Job 32 20

Job 32:20 kjv

I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.

Job 32:20 nkjv

I will speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.

Job 32:20 niv

I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and reply.

Job 32:20 esv

I must speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.

Job 32:20 nlt

I must speak to find relief,
so let me give my answers.

Job 32 verses

Job 32 20 Meaning

Job 32:20 conveys Elihu's irresistible compulsion to speak due to an overwhelming inner spiritual pressure. He feels so full of words and insights, like a wineskin ready to burst, that he must articulate them to find personal relief and address the arguments put forth by Job and his friends. His speaking is presented as a necessary discharge of his burdened spirit.

Job 32 20 Context

Elihu's sudden entrance into the Joban dialogue in Job chapter 32 is pivotal. Having patiently listened to Job and his three friends exhaust their arguments, Elihu, a younger man, becomes indignant at both Job's self-righteousness and the friends' inability to refute Job effectively (Job 32:2-3). Prior to verse 20, Elihu explains his restraint, acknowledging the wisdom of age, yet asserting that wisdom comes from God's Spirit, not merely from years (Job 32:6-9). He then describes his intense internal struggle in Job 32:18-19, likening it to new wine that needs a vent or a wine-skin ready to burst. Verse 20 is the resolution of this internal pressure; he must speak, not out of pride, but out of a deep-seated conviction that has accumulated and is now bursting forth, needing to be relieved. He intends to speak clearly and impartially to address the deadlock in the debate.

Job 32 20 Word analysis

• אֲדַבְּרָה ('adabbᵉrâ): "I will speak."
  • This is a cohortative verb form in Hebrew, which often expresses intention, resolution, or purpose. It highlights Elihu's determined resolve. It is not a suggestion, but a declaration of what he will do.
  • Significance: Emphasizes a definitive action born out of deep conviction.
• וְיִרְוַח־לִי (wəyirwaḥ-lî): "that I may find relief/room for me."
  • From the root rûaḥ, meaning "to breathe, widen, be relieved." The context in Job 32:18-19 connects this relief to the pressure of internal "spirit" (rûaḥ in Hebrew also means spirit/breath) and unvented words.
  • Significance: His speaking is primarily to release an internal, compelling burden, not merely to inform or dispute, though those follow. It is an exhalation of intense spiritual fullness.
• אֶפְתַּח ('eptaḥ): "I will open."
  • A common verb for opening. Here, it signifies the act of giving free expression.
  • Significance: It's a deliberate act to give passage to the words held within, contrasting with his prior restraint.
• שְׂפָתַי (śəp̄āṯay): "my lips."
  • Refers to the physical organs of speech, emphasizing vocal articulation.
  • Significance: His words are not merely thoughts but will be audibly uttered, becoming part of the public discourse.
• וְאֶעֱנֶה (wə'e'eneh): "and I will answer."
  • From the root 'ānâ, meaning "to answer, respond, declare." Implies responding to the ongoing dialogue and the specific arguments presented by Job and his friends.
  • Significance: His speech is positioned as a contribution to the debate, a counter-argument, or a new perspective presented in response to the preceding arguments.

Words-group analysis:

• "I will speak, that I may find relief": This phrase encapsulates the core motivation for Elihu's forthcoming discourse. His words are not solely for Job's benefit or the friends', but for his own internal discharge of spiritual fullness and intense conviction, which has become a painful burden to bear silently. It suggests a divine impetus behind his speech, a holy unction that cannot be contained.
• "I will open my lips and answer": This emphasizes the outward manifestation of his inward compulsion. "Opening lips" suggests a formal or weighty address, signifying a deliberate and important communication. "And answer" indicates that his speech is directly engaged with the preceding arguments and the theological questions raised, providing his rebuttal and perspective to the prolonged, unresolved debate.

Job 32 20 Bonus section

• Elihu's Authority: Elihu's felt compulsion and bursting forth are presented as signs of a prophetic burden or divinely inspired wisdom. His entry often bridges the inadequate human wisdom of Job and his friends with the direct divine revelation from the whirlwind. He acts as a human prelude to God's own speech, hinting at deeper truths that mere human reason or tradition could not grasp.
• "Spirit" and "Relief": The Hebrew word rûaḥ which means "spirit," "wind," or "breath," is heavily involved in Elihu's explanation. In Job 32:18, he says, "The spirit within me constrains me." In Job 32:20, he speaks to "find relief (rawach - related to rûaḥ)." This implies his internal burden is not merely emotional, but spiritual in nature, perhaps hinting at the Holy Spirit's compelling influence. The relief he seeks is therefore spiritual discharge.

Job 32 20 Commentary

Job 32:20 provides insight into the deeply personal and spiritual motivation behind Elihu's entrance into the narrative. Having previously honored the wisdom of his elders by remaining silent, the pressure of truth within him became unbearable. The analogy of new wine in Job 32:19 depicts this intensity: like wine fermenting in an unvented wineskin, his thoughts and insights, particularly those inspired by God's Spirit, have reached a critical point where they must be expressed lest he "burst" (spiritually and physically). Thus, his act of speaking is not primarily one of judgment or pride, but a necessity for his own spiritual integrity and psychological well-being. This desire for personal relief underscores the sincerity of his words, positioning them not as idle talk but as an outflow of deeply held, Spirit-prompted convictions. His intention to "answer" is not simply to add another opinion, but to offer a definitive, and hopefully corrective, resolution to the impasse created by the preceding dialogues, rooted in divine revelation.