that terrors overtake him like waters — that terrors come upon him himself, overtaking him in his lifetime like sweeping waters; and a tempest steals him away suddenly in the night; and the east wind, the fiercest of winds, carries him up into the air and bears him along, and in a great storm whirls him about and drives him from his place.
The east wind carries him away, and he departs; And it sweeps him out of his place.
verse value 1365
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. Verse gematria: 1365 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "east" (קָדִ֣ים, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·it·sweeps·him" (וִ֝ישָׂעֲרֵ֗הוּ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "it·carries·him" (יִשָּׂאֵ֣הוּ), "and·it·sweeps·him" (וִ֝ישָׂעֲרֵ֗הוּ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·departs" (root הלך, 29x in Job); "it·carries·him" (root נשא, 28x in Job); "from·his·place" (root מקום, 21x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·he·departs', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: יִשָּׂאֵ֣הוּ [it·carries·him] (322) + קָדִ֣ים [east] (154) + וְיֵלַ֑ךְ [and·he·departs] (66) + וִ֝ישָׂעֲרֵ֗הוּ [and·it·sweeps·him] (597) + מִמְּקֹמֽוֹ [from·his·place] (226) = 1365.
Ibn Ezra
'The east wind' — the east wind.
Ralbag
'The east wind' — meaning: the east wind. 'And it sweeps him' — of the same sense as ruach se'arah, a storm-wind.
Metzudat David
'Carries him away' — it is as though an east wind carries him off to a distant place, and he goes wherever he happens to be, never to return again to his house. 'And it sweeps him out' — as though a storm-wind had uprooted him from his place; the matter is repeated in other words.
Metzudat Zion
'Carries him away' [וישערהו] — a storm-wind uproots him; and so too, 'like chaff swirled away from the threshing-floor' (Hosea 13:3).
Indeed, it hurls at him, and spares not; He would fain flee from its power.
verse value 1103
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·it·hurls" (וְיַשְׁלֵ֣ךְ, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "from·its·hand" (מִ֝יָּד֗וֹ). The root ברח appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 142x in Job); "at·him" (root על, 90x in Job); "from·its·hand" (root יד, 44x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'it·spares', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְיַשְׁלֵ֣ךְ [and·it·hurls] (366) + עָ֭לָיו [at·him] (116) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + יַחְמֹ֑ל [it·spares] (88) + מִ֝יָּד֗וֹ [from·its·hand] (60) + בָּר֥וֹחַ [flee] (216) + יִבְרָֽח [he·flees] (220) = 1103.
Rashi
And he will cast upon him i.e., the one who casts evil upon him will show no compassion. from his hand of the wicked man, and from his strength. from his place. he will flee His counselor, who assisted him from the start, will flee from assisting him at the time of his downfall, as Charbonah did to Haman (Esther 7:9).
Ibn Ezra
'He would fain flee from its power' — the sense is that his wealth flees from his grasp, not that he himself flees.
Ralbag
'From its power' — meaning: from its blow.
Metzudat David
'Indeed, it hurls' — He who has the power to hurl casts many troubles upon him and does not spare him, and all his wealth and goodness flee from his grasp.
Malbim
Indeed, it hurls at him, and spares not; he would fain flee from its power – and besides this, the wind hurls stones and dust upon him along his way, just as in a great storm it carries and hurls rocks and trees; and all these fall upon him on his way, and spares not, until he is killed by the stones and carried off to the ends of the heavens by the storm. – But it is not so with him: the storm has no power over him at all, for even were he in its grip, he would fain flee from its power — he would escape from its hand and be saved. And more than that: he has no fear of the storm at all, for —
Men shall clap their hands at him, And shall hiss him out of his place.
verse value 1760
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "they·clap" (יִשְׂפֹּ֣ק, 4 letters) and the longest is "at·him" (עָלֵ֣ימוֹ, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 156: at·him, their·hands. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Job. Unique to this verse in Job (hapax): "they·clap" (יִשְׂפֹּ֣ק), "their·hands" (כַפֵּ֑ימוֹ), "and·they·hiss" (וְיִשְׁרֹ֥ק). The root על appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "at·him" (root על, 90x in Job); "from·his·place" (root מקום, 21x in Job). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·hands', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יִשְׂפֹּ֣ק [they·clap] (490) + עָלֵ֣ימוֹ [at·him] (156) + כַפֵּ֑ימוֹ [their·hands] (156) + וְיִשְׁרֹ֥ק [and·they·hiss] (616) + עָ֝לָ֗יו [at·him] (116) + מִמְּקֹמֽוֹ [from·his·place] (226) = 1760.
Rashi
They clap their hands over them Those who knew [him] long ago and now see his ruin.
Ibn Ezra
'Men shall clap their hands' — people clap their hands at him and at his household.
Ralbag
'They shall clap their hands at him' — the poetic forms alêmo and kapêmo mean: alav (upon him), kapav (his hands).
Metzudat David
'Shall clap' — whoever knew him beforehand strikes his hands together over his downfall, in the manner of one who witnesses the loss of something great. 'And shall hiss' — over his ruin, each of the people of his place who witnessed his prosperity will hiss; and hissing, too, is the way of one who witnesses the loss of something precious. And here he returns to the opening of his argument, to say: granted that the wicked man, like the righteous, is also liable to the mishaps of time, why then would one choose the way of the wicked? For the righteous man surely has an advantage over him, in that he delights in the pleasure of the soul, which is not so for the wicked man.
Metzudat Zion
'Shall clap' [ישפוק] — [this is] equivalent to יספוק, [spelled] with a samekh, an expression of striking, as in 'and he clapped his hands' (Numbers 24:10). 'At him, their hands' [עלימו כפימו] — [i.e.,] at him, his hands [the plural-looking forms are poetic singulars]. 'Shall hiss' [וישרוק] — this is making a sound by pursing the lips; and so too, 'shall be appalled and hiss' (Jeremiah 19:8).
Malbim
'Men shall clap their hands at him' — he claps his hands at the storm and at the east wind and laughs at them; he stands firm in his place and the wind cannot move him from it, and from there he hisses at it with his mouth, mockingly, for the wind is powerless to do anything at all to him.
Rashi
Ralbag
Metzudat David