Controlling the Tongue in the Book of Job

2024-08-10

Here is a compilation of passages concerning the power of the tongue according to the book of Job. We will examine the usage of appropriate phrases, even knowing the doubtful essence of some of the things said by Job’s friends.

“Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh” (Job 5:21). Eliphaz says this concerning those who accept the Lord’s chastening. While he and his friends were misguided in much, note that he says, “the scourge of the tongue.” The tongue can cause pain and discipline to the hearer.

“Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred” (Job 6:24). Job would control his tongue if his three friends could show him if he was expecting a gift or deliverance from them. In the same speech, he says, “Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?” (Job 6:30). Job tries to get his friends to prove if he said anything wrong, and that he knows if he would have said something sinful.

Consider Job 15:1-6. This is Eliphaz speaking. Here, we see that the tongue can just spill out all manner of worthless things, of which Eliphaz accuses Job. Speech can be unprofitable. It is a waste of time to the hearer. Eliphaz told Job that he was busy wasting his time with worthless words while he should be praying. He allegedly is not only saying sinful things, but he also purposefully chose to be deceitful. Whatever Job said, per Eliphaz’s accusation, was self-evident that it was sinful and inaccurate.

While we know Eliphaz was wrong in his assessment, these are the sorts of things that our speech has capacity to do. Our speech can waste time. It can possibly not add value to conversation. It could be wicked and deceitful. It can be self-contradictory. We should spend less time speaking if it adds no value or is harmful, and we should spend more time speaking to the Lord.

Zophar says, “Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue; Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth” (Job 20:12-13). Here, he spoke of the plight of the wicked, perhaps warning, if not implying, Job might be one of them. Not only can we speak wickedness, but we can also enjoy doing so.

Job says, “All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit” (Job 27:3-4). Despite his pain and the accusation of his friends, Job was resolved to not speak wickedly or deceive others.

Elihu says, “Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth. My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life” (Job 33:2-4). I have a hard time what to make of this man. There is some evidence that he was speaking right and some evidence to the contrary. He was not mentioned with Job’s three friends in the LORD’s rebuke (Job 42:7-9). So who knows? I take this bit of evidence that speaking right must come from the right source, and Elihu seems to have it right. He speaks from “the uprightness of my heart” while acknowledging that the “Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” If we rely on the Spirit of God, then we can speak with uprightness.

However, if Elihu means that his heart is upright merely because he was created by God, well, that’s another story!