The Meaning of Job 40:5 Explained

Job 40:5

KJV: Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

YLT: Once I have spoken, and I answer not, And twice, and I add not.

Darby: Once have I spoken, and I will not answer; yea twice, but I will proceed no further.

ASV: Once have I spoken, and I will not answer; Yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Once  have I spoken;  but I will not answer:  yea, twice;  but I will proceed no further. 

What does Job 40:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 40:1-24 - "hast Thou An Arm Like God?"
God seemed to await Job's reply to His questions. Job had protested that he would fill his mouth with arguments, but none was forthcoming. That vision of God had robbed him of self-reliance. He could only humbly acknowledge that he had uttered words enough. He must be led to the further confession, which will come presently, that he had sinned. Compare Job 42:6.
It was as though the Omniscient Eye still saw in Job some trust in himself; God therefore summoned him to array himself in his utmost glory and majesty and to argue his case further. But how impotent man is at the best!
The truth is driven home by a magnificent description of the hippopotamus, to whom the strongest and biggest of man's creations are child's play. If you cannot prevail against His creatures, how can you stand against the Creator? But if that Creator is your Father, how safe you are! [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 40

1  Job humbles himself to God
6  God stirs him up to show his righteousness, power, and wisdom
16  Of the behemoth

What do the individual words in Job 40:5 mean?

Once I have spoken but not I will answer and Yes twice but no I will proceed further -
אַחַ֣ת דִּ֭בַּרְתִּי וְלֹ֣א אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ה וּ֝שְׁתַּ֗יִם וְלֹ֣א אוֹסִֽיף פ

אַחַ֣ת  Once 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
דִּ֭בַּרְתִּי  I  have  spoken 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
וְלֹ֣א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ה  I  will  answer 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
וּ֝שְׁתַּ֗יִם  and  Yes  twice 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, fd
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
וְלֹ֣א  but  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אוֹסִֽיף  I  will  proceed  further 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation