Introduction to Job 4:4: Eliphaz and the Power of Speech
Job 4:4 is part of Eliphaz’s opening speech, where he reminds Job of his past influence and moral strength. The verse praises Job for encouraging the weak, using evocative imagery of stumbling and bowed knees. The focus of this study is the poetic structure and the grammatical form תְּאַמֵּֽץ, a Piel stem that adds causative force to the meaning of the verb “to be strong.” This article explores how Hebrew poetry combines verbal morphology and parallelism to create emotional and theological impact.
כֹּ֭ושֵׁל יְקִימ֣וּן מִלֶּ֑יךָ וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם כֹּרְעֹ֣ות תְּאַמֵּֽץ׃
Key Words and Grammatical Features
1. כֹּ֭ושֵׁל – “One who stumbles”
- Root: כ־שׁ־ל (“to stumble”)
- Form: Qal active participle, masculine singular
This participle serves as the subject of the parallel clause. It is a noun-like verb form that emphasizes a continual or characteristic state: “the one stumbling.” It sets the tone for the poetic parallel: weakness or instability.
2. יְקִימ֣וּן מִלֶּ֑יךָ – “Your words have raised [him] up”
- יְקִימ֣וּן – Hiphil imperfect 3rd masculine plural + paragogic nun (archaism for poetic emphasis)
- מִלֶּ֑יךָ – Construct plural of מִלָּה + 2ms suffix (“your words”)
The Hiphil stem of יְקִימ֣וּן shows causation: “they caused to stand.” This causative nuance indicates that Job’s words empowered the stumbling. The plural verb aligns with the plural noun מִלֶּ֑יךָ (“your words”), showing agreement and a direct syntactic relationship.
3. וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם כֹּרְעֹ֣ות – “and knees that were bowing”
- בִרְכַּ֖יִם – “knees,” a dual form noun
- כֹּרְעֹ֣ות – Qal active participle feminine plural of כ־ר־ע (“to bend, bow, collapse”)
The image shifts to knees collapsing under pressure. The participle again stresses ongoing or habitual weakness. This line visually balances the earlier clause and provides a new focus: physical frailty.
4. תְּאַמֵּֽץ – “you strengthen”
- Root: א־מ־ץ (“to be strong”)
- Form: Piel imperfect 2ms
The Piel stem makes this a causative-intensive verb: “you cause [them] to be strong.” Compared with the Qal, the Piel adds emphasis and intentionality. Job didn’t merely help others survive—he fortified their weakened limbs. The second person masculine singular subject identifies Job as the agent of this strengthening.
Poetic Parallelism: Symmetry and Emphasis
- First Clause: כֹּ֭ושֵׁל יְקִימ֣וּן מִלֶּ֑יךָ (“One stumbling—your words raised him”)
- Second Clause: וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם כֹּרְעֹ֣ות תְּאַמֵּֽץ (“And knees bowing—you strengthen”)
This is a clear case of synonymous parallelism, a hallmark of Hebrew poetry. Both lines express the same idea with variation: Job gives strength to the weak, whether defined as “those who stumble” or “knees that bow.” The balance of verbs (Hiphil + Piel), the use of participles, and the movement from speech (מִלֶּ֑יךָ) to action (תְּאַמֵּֽץ) display the rich poetic artistry of the verse.
Empowering the Weak: Syntax and Theological Implication
Job 4:4 showcases how Biblical Hebrew combines verbal morphology, poetic structure, and rhetorical parallelism to convey profound truths. Eliphaz paints Job as one whose words and actions alike uplift the weak. The use of the Piel stem in תְּאַמֵּֽץ implies deliberate effort—Job didn’t just witness suffering; he engaged it with fortifying strength. The syntax, especially the participle + imperfect verb pairing, highlights the tension between weakness and restoration. Thus, grammar becomes theology: the righteous empower, even when the world crumbles around them.
