Job 13:22 kjv
Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
Job 13:22 nkjv
Then call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, then You respond to me.
Job 13:22 niv
Then summon me and I will answer, or let me speak, and you reply to me.
Job 13:22 esv
Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you reply to me.
Job 13:22 nlt
Now summon me, and I will answer!
Or let me speak to you, and you reply.
Job 13 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 50:1-6 | The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks... He summons the heavens above... | God as Judge, summoning for judgment |
| Isa 1:18 | “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. | God inviting discourse, legal tone |
| Isa 41:21 | “Set forth your case,” says the LORD. “Bring your proofs,” says Jacob’s King. | God challenging for legal debate |
| Jer 33:3 | “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things" | God promises to answer calls |
| Hab 2:1 | I will stand at my watchpost... to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer | Expectation of divine communication |
| Zec 1:3 | "Return to Me," declares the LORD of hosts, "and I will return to you." | Call for relational response |
| Jas 4:8 | Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. | Mutual drawing near, spiritual encounter |
| Deut 32:4 | He is the Rock, His work is perfect... A God of faithfulness... | God's justice and righteousness |
| Psa 143:2 | Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for no one living is righteous | Acknowledges human unworthiness before God |
| Job 23:3-4 | Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even to His seat! I would plead my case | Job's persistent longing for a divine hearing |
| Job 31:35 | Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my mark; let the Almighty answer me! | Job's desire for God to respond to his plea |
| Job 9:15-16 | Though I am blameless, I could not answer Him; I would plead for mercy... If I called... He would not listen to my voice | Job's earlier skepticism about getting an answer |
| Job 10:2 | “I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me; let me know why You contend with me.'” | Job's desire for God to state His case |
| Psa 27:8 | My heart says, "Seek His face!" Your face, O LORD, I will seek. | Seeking God's direct presence and revelation |
| 1 Sam 3:9-10 | "Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.” | Ready posture to hear God's voice |
| Isa 58:9 | Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry... He will say, "Here I am." | God's promise to respond to faithful cries |
| Joel 2:32 | And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. | God responds to those who call upon Him |
| John 14:13 | Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified | Jesus promising answer to prayer |
| Heb 4:16 | Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy | Access to God with boldness in Christ |
| Heb 12:25 | See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. | Warning against refusing God's voice |
| 1 Pet 3:15 | Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason | Analogy of readiness to state one's case |
| Rom 9:20 | But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? | Counterpoint to Job's boldness |
Job 13 verses
Job 13 22 Meaning
Job 13:22 presents Job's bold challenge to God for a direct audience and dialogue. In his suffering, Job asserts his readiness to engage God in a judicial setting, offering two alternatives for initiating communication: either God speaks first, and Job will answer, or Job speaks first, and God must respond. This demonstrates Job's profound desire for a direct encounter and vindication from God himself, reflecting his conviction of innocence and his demand for a fair hearing.
Job 13 22 Context
Job 13:22 is embedded in Job’s fervent address, initially to his three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) and then transitioning into a direct appeal to God. Having just denounced his friends as worthless physicians and deceitful arguers who defend God deceptively, Job reaffirms his intention to bring his case directly before the Almighty, despite his fear (Job 13:1-12). This verse immediately follows his declaration of absolute trust in God even unto death ("Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him," Job 13:15).
Within the broader Book of Job, this verse encapsulates Job's persistent cry for a direct encounter with God to clarify his suffering and receive vindication. He challenges the conventional wisdom of his time, which held that suffering was a direct consequence of sin, and seeks a personal declaration from the divine Judge rather than accepting the verdict of his friends or remaining in silence and ambiguity. His plea is judicial in tone, characteristic of the legal metaphor that pervades much of the book, wherein Job views himself as an innocent defendant seeking a fair trial from God, the ultimate Judge.
Job 13 22 Word analysis
Call thou, (Hebrew: קָרָא (qārāʼ)) - "Call, summon, proclaim, read." Here, it implies God taking the initiative to speak or summon Job into His presence. Job, despite his pain, demonstrates an unusual boldness by placing God in a position of "calling," a challenge given the usual human-divine dynamic. This anticipates God as a legal accuser or judge calling Job forward.
and I will answer: (Hebrew: וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה (waʼănî ʼeʿĕneh)) - "And I, I will answer/respond." Job states his readiness and willingness to respond immediately, testify, or submit himself to interrogation if God initiates. This is Job positioning himself as the ready respondent, demonstrating confidence in his defense.
or speak, (Hebrew: אוֹ אֲדַבֵּרָה (ʾô ʼăḏabbērâ)) - "Or I will speak/declare/say." This presents the alternative: Job takes the initiative. The verb "dāḇar" (דָּבַר) is a common verb for speaking, but in this context, it takes on the meaning of presenting one's case, like a defendant opening their plea. It shows Job's equal confidence in being the prosecutor or presenting his argument.
and I will answer thee: (Hebrew: וְתָשִׁיבֵנִי (wəṯāšîḇēnî)) - "And You will answer me." This is the inverse of the first clause, completing the chiastic structure. If Job speaks, he expects God to respond. This is Job demanding a definitive answer or verdict from God, not simply passive endurance of suffering or silent acceptance. It’s a challenge for God to explain Himself or to vindicate Job.
"Call thou, and I will answer: or speak, and I will answer thee." This entire phrase exhibits a powerful parallelism and chiastic structure (ABBA), where "God calls, Job answers" is paralleled by "Job speaks, God answers." This rhetorical device emphasizes Job's overwhelming desire for direct communication with God, regardless of who initiates it. It’s a legal proposition, a defiant plea for a trial. Job is demanding accountability, either to explain his sin if he has committed one, or for God to explain the suffering of a righteous man. It encapsulates the core tension of the Book of Job: the innocent suffering, and the protagonist’s insistence on a face-to-face encounter with the Divine to resolve the cosmic dispute over his righteousness. This exchange reveals Job's faith is not merely submission but a robust wrestling with God's perceived justice.
Job 13 22 Bonus section
The audacity of Job's statement here is a striking characteristic of the Book of Job. It's unusual in biblical narratives for a human to propose terms of engagement with the Almighty in such a manner. This bold request sets Job apart from other biblical figures, anticipating a form of intimate, challenging spiritual "wrestling" with God. It foreshadows the eventual dialogue in Job 38-41, where God indeed "speaks" and Job "answers." Job's willingness to "stand up" and plead his case challenges conventional wisdom and piety that suggested absolute, unquestioning submission to God's ways. His legal metaphors reinforce the notion that he views God not merely as a sovereign ruler, but also as a divine judge who is ultimately just and will provide a fair hearing to His creatures.
Job 13 22 Commentary
Job 13:22 distills Job's central spiritual struggle: his passionate longing for a direct audience with God amidst his inexplicable suffering. It transcends mere complaint; it's a bold demand for a judicial process with God as the primary participant. Job's invitation ("Call thou... or speak...") is audacious, revealing his deep conviction of innocence and his unwavering belief in God’s ultimate justice, even when His present actions seem to contradict it. He’s not defying God's power, but questioning His current dealings and silence, insisting on His righteousness to be displayed in a public, decisive manner. This verse highlights Job’s profound faith that God is not capricious but is governed by justice and truth, a justice Job feels he can appeal to directly. It exemplifies the wrestling faith that persists in seeking answers from God even in the deepest anguish.
Examples: A believer, like Job, may feel unjustly afflicted and seek a deeper, clearer understanding from God through persistent prayer and questioning (not accusing), trusting God for revelation and vindication. It encourages boldness in bringing one's whole self—including confusion and pain—before God, expecting His loving engagement and response.