Job 21:5

21:5 Look ¹  at me and be appalled;

put your hands over your mouths. ² 

Job 29:9

29:9 the chief men refrained from talking

and covered their mouths with their hands;

Job 40:4-5

40:4 “Indeed, I am completely unworthy ³  – how could I reply to you?

I put ⁴  my hand over my mouth to silence myself. ⁵ 

40:5 I have spoken once, but I cannot answer;

twice, but I will say no more.” ⁶ 

Proverbs 30:32

30:32 If you have done foolishly by exalting yourself ⁷ 

or if you have planned evil,

put ⁸  your hand over your mouth!

Micah 7:16

7:16 Nations will see this and be disappointed by ⁹  all their strength,

they will put their hands over their mouths,

and act as if they were deaf. ¹⁰ 

[21:5]  ¹ tn The verb פְּנוּ (pÿnu) is from the verb “to turn,” related to the word for “face.” In calling for them to turn toward him, he is calling for them to look at him. But here it may be more in the sense of their attention rather than just a looking at him.

[21:5]  ² tn The idiom is “put a hand over a mouth,” the natural gesture for keeping silent and listening (cf. Job 29:9; 40:4; Mic 7:16).

[40:4]  ³ tn The word קַלֹּתִי (qalloti) means “to be light; to be of small account; to be unimportant.” From this comes the meaning “contemptible,” which in the causative stem would mean “to treat with contempt; to curse.” Dhorme tries to make the sentence a conditional clause and suggests this meaning: “If I have been thoughtless.” There is really no “if” in Job’s mind.

[40:4]  ⁴ tn The perfect verb here should be classified as an instantaneous perfect; the action is simultaneous with the words.

[40:4]  ⁵ tn The words “to silence myself” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[40:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “I will not add.”

[30:32]  ⁷ tn The construction has the בְּ (bet) preposition with the Hitpael infinitive construct, forming a temporal clause. This clause explains the way in which the person has acted foolishly.

[30:32]  ⁸ tn Heb “hand to mouth.” This express means “put your hand to your mouth” (e.g., Job 40:4, 5); cf. NIV “clap your hand over.”

[7:16]  ⁹ tn Or “be ashamed of.”

[7:16]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and their ears will be deaf.” Apparently this means the opposing nations will be left dumbfounded by the Lord’s power. Their inability to respond will make them appear to be deaf mutes.