Job 31:40 · Bible study
Job 31:40 Commentary: b: The End of Job's Words
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine Job 31:40b where "The words of Job are ended" marks a crucial transition in the book. Is it original? What does it mean for Job's story and ours?
Research Summary
- Meaning of the phrase: Signals the conclusion of Job's speeches in the dialogue with his friends; a structural marker transitioning to Elihu and God.
- Key words: "Words" (H1697) and "ended/finished" (H8552, Qal perfect); the Hebrew verb suggests complete termination.
- Main debate: Whether the clause is original to the book or an editorial addition. External evidence from some Vulgate manuscripts and early commentaries supports the latter view.
- Theological theme: Integrity and closure; the readiness to stop justifying oneself and to await divine revelation.
- Best use: Preaching on the wisdom of ending a season of debate and preparing to hear God afresh, or in Bible studies on how the Book of Job is structured.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.
WEB World English Bible 2000
let briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
KJV King James Version 1769
Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Let thistles grow instead of wheat, And cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Instead of wheat let a thorn go forth, And instead of barley a useless weed! The words of Job are finished.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Let thistles grow up to me instead of wheat, and thorns instead of barley.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
En lugar de trigo me nazcan abrojos, y espinas en lugar de cebada. Acábanse las palabras de Job.
Em lugar de trigo que me produza cardos, e ervas daninhas no lugar da cevada. Aqui terminam as palavras de Jó.
Qu’ il y croisse des épines au lieu de froment,
so mögen mir Disteln wachsen für Weizen und Dornen für Gerste. Die Worte Hiobs haben ein Ende.
Dat voor tarwe distelen voortkomen, en voor gerst stinkkruid! De woorden van Job hebben een einde.
che invece di grano mi nascano spine, invece d’orzo mi crescano zizzanie!” Qui finiscono i discorsi di Giobbe.
Miasto pszenicy niech wznijdzie oset, a miasto jęczmienia kąkol. Tu się skończyły słowa Ijobowe.
то пусть вместо пшеницы вырастает волчец и вместо ячменя куколь. Слова Иова кончились.
願這地長 蒺藜 代替 麥子，長惡草 代替 大麥。約伯 的話 說完了。
Then in place of grain let thorns come up, and in place of barley evil-smelling plants.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Job 31:40
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the clause “The words of Job are ended” (Job 31:40b) signals the conclusion of Job’s speeches in the dialogue with his friends. Barnes notes that this is “the close of his defence of himself against the accusations of his friends,” and that while Job speaks again later, it is no longer in controversy with them. The Cambridge Bible observes that the remark “hardly belongs to the Author of the Book” and likely comes from an editor or copyist.
Clarke goes further, pointing out that the words are absent from many manuscripts of the Vulgate and may have originally been a rubric later absorbed into the text. Gill considers three possibilities: Job himself closing triumphantly, a scribal note by Ezra or Moses, or an imprecation that Job would become silent. Despite these debates, all agree on the practical effect: the verse closes the lengthy defense Job began in chapter 3, after which only Elihu and God speak. The shared certainty is that Job’s case before his friends is finished, and the stage is set for a different kind of encounter.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Original conclusion of Job's speech: Some commentators (e.g., Gill, Matthew Henry) treat the words as Job's own closing statement, a triumphant or resigned end to his defense.
- Editorial addition: Clarke and the Cambridge Bible argue on textual grounds (absence in some Vulgate MSS, rubric form) that a scribe added the clause as a structural marker.
- Imprecation tradition: An earlier Jewish interpretation (cited by Gill) reads the clause as a self-curse: if guilty, may Job's words be ended, i.e., may he become mute.
