Albert Barnes Commentary


Albert Barnes Commentary
"To whom hast thou uttered words? And whose spirit came forth from thee?" — Job 26:4 (ASV)
To whom hast thou uttered words? - Jerome renders this, Quem docere voluisti? “Whom do you wish to teach?” The sense is, “Do you attempt to teach me in such a manner, on such a subject? Do you take it that I am so ignorant of the perfections of God, that such remarks about him would convey any real instruction?”
And whose spirit came from thee? - That is, by whose spirit did you speak? What claims do you have to inspiration, or to the uttering of sentiments beyond what man himself could originate? The meaning is, that there was nothing remarkable in what he had said that would show that he had been indebted for it either to God or to the wise and good on earth.