Job Chapter 21 verse 5 Holy Bible
Mark me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth.
read chapter 21 in ASV
Take note of me and be full of wonder, put your hand on your mouth.
read chapter 21 in BBE
Mark me, and be astonished, and lay the hand upon the mouth.
read chapter 21 in DARBY
Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
read chapter 21 in KJV
Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
read chapter 21 in WBT
Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
read chapter 21 in WEB
Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
read chapter 21 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerses 5, 6. - Here we have an abrupt transition. Job is about to controvert Zophar's theory of the certain retribution that overtakes the wicked man in this life, and to maintain that, on the contrary, he usually prospers (vers. 7-18). Knowing that, in thus running counter to the general religious teaching, he will arouse much horror and indignation on the part of those who hear him, he prefaces his remarks with a notice that they will cause astonishment, and an acknowledgment that he himself cannot reflect upon the subject without a feeling of alarm and dismay. He thus hopes partially to disarm his opponents. Verse 5. - Mark me; literally, look to me; i.e. "attend to me," for I am about to say something well worth attention. And be astonished. Prepare yourselves, i.e., for something that will astonish you. And lay your hand upon your mouth. Harpocrates, the Egyptian god of silence, was often represented with his finger on his lips (see the author's 'History of Ancient Egypt,' vol. 1. p. 362). The symbolism is almost universal. Job begs his auditors to "refrain their lips," and, however much astonished, to keep silence until he has concluded.
