Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 2. How long will it be ere ye make an end ] It is difficult to say to whom this address is made: being in the plural number, it can hardly be supposed to mean Job only. It probably means all present; as if he had said, It is vain to talk with this man, and follow him through all his quibbles: take notice of this, and then let us all deliver our sentiments fully to him, without paying any regard to his self-vindications. It must be owned that this is the plan which Bildad followed; and he amply unburdens a mind that was labouring under the spirit of rancour and abuse.
Instead of How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? Mr. Good translates: "How long will ye plant thorns (irritating, lacerating, wounding invectives) among words?" translating the unusual term yxnq kintsey, thorns, instead of bounds or limits. The word yxnq kintsey may be the Chaldee form for yxq kitsey, the n nun being inserted by the Chaldeans for the sake of euphony, as is frequently done; and it may be considered as the contracted plural from Åq kats, a thorn, from Åq kats, to lacerate, rather than Åq kets, an end, from hxq katsah, to cut off. Schultens and others have contended that Ånq kanats, is an Arabic word, used also in Hebrew; that (Arabic) kanasa, signifies to hunt, to lay snares; and hence (Arabic) maknas, a snare: and that the words should be translated, "How long will you put captious snares in words?" But I prefer yxnq kintsey, as being the Chaldee form for yxq kitsey, whether it be considered as expressing limits or thorns; as the whole instance is formed after the Chaldee model, as is evident, not only in the word in question, but also in ylml lemillin, to words, the Chaldee plural instead of µylml lemillim, the Hebrew plural.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - Bildad had before given Job good advice and encouragement; here he use nothing but rebukes, and declared his ruin. And he concluded that Jo shut out the providence of God from the management of human affairs because he would not admit himself to be wicked.
Original Hebrew עד5704 אנה575 תשׂימון7760 קנצי7078 למלין4405 תבינו995 ואחר310 נדבר׃1696
