Job 37:20

KJV

Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.

KJV (with Strong's)

Shall it be told {H5608} him that I speak {H1696}? if a man {H376} speak {H559}, surely he shall be swallowed up {H1104}.

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?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 37:20, part of Elihu's climactic discourse, powerfully encapsulates the vast chasm between God's unapproachable majesty and human frailty. Through a rhetorical question, Elihu asserts the utter futility and peril of any mortal attempting to contend with, instruct, or even fully comprehend the Almighty. The verse underscores the profound insignificance of human speech and understanding when confronted with the overwhelming power and wisdom of the divine, serving as a solemn warning against presumption and an invitation to profound humility.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated at the dramatic conclusion of Elihu's fourth and final speech (Job 36-37), immediately preceding God's direct intervention from the whirlwind in [Job 38:1](/job/38-1 "Job 38:1 - God Speaks from the Whirlwind"). Elihu, presented as a younger, more discerning voice than Job's three friends, has systematically argued for God's justice and righteousness, even in the midst of suffering. His discourse builds to a crescendo in [Job 37](/job/37 "Job 37 - Elihu's Final Exhortation"), where he vividly describes God's control over natural phenomena—thunder, lightning, clouds, and rain—to illustrate divine power and wisdom that far surpasses human comprehension. [Job 37:20](/job/37-20 "Job 37:20 - Human Folly Before God") acts as a rhetorical summation, aiming to silence any human complaint or challenge against God, setting the stage for God's own self-revelation which further emphasizes human inability to grasp divine ways.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The book of Job is set in the land of Uz, likely in the patriarchal period, characterized by a tribal, agrarian society. The cultural context emphasizes a profound respect for elders and wisdom, yet Elihu, despite his youth, asserts a divine inspiration that grants him authority. The prevailing worldview, particularly among Job's friends, was a retributive theology—that suffering was a direct consequence of sin. Elihu, while upholding God's justice, moves beyond this simplistic view by emphasizing God's sovereign freedom and inscrutable wisdom. The imagery of natural phenomena (thunder, storms, light) would have resonated deeply with an ancient audience, who often perceived such events as direct manifestations of divine power, inspiring awe and fear. The concept of "speaking" or "contending" with a deity was extremely dangerous in ancient Near Eastern cultures, where gods were often capricious and powerful, demanding absolute submission.
* **Key Themes:** [Job 37:20](/job/37-20 "Job 37:20 - Human Folly Before God") contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the book of Job and Elihu's speeches. Foremost is the theme of **God's Unapproachable Majesty and Sovereignty**. Elihu consistently portrays God as infinitely powerful, wise, and just, whose ways are beyond human scrutiny or challenge (cf. [Job 36:26](/job/36-26 "Job 36:26 - God's Unsearchable Greatness")). This leads directly to the theme of **Human Humility and Insignificance** in the face of divine glory. The verse highlights the vast ontological gap between Creator and creature, calling for profound reverence and a recognition of human limitation. Finally, it underscores the **Danger of Presumptuous Speech**, warning against the prideful inclination to question or challenge God's actions. Elihu's words anticipate God's own powerful rebuke of Job's presumption in [Job 38](/job/38 "Job 38 - God Challenges Job").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Swallowed up (Hebrew, _bālaʿ_):** This verb is exceptionally potent, conveying the idea of being utterly engulfed, consumed, absorbed, or obliterated. It is used elsewhere to describe the earth swallowing Dathan and Abiram ([Numbers 16:30](/numbers/16-30 "Numbers 16:30 - The Earth Swallows the Rebellious")), or a fish swallowing Jonah ([Jonah 1:17](/jonah/1-17 "Jonah 1:17 - Jonah Swallowed by a Great Fish")). In [Job 37:20](/job/37-20 "Job 37:20 - Human Folly Before God"), it vividly portrays the absolute disproportion between human frailty and divine might, suggesting that any human attempt to contend with God would result in immediate and complete annihilation or utter defeat, leaving no trace. It implies not just defeat, but a complete erasure of presence or significance.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Shall it be told him that I speak?"**: This is a rhetorical question, implying a resounding "No." Elihu is questioning the very possibility of a mere human presuming to inform God, or to speak to Him in a way that implies God is ignorant, needs instruction, or is subject to human critique. The "him" refers to God. The question highlights the absurdity of a finite, limited human being attempting to engage with the omniscient and omnipotent Creator on equal terms, or to offer Him counsel. It underscores God's absolute self-sufficiency and knowledge.
* **"if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up."**: This clause serves as the dire consequence and emphatic statement of the rhetorical question's implied answer. "If a man speak" refers to speaking presumptuously, challenging God, or attempting to contend with Him. The phrase "surely he shall be swallowed up" is a powerful declaration of the inevitable outcome: complete engulfment, annihilation, or utter defeat and insignificance. It emphasizes the overwhelming power of the divine presence, before which human words, arguments, or challenges are not merely futile but utterly obliterated.

#### Literary Devices
Elihu employs several powerful literary devices in [Job 37:20](/job/37-20 "Job 37:20 - Human Folly Before God") to convey his message. The primary device is a **Rhetorical Question** ("Shall it be told him that I speak?"), which is designed not to elicit an answer, but to make a statement more forcefully than a direct assertion. It compels the listener to acknowledge the obvious impossibility of a human instructing God. Following this, **Hyperbole** is evident in the phrase "surely he shall be swallowed up." While not literal physical consumption, it exaggerates the consequence to emphasize the absolute and overwhelming nature of God's power and the utter insignificance of human resistance. This hyperbole is reinforced by vivid **Imagery** of being "swallowed up," which evokes a 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](/job/37-20 "Job 37:20 - Human Folly Before God") is a profound theological statement on the nature of God and humanity. 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, 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.

* [Isaiah 55:8-9](/isaiah/55-8 "Isaiah 55:8-9 - God's Thoughts and Ways are Higher")
* [Romans 9:20-21](/romans/9-20 "Romans 9:20-21 - The Potter and the Clay")
* [Proverbs 9:10](/proverbs/9-10 "Proverbs 9:10 - The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
[Job 37:20](/job/37-20 "Job 37:20 - Human Folly Before God") serves as a timeless and sobering reminder for all believers: our place before God is one of profound humility, not of challenge or instruction. In a world that often encourages self-assertion and questioning authority, 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
* **In what areas of my life do I tend to question God's wisdom or sovereignty, rather than trusting His plan?**
* **How does my speech about God, both in prayer and conversation, reflect a proper reverence for His majesty?**
* **What does it mean to "be swallowed up" by God's presence in a spiritual, rather than literal, sense, and how can this lead to deeper faith?**
* **How can acknowledging my own limited understanding foster greater humility and dependence on God?**

### FAQ

**Does Job 37:20 imply that humans should never speak to God or question Him?**

Answer: Not at all. While [Job 37:20](/job/37-20 "Job 37:20 - Human Folly Before God") strongly warns against presumptuous or challenging speech towards God, it does not forbid honest communication. 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](/psalm/13 "Psalm 13 - How Long, O Lord?"), [Job 10:1-2](/job/10-1 "Job 10:1-2 - Job's Lament")). 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](/psalm/62-8 "Psalm 62:8 - Pour Out Your Heart to Him") encourages us to "pour out your heart before him."

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While [Job 37:20](/job/37-20 "Job 37:20 - Human Folly Before God") underscores the unapproachable majesty of God and the peril of human presumption, the New Testament reveals how this chasm is bridged in Christ. The very God who is so immense that human speech is "swallowed up" before Him is the God who became flesh in Jesus Christ ([John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh")). Through Christ, the unapproachable God has made Himself approachable, not through human merit or presumptuous speech, but through divine condescension and grace. The "swallowing up" imagery, which for Elihu meant destruction for the presumptuous, finds a paradoxical fulfillment in Christ's work on the cross, where He "swallowed up death in victory" ([Isaiah 25:8](/isaiah/25-8 "Isaiah 25:8 - He Will Swallow Up Death Forever"); [1 Corinthians 15:54](/1_corinthians/15-54 "1 Corinthians 15:54 - Death Swallowed Up in Victory")). 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](/hebrews/4-14 "Hebrews 4:14-16 - Jesus Our High Priest")). Through Him, we, though finite, are 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](/hebrews/4-16 "Hebrews 4:16 - Approach the Throne of Grace")). Thus, the warning of [Job 37:20](/job/37-20 "Job 37:20 - Human Folly Before God") highlights the very problem that only Christ could solve: bridging the infinite gap between a holy God and sinful humanity.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Job 6:3

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

Psalms 139:4

For [there is] not a word in my tongue, [but], lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Job 11:7

¶ Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

Job 11:8

[It is] as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

Matthew 12:36

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Matthew 12:37

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.