Job 23:5

I would know the words [which] he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

I would know {H3045} the words {H4405} which he would answer {H6030} me, and understand {H995} what he would say {H559} unto me.

I would know his answering words and grasp what he would tell me.

I would learn how He would answer, and consider what He would say.

I would know the words which he would answer me, And understand what he would say unto me.

Commentary

In Job 23:5, the patriarch Job expresses his profound and desperate desire for a direct encounter and clear communication with God. Amidst his immense suffering and the relentless, often unhelpful, accusations from his friends, Job longs for a divine audience where he can present his case and receive a direct answer to his existential questions.

Context

This verse is part of Job's third monologue (Job chapters 23-24), where he continues to grapple with his inexplicable suffering. Having lost his children, wealth, and health, and being continually pressed by his three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) to confess sin as the cause of his calamities, Job steadfastly maintains his innocence. His greatest desire is not for comfort from his friends, but for a direct, face-to-face meeting with God himself. He believes that if he could just present his argument to the Almighty, he would be vindicated, as previously expressed in Job 13:3, "Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God." Here, his yearning follows his lament in Job 23:3, "Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!"

Key Themes

  • The Quest for Divine Communication: Job's core desire is not just for an answer, but for the very words God would speak. He seeks clarity, justification, and an end to the divine silence that compounds his agony. This highlights the universal human longing for God's presence and understanding.
  • The Problem of Unanswered Suffering: The verse powerfully encapsulates the human struggle to reconcile intense, undeserved suffering with the perceived silence or hiddenness of a just and loving God. Job feels unheard and unseen, intensifying his spiritual anguish.
  • Seeking Understanding (not just Information): Job doesn't merely want information; he wants to "understand what he would say." This points to a deeper desire for insight into God's ways and purposes, especially concerning his own plight.
  • The Right to a Fair Hearing: Implicit in Job's plea is his conviction that he has a legitimate case and that a fair hearing from God would clear his name and explain his suffering.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew words used here convey a depth beyond mere intellectual knowing:

  • "Know" (ื™ึธื“ึทืข - yada'): This term implies a deep, intimate, experiential knowledge, not just factual information. Job wants to truly comprehend God's perspective and the reasons behind his circumstances.
  • "Understand" (ื‘ึผึดื™ืŸ - bin): This word suggests discernment, the ability to distinguish between things, and to gain insight. Job desires not just words, but the wisdom to grasp their full meaning and implications for his life.

Practical Application

Job's desperate plea resonates deeply with believers today:

  • Honesty in Prayer: Job's raw, unvarnished honesty in expressing his confusion, pain, and longing for answers models an authentic approach to God. It is permissible and even healthy to bring our deepest questions and frustrations before Him.
  • Trust Amidst Silence: While Job yearns for an immediate answer, the book of Job ultimately teaches that God's ways and thoughts are often far beyond human comprehension (Isaiah 55:8-9). Our faith is often tested not by God's absence, but by His perceived silence or the answers we don't expect.
  • The Value of Listening: Job wants God to speak, and ultimately, God does speak to Job from the whirlwind in Job 38:1. This reminds us that while we seek answers, our posture should also be one of listening for God's voice, whether through His Word, prayer, or the circumstances of life.
Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 1 Corinthians 4:3 (3 votes)

    But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:4 (3 votes)

    For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

  • Job 42:2 (2 votes)

    I know that thou canst do every [thing], and [that] no thought can be withholden from thee.

  • Job 42:6 (2 votes)

    Wherefore I abhor [myself], and repent in dust and ashes.

  • Job 13:22 (2 votes)

    Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

  • Job 13:23 (2 votes)

    ยถ How many [are] mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

  • Job 10:2 (2 votes)

    I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.