TRV
Translation
King James Version
Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.
Complete Jewish Bible
Is he to be told that I will speak? Can a man speak at all when he is already swallowed up?
Berean Standard Bible
Should He be told that I want to speak? Would a man ask to be swallowed up?
American Standard Version
Shall it be told him that I would speak? Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?
World English Bible Messianic
Shall it be told him that I would speak? Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?
Geneva Bible (1599)
Shall it be told him when I speake? or shall man speake when he shalbe destroyed?
Young's Literal Translation
Is it declared to Him that I speak? If a man hath spoken, surely he is swallowed up.
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In the KJVVerse 13,790 of 31,102
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Commentary on Job 37 verses 14–20
14 ¶ Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?
16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?
17 How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind?
18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?
19 Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.
Elihu here addresses himself closely to Job, desiring him to apply what he had hitherto said to himself. He begs that he would hearken to this discourse (Job 37:14), that he would pause awhile: Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. What we hear is not likely to profit us unless we consider it, and we are not likely to consider things fully unless we stand still and compose ourselves to the consideration of them. The works of God, being wondrous, both deserve and need our consideration, and the due consideration of them will help to reconcile us to all his providences. Elihu, for the humbling of Job, shows him,
I. That he had no insight into natural causes, could neither see the springs of them nor foresee the effects of them (Job 37:15-17): Dost thou know this and know that which are the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge? We are here taught, 1. The perfection of God's knowledge. It is one of the most glorious perfections of God that he is perfect in knowledge; he is omniscient. His knowledge is intuitive: he sees, and does not know by report. It is intimate and entire: he knows things truly, and not by their colours - thoroughly, and not by piecemeal. To his knowledge there is nothing distant, but all near - nothing future, but all present - nothing hid, but all open. We ought to acknowledge this in all his wondrous works, and it is sufficient to satisfy us in those wondrous works which we know not the meaning of that they are the works of one that knows what he does. 2. The imperfection of our knowledge. The greatest philosophers are much in the dark concerning the powers and works of nature. We are a paradox to ourselves, and every thing about us is a mystery. The gravitation of bodies, and the cohesion of the parts of matter, are most certain, and yet unaccountable. It is good for us to be made sensible of our own ignorance. Some have confessed their ignorance, and those that would not do this have betrayed it. But we must all infer from it what incompetent judges we are of the divine politics, when we understand so little even of the divine mechanics. (1.) We know not what orders God has given concerning the clouds, nor what orders he will give, Job 37:15. That all is done by determination and with design we are sure; but what is determined, and what designed, and when the plan was laid, we know not. God often causes the light of his cloud to shine, in the rainbow (so some), in the lightning (so others); but did we foresee, or could we foretell, when he would to it? If we foresee the change of weather a few hours before, by vulgar observation, or when second causes have begun to work by the weather-glass, yet how little do these show us of the purposes of God by these changes! (2.) We know not how the clouds are poised in the air, the balancing of them, which is one of the wondrous works of God. They are so balanced, so spread, that they never rob us of the benefit of the sun (even the cloudy day is day), so balanced that they do not fall at once, nor burst into cataracts or water-spouts. The rainbow is an intimation of God's favour in balancing the clouds so as to keep them from drowning the world. Nay, so are they balanced that they impartially distribute their showers on the earth, so that, one time or other, every place has its share. (3.) We know not how the comfortable change comes when the winter is past, Job 37:17. [1.] How the weather becomes warm after it has been cold. We know how our garment came to be warm upon us, that is, how we come to be warm in our clothes, by reason of the warmth of the air we breathe in. Without God's blessing we should clothe ourselves, yet not be warm, Hag 1:6. But, when he so orders it, the clothes are warm upon us, which, in the extremity of cold weather, would not serve to keep us warm. [2.] How it becomes calm after it has been stormy: He quiets the earth by the south wind, when the spring comes. As he has a blustering freezing north wind, so he has a thawing, composing, south wind; the Spirit is compared to both, because he both convinces and comforts, Sol 4:16.
II. That he had no share at all in the first making of the world (Job 37:18): "Hast thou with him spread out the sky? Thou canst not pretend to have stretched it out without him, no, nor to have stretched it out in conjunction with him; for he was far from needing any help either in contriving or in working." The creation of the vast expanse of the visible heavens (Gen 1:6-8), which we see in being to this day, is a glorious instance of the divine power, considering, 1. That, though it is fluid, yet it is firm. It is strong, and has its name from its stability. It still is what it was, and suffers no decay, nor shall the ordinances of heaven be altered till the lease expires with time. 2. That, though it is large, it is bright and most curiously fine: It is a molten looking-glass, smooth and polished, and without the least flaw or crack. In this, as in a looking-glass, we may behold the glory of God and the wisdom of his handy work, Psa 19:1. When we look up to heaven above we should remember it is a mirror or looking-glass, not to show us our own faces, but to be a faint representation of the purity, dignity, and brightness of the upper world and its glorious inhabitants.