What is clear: Regardless of its origin, the clause signals that Job’s speeches in the dialogue with his friends have come to a close, and the book now moves toward Elihu’s and God’s responses.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Originality of the clause | The clause 'The words of Job are ended' marks the close of Job's spoken part in the dialogue. | Clarke, Cambridge Bible, and others view it as an editorial or scribal addition, possibly a rubric. Gill notes it could be original to Job himself, or added by a later editor like Ezra. The decision affects how one reads the book's literary unity. |
| Significance for book structure | All commentators agree that this clause signals a transition from Job's dialogue with his friends to the speeches of Elihu and God. | Some (e.g., JFB, Barnes) see it as the natural close of Job's defense; others (e.g., Clarke) use its possible absence in some manuscripts to argue for later editing of the book's conclusion. There is no consensus on whether the entire Elihu section was part of the original book. |
| Job's final words in the book | Job speaks again in chapters 40 and 42, but not in controversy with the friends. | Matthew Henry sees this as a clean break after which Job only addresses God. Gill lists an ancient Jewish interpretation that the clause is itself an imprecation that Job's speech be his last (i.e., that he become mute if guilty). This minority view adds a layer of irony to the close. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Job 31 presents the patriarch’s final protestation of innocence, a detailed oath of clearance that follows the pattern of ancient Near Eastern legal self-justification. Job invokes curses on himself if he has committed the sins he denies, including land theft and abuse of laborers, and concludes with the imprecation that his fields yield thorns and stinkweed (v. 40a). The phrase “The words of Job are ended” then stands as a formal closure to his speeches.
In the book’s literary architecture, this clause marks a decisive shift. Up to this point, Job has engaged in three cycles of argument with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Chapters 1, 2 set the stage; chapters 3, 31 contain the dialogue. After this verse, Elihu speaks (chapters 32, 37) and then God answers from the whirlwind (chapters 38, 41). Job’s brief, humble response follows (42:1, 6). The phrase resembles other structural markers in Scripture, such as Psalm 72:20 (“This ends the prayers by David”). Some ancient scribes may have inserted it to indicate the end of a major section, much like colophons in ancient manuscripts.
Job’s final words are a vivid oath, grounded in the land itself. The Hebrew verbs for “cry out” and “weep” (vv. 38, 39) personify the furrows, echoing the curse on the ground in Genesis 3:17, 18. By calling down the curse of infertility on his own land if he is guilty, Job ties his integrity to the created order. This is not a quiet close; it is a resounding challenge, after which an editor seems to say, “He has spoken. Now listen.”
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note that the clause “The words of Job are ended” is absent from many manuscripts of the Vulgate. Adam Clarke reports that it is missing in two manuscripts in his own possession and in the Editio Princeps of the Vulgate; he further observes that in a 12th, 13th century manuscript the words stand in rubric (detached text), suggesting they were originally a scribal note. The Cambridge Bible similarly states that the concluding statement “hardly belongs to the Author of the Book” and is likely the remark of an editor or copyist. These observations raise the possibility that the clause was a later addition, though it appears in all major Hebrew codices and early translations. The textual evidence does not support a definitive conclusion, but it invites readers to weigh the clause as part of the book’s transmission history.
Reception History
Throughout church history, the close of Job 31 has been read as a decisive conclusion to the poetic dialogue. Early Jewish tradition in the Midrash and Talmud often cited Job’s final oath as a model of righteousness. For many Christian commentators, the clause “The words of Job are ended” functioned as a structural cue, distinguishing Job’s limited human reasoning from the divine answer that follows. Augustine and Gregory the Great saw in Job’s silence a type of Christ who speaks no word in his own defense before his accusers. Protestant Reformers such as Calvin and Luther used the verse to illustrate the limits of argument in suffering: after all words are spent, one must wait on the Lord. In modern scholarship, the clause is frequently discussed in debates about the unity of the book, especially whether the Elihu speeches are an interpolation. Across eras, the verse has reminded readers that there is a time to stop speaking and a time to listen for God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The final oath of integrity, Job’s imprecation (v. 40a) shows his willingness to suffer the curse if he has wronged others. His confidence is not in his own righteousness but in his honesty before God.
- Knowing when to stop speaking, “The words of Job are ended” marks a wise boundary. After exhaustive defense, Job stops. He neither repeats himself nor gives in to his friends’ demands. There is a time to speak and a time to be silent (Ecclesiastes 3:7).
- What comes after our words end, The book does not end with Job’s speech. God’s voice and Job’s repentance follow. Our best arguments give way to God’s presence.
Five-point outline
- Job’s final protest (vv. 38, 40), It is not merely personal; it involves the land and its workers.
- Self-imprecation as proof of sincerity, He invites a curse that parallels the fall (Genesis 3:18).
- The editorial note as structural clue, Whether original or added, it tells us this is a turning point.
- The silence after the storm, Job’s speeches are done. Now others will speak.
- From defense to encounter, The end of Job’s words prepares for God’s words.
Illustration hooks
- When you have said everything you can in a difficult conversation, a dispute with a colleague or a heart-to-heart with a family member, and you know it is time to stop. You have made your case; now you wait.
- The feeling of finishing a long project or final exam: you close the book and know the next phase is outside your control. There is a mixture of relief and anticipation.
- A legal defendant after giving testimony: the lawyer says “the defense rests.” The words are ended; the jury will decide.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know when I have said enough in my own defense, especially when I feel misunderstood by fellow believers?
- Is it okay to stop defending myself and trust God to be my advocate, like Job hoped for (Job 19:25)?
- What does it mean that Job’s “words” are ended but he still has more to say later (to God, not his friends)?
Leading a Discussion
This small group study focuses on Job 31:40, one of the most dramatic closing statements in Scripture. Job has defended his integrity for thirty chapters. Now he falls silent. The brief editorial comment “The words of Job are ended” invites us to reflect on when and how we stop defending ourselves and make space for God to speak.
Discussion questions
- Observation: Read Job 31:38, 40a. What does Job call down on his own land if he is guilty? What does that show about his trust in a just God?
- Observation: How does the curse on the land echo Genesis 3:17, 18? Why might Job use that language?
- Interpretation: Commentators disagree about whether the final sentence “The words of Job are ended” was written by the original author or added later by a scribe. How does this possibility affect how you read the book’s structure?
- Interpretation: Why is it significant that Job stops speaking here, even though he is still suffering and his friends have not been convinced? What does that say about moving from argument to waiting on God?
- Interpretation: Psalm 72:20 has a similar closing line (“This ends the prayers by David”). Why do biblical books or sections sometimes have such editorial notes? What purpose do they serve?
- Application: When have you felt the need to keep defending yourself in an argument or a difficult relationship? How might Job’s example help you know when to stop and let God be the judge?
- Application: After Job’s words end, God speaks. How can we create space in our lives for God’s voice, especially after a season of struggle or complaint?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 3:17 | To Adam he said, “Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and have eaten from the tree, about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ the ground is cursed for your sake. You will eat from it with much labor all the days of your life. |
| Genesis 3:18 | It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field. |
| II Kings 14:9 | Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife.’ Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled down the thistle. |
| Psalms 72:20 | This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse. |
| Isaiah 7:23 | It will happen in that day that every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, will be for briers and thorns. |
| Zephaniah 2:9 | Therefore, as I live, says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them. |
| Malachi 1:3 | but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the phrase about thistles and cockle is likely an addition written later by a scribe. He also believes Job’s final words are not part of the original text.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that the Hebrew word translated "cockle
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges argues that the final statement saying Job’s words are ended was not written by the original author but added later by a copyist. It also suggests that verses 38 to 40 might not belong in their current position in the chapter.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes sees these words as the final conclusion of Job’s entire speech. Christians have understood this passage to mean his words here truly come to an end.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads Job's curse as a deliberate echo of the original curse on the ground in Eden: if Job has lied, let the same barrenness that followed Adam's fall now follow his sowing. He also notes that the closing phrase "the words of Job are ended" may be a scribal note rather than Job's own words, marking the end of his defense.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that Job 31:38 to 40 were added later because Job still felt he was innocent after his friends argued with him. He wrote those words in a later book but not during that argument.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch sees Job calling on the earth itself as a witness: if the field and its furrows could cry out over unpaid wages or wronged owners, they would have no complaint against him. The curse that follows is a bold, self-imprecating conclusion—thistles and darnel instead of harvest—that seals his whole confession of innocence.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that Job's soliloquy is not a claim of perfect sinlessness but a deliberate shift from debating friends to pleading his case before God. Job's detailed defenses of his integrity serve to show that his sufferings cannot be explained as punishment for secret sins—they must point to something deeper.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes Job denies hiding his sins like Adam. He states he never covered his transgressions or kept them secret in his bosom.