גַּ֤ם אָנֹכִי֮ כָּכֶ֪ם אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה ל֤וּ־יֵ֪שׁ נַפְשְׁכֶ֡ם תַּ֤חַת נַפְשִׁ֗י אַחְבִּ֣ירָה עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם בְּמִלִּ֑ים וְאָנִ֥יעָה עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם בְּמֹ֣ו רֹאשִֽׁי׃ (Job 16:4)
I also, like you, would speak; if only your soul were in place of mine, I would join words together over you, and I would shake over you with the nodding of my head.
Overview: Expressing Irony Through Binyanim
Job 16:4 is a masterful example of Biblical Hebrew’s expressive potential. In this verse, Job sarcastically imagines himself trading places with his accusers. The verbs he chooses reflect control, creativity, and confrontation—each shaped by its binyan. This passage showcases the expressive nuance of Piel, Hiphil, and Hiphil forms.
Table of Main Verbs and Binyanim
| Verb | Root | Binyan | Form | Function / Nuance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֲדַבֵּרָה | דבר | Piel | Cohortative 1cs | Emphatic, intentional speech |
| אַחְבִּירָה | חבר | Hiphil | Cohortative 1cs | To compose or connect words—poetic construction |
| אָנִיעָה | נוע | Hiphil | Cohortative 1cs | To shake or cause movement—used figuratively here |
Piel Form: Deliberate Speech
אֲדַבֵּרָה (Let me speak)
– Piel intensifies the root דבר (to speak).
– It is marked with a cohortative ending (“-ָה”) indicating strong volition or polite resolve.
– Job here mocks his companions: “I too could play your role and speak endlessly.”
Hiphil Form: Causing and Constructing
אַחְבִּירָה (Let me join)
– From חבר (to join), this verb in Hiphil reflects causation—“cause to join.”
– Job sarcastically imagines weaving words together, not for truth but to afflict, just as his accusers have done.
– The root normally implies connection or fellowship, but here it’s weaponized.
אָנִיעָה (Let me shake)
– From נוע (to move/shake), the Hiphil conveys “I would cause trembling.”
– This verb might refer to Job’s shaking his head mockingly, which underscores disdain.
– It is a gesture, not merely a verb: a physical act reinforcing verbal scorn.
Syntax and Literary Irony
Job sets up a conditional framework:
– “If your soul were in my place…”
– “I would speak… I would join words… I would shake…”
The string of cohortatives forms a dramatic build-up, with each verb escalating the image of performative rhetoric. It is not a lament but a mock performance, parading how easily he could imitate his friends’ hollow accusations if their roles were reversed.
Theology in Binyanim: Misery and Mockery
The Piel form introduces human will and rhetorical performance. The Hiphil forms add deliberate causation: Job would not just speak—he would actively build and move words against them.
In a poetic twist, the verse reminds us:
– Grammatical force mirrors ethical force.
– The stronger the verb form, the harsher the moral irony.
From Words to Wounds: The Subtle Grammar of Sarcasm
This verse isn’t just a complaint—it’s a stylized indictment. Through careful binyan selection, Job reverses roles, weaponizes verbs, and exposes his accusers’ lack of empathy.
By reading the binyanim, we hear more than Hebrew—we hear the emotional weight behind the grammar. That’s the power of biblical Hebrew: a language where even a conjugation can carry thunder.
