He putteth his mouth in the dust] Or, That he put his mouth in the dust. Humbling himself, even to the ground: 2 Samuel 12:16. and stopping his mouth as it were with the dust, for fear of breaking out into any repining language. Job 40. 4, 5. &42. 6.
if so be there may be hope] Heb. peradventure there is hope. as Genesis 32:20. Daniel 4:27.