Job 37 19

Job 37:19 kjv

Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.

Job 37:19 nkjv

"Teach us what we should say to Him, For we