III. That neither he nor they were able to speak of the glory of God in any proportion to the merit of the subject, Job 37:19, Job 37:20. 1. He challenges Job to be their director, if he durst undertake the task. He speaks it ironically: "Teach us, if thou canst, what we shall say unto him, Job 37:19. Thou hast a mind to reason with God, and wouldst have us to contend with him on thy behalf; teach us then what we shall say. Canst thou see further into this abyss than we can? If thou canst, favour us with thy discoveries, furnish us with instructions." 2. He owns his own insufficiency both in speaking to God and in speaking of him: We cannot order our speech by reason of darkness. Note, The best of men are much in the dark concerning the glorious perfections of the divine nature and the administrations of the divine government. Those that through grace know much of God, yet know little, yea, nothing, in comparison with what is to be known, and what will be known, when that which is perfect shall come and the veil shall be rent. When we would speak of God we speak confusedly and with great uncertainly, and are soon at a loss and run aground, not for want of matter, but for want of words. As we must always begin with fear and trembling, lest we speak amiss (De Deo etiam vera dicere periculosum est - Even while affirming what is true concerning God we incur risk), so we must conclude with shame and blushing, for having spoken no better. Elihu himself had, for his part, spoken well on God's behalf, and yet is so far from expecting a fee, or thinking that God was beholden to him for it, or that he was fit to be standing counsel for him, that (1.) He is even ashamed of what he has said, not of the cause, but of his own management of it: "Shall it be told him that I speak? Job 37:20. Shall it be reported to him as a meritorious piece of service, worthy his notice? By no means; let it never be spoken of," for he fears that the subject has suffered by his undertaking it, as a fine face is wronged by a bad painter, and his performance is so far from meriting thanks that it needs pardon. When we have done all we can for God we must acknowledge that we are unprofitable servants and have nothing at all to boast of. He is afraid of saying any more: If a man speak, if he undertake to plead for God, much more if he offer to plead against him, surely he shall be swallowed up. If he speak presumptuously, God's wrath shall soon consume him; but, if ever so well, he will soon lose himself in the mystery and be over powered by the divine lustre. Astonishment will strike him blind and dumb.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 14–20. Public domain.
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Julian of EclanumAD 455
EXPOSITION ON THE BOOK OF JOB 37:21-22
“But now they do not see the light; suddenly the sky is covered with clouds; and the passing wind will drive them away.” With his words he demonstrates how they do not see the light he demonstrates with his words by saying, “Suddenly the sky is covered with clouds”; the splendor of the sun is hidden by thick clouds and a darkened sky, but it is called back for the use of mortals through the repelling of the clouds. “From Aquilon comes gold.” “From Aquilon the golden-colored clouds [come], the great glory and honor of God is in them.” “From Aquilon gold comes.” He said “Aquilon” for the east and “gold” for dawn, which imitates the appearance of the shining metal with its glowing color. “And the timorous praise of God”; certainly the service of praising him is not taken without fear because of the immensity of his fame.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
As if he plainly said; The unheard truths which I declare to Him, from an acute sense of His praises, who can repeat, even after he has heard them? But because, when learning and arrogance contend together in the habitation of the same mind, there sounds forth from the mouth of the speaker not merely levity of behaviour, but also gravity of sentiment; after Eliu had been puffed up in levity by arrogance, saying, Who will tell Him the things which I say? he presently subjoined, through his learning,
Even if a man shall speak, he shall he swallowed up.
67. Every thing which devours any thing, draws it inwards, and conceals it from the eyes of beholders, and hurries into the deep an object which could be seen on the surface. A man, therefore, when he is silent about God, seems to be something on account of the reason with which he was made. But if he begins to speak about God, it is at once shown how nought he is; because he is devoured by the immensity of His greatness, and is hurried, as it were, into the deep, and is concealed. For wishing to speak of the Ineffable, he is swallowed up by the narrowness of his own ignorance. For flesh speaks of the Spirit, the circumscribed spirit of the Uncircumscribed, the creature of the Creator, the temporal of the Eternal, the mutable of the Immutable, the mortal of the Quickener. And since, being placed in darkness, he knows not the inward light, as it really is, a man wishing to discourse of eternity, speaks as a blind man of the light. If then a man shall speak, he shall be swallowed up: because if a man wishes to speak of eternity as it is, he takes away also from himself even the sense he has of it when silent. But, behold! eternity then became truly known to men, when It showed Itself to them by assuming man’s nature. But because this had not yet been revealed.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Job 37:20, embedded within Elihu's profound discourse, serves as a powerful rhetorical assertion of God's unapproachable majesty and the utter futility of human presumption. Through a pointed question and a dire consequence, Elihu underscores the vast ontological chasm between the infinite Creator and finite humanity, warning against any attempt to contend with, instruct, or even fully comprehend the Almighty. The verse emphasizes the profound insignificance of human speech and understanding when confronted with divine power and wisdom, compelling a posture of humility and reverent awe before the sovereign God.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Elihu employs several powerful literary devices in Job 37:20 to convey his message with dramatic impact. The primary device is a Rhetorical Question ("Shall it be told him that I speak?"), which is posed not to elicit an answer, but to make a statement more forcefully than a direct assertion. It compels the listener, particularly Job, to acknowledge the obvious impossibility and arrogance of a human attempting to instruct or contend with God. Following this, Hyperbole is powerfully evident in the phrase "surely he shall be swallowed up." While not implying literal physical consumption, it exaggerates the consequence to emphasize the absolute and overwhelming nature of God's power and the utter insignificance and vulnerability of human resistance. This hyperbole is reinforced by vivid Imagery of being "swallowed up," which evokes a profound sense of complete absorption, destruction, and loss of identity or presence, underscoring the immense chasm between divine majesty and human frailty.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Elihu's declaration in Job 37:20 is a profound theological statement on the nature of God and humanity, particularly concerning the appropriate posture of a creature before its Creator. It asserts God's absolute sovereignty, omniscience, and unchallengeable power, contrasting it sharply with human finitude, ignorance, and vulnerability. This verse compels a posture of profound humility and reverence before the Creator, serving as a solemn warning against the spiritual danger of prideful speech or presumptuous questioning of divine wisdom, especially in the face of inexplicable suffering. It reinforces the biblical truth that God's ways are higher than human ways, and His thoughts deeper than human thoughts, demanding trust and submission rather than intellectual conquest or argumentative challenge.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 37:20 serves as a timeless and sobering reminder for all believers: our proper place before God is one of profound humility, not of challenge or instruction. In a world that often encourages self-assertion, questioning authority, and demanding answers, this verse calls us to recognize the infinite wisdom and power of our Creator, whose thoughts and ways are far beyond our full comprehension. It does not forbid prayer or honest wrestling with God in our suffering, but it does caution against approaching Him with arrogance, demanding answers, or presuming to dictate His actions. Instead, it invites a posture of reverent awe, trusting that even when we do not understand His purposes, His character remains just, good, and sovereign. Our words to God should be marked by dependence, supplication, and worship, acknowledging that He is God and we are but dust. This humility fosters true faith, allowing us to find peace in His sovereignty even amidst life's most perplexing trials.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Job 37:20 imply that humans should never speak to God or question Him?
Answer: Not at all. While Job 37:20 strongly warns against presumptuous or challenging speech directed at God, it does not forbid honest communication or heartfelt lament. The Bible is replete with examples of individuals crying out to God in distress, expressing their confusion, and even wrestling with Him in prayer (e.g., Psalm 13, Job 10:1-2). The key distinction lies in the posture of the heart. Elihu is condemning arrogant speech that seeks to instruct or accuse God, implying that a finite human can comprehend or judge the infinite Creator. We are invited to bring our petitions and laments before God with humility, recognizing His sovereignty and wisdom, even when we do not understand His ways. Our speech should always be marked by reverence and trust in His ultimate goodness, as Psalm 62:8 encourages us to "pour out your heart before him."
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job 37:20 powerfully underscores the unapproachable majesty of God and the peril of human presumption, the New Testament reveals how this vast chasm is miraculously bridged in Jesus Christ. The very God who is so immense that human speech is "swallowed up" before Him is the God who, in an act of profound condescension, became flesh and dwelt among us in the person of Jesus (John 1:14). Through Christ, the unapproachable God has made Himself approachable, not through human merit or presumptuous speech, but through divine grace and sacrifice. The "swallowing up" imagery, which for Elihu meant destruction for the presumptuous, finds a paradoxical fulfillment in Christ's redemptive work on the cross, where He Himself "swallowed up death in victory" (Isaiah 25:8; 1 Corinthians 15:54). Furthermore, the ultimate "speaking" that was not "swallowed up" but fully heard and honored by God was the perfect obedience and intercession of Jesus, our great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16). Because of Him, we, though finite and fallen, are now given the privilege to "draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Thus, the warning of Job 37:20 highlights the very problem that only Christ could solve: bridging the infinite gap between a holy God and sinful humanity, making true communion possible.