Job 13:13

Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Hold your peace.—He now prepares to make a declaration like the memorable one in Job 19. He resolves at all hazards to face God in judgment.

Benson Commentary

Job 13:13. Hold your peace — Do not now interrupt me in my discourse; which, peradventure, he observed by their gestures, some of them were now attempting; let me alone, that I may speak — That I may freely utter my whole mind; let come on me what will — Whatever the event may be, I am determined to speak in my own defence. My friends may put an unfavourable construction upon it, and think the worse of me for it; but I hope God will not make my necessary defence to be my offence, as they do: he will justify me, (Job 13:18,) and then nothing can come amiss to me. Those that are upright, and have the assurance of their uprightness, may cheerfully welcome every event. Come what will, they are ready for it.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

13:13-22 Job resolved to cleave to the testimony his own conscience gave of his uprightness. He depended upon God for justification and salvation, the two great things we hope for through Christ. Temporal salvation he little expected, but of his eternal salvation he was very confident; that God would not only be his Saviour to make him happy, but his salvation, in the sight and enjoyment of whom he should be happy. He knew himself not to be a hypocrite, and concluded that he should not be rejected. We should be well pleased with God as a Friend, even when he seems against us as an enemy. We must believe that all shall work for good to us, even when all seems to make against us. We must cleave to God, yea, though we cannot for the present find comfort in him. In a dying hour, we must derive from him living comforts; and this is to trust in him, though he slay us.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Hold your peace - Margin, Be silent from me; see Job 13:5. It is possible that Job may have perceived in them some disposition to interrupt him in a rude manner in reply to the severe remarks which he had made, and he asked the privilege, therefore, of being permitted to go on, and to say what he intended, let come what would.

And let come on me what will - Anything, whether reproaches from you, or additional sufferings from the hand of God. Allow me to express my sentiments, whatever may be the consequences to myself. One cannot but be forcibly reminded by this verse of the remark of the Greek philosopher, "Strike, but hear me."

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

13. Job would wish to be spared their speeches, so as to speak out all his mind as to his wretchedness (Job 13:14), happen what will.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Do not now interrupt me in my discourse; which peradventure he observed by their gestures some of them were now attempting.

That I may speak; that I may freely utter my whole mind.

Let come on me what will: for the event of my discourse with God, wherewith you threaten me, I am willing to submit myself to him, to do with me as he pleaseth; for I know he will not judge so severely and partially of me, or my words, as you do, but will accept what is good, and pass by any circumstantial defects in my person or speech, as knowing that I speak from an upright heart.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Hold your peace, let me alone,.... Or, cease "from me" (i): from speaking to me, or hindering me from speaking. Job might perceive, by some motions of his friends, that they were about to interrupt him; and therefore he desires they would be silent, and let him go on:

that I may speak; or, "and I will speak",

and let come on me what will; either from men, or from God himself; a good man, when he knows his cause is good, and he has truth on his side, is not careful or concerned what reproach may be cast upon him, or what censures from men he may undergo; or what persecutions from them he may endure; none of these things move him from his duty, or can stop his mouth from speaking the truth; let him be threatened with what he will, he cannot but speak the things which he has seen and heard, and knows to be true; as for what may come upon him from God, that he is not solicitous about; he knows he will lay nothing upon him but what is common to men, will support him under it, or deliver him from it in his own time and way, or however make all things work together for his good: some render it, "and let something pass by me", or "from me" (k); that is, somewhat of his grief and sorrow, while he was speaking and pouring out his complaints before God; but the former sense seems best.

(i) "desistite a me", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. (k) "ut transeat praeter me aliquid, vel a me", Schmidt.

Geneva Study Bible

Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. that I may speak] Emphasis on I,—that I now may speak. The last clause intimates his resolve to speak at all risks.

13–22. Job now turns from his friends, whom he commands to be silent, to his great plea with God, resuming the intention expressed in Job 13:3. The passage has two parts, one preliminary, Job 13:13-16, exhibiting a singular picture of the conflict between resolution and fear in Job’s mind. He will go before God come upon him what will (Job 13:13). Yet he cannot hide from himself that it may be at the hazard of his life. Yet he will not be deterred; he will defend his ways to God’s face (Job 13:14-15). And yet again, this very courage which he has, arising from his sense of innocence, is a token to him that he shall be victorious (Job 13:16). The second part, Job 13:17-22. Feeling that the victory is already his he commands his friends to mark his pleading of his cause. He knows he shall be found in the right. Nay, no one will even plead against him (Job 13:17-19). Only he begs two conditions of God, That He would lift His afflicting hand from him, and, That He would not affright him with His terror (Job 13:20-22).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak; literally, be silent from me that I may speak; but our version gives the true meaning. Job repeats the entreaty with which he had bemoan (vers. 5, 6). And let some on me what will. Job is prepared to face the worst. He feels, as he expresses it below (ver. 19), that, if he holds his tongue, he must die. He must speak, and speak he will. After that, let God do as he may please - he will accept his punishment, if God thinks fit to punish him. Job 13:13

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Be silent therefore from me, he says to them, i.e., stand away from me and leave me in peace (opp. החרישׁ אל, Isaiah 41:1): then will I speak, or: in order that I may speak (the cohortative usual in apod. imper.) - he, and he alone, will defend (i.e., against God) his cause, which they have so uncharitably abandoned in spite of their better knowledge and conscience, let thereby happen (עבר, similar to Deuteronomy 24:5) to him מה, whatever may happen (מה שׁיעבר); or more simply: whatever it may be, quidquid est, as 2 Samuel 18:22 ויהי מה, let happen whatever may happen; or more simply: whatever it may be, like מה דּבר quodcunque, Numbers 23:3; מי occurs also in a similar sense, thus placed last (Ewald, 104, d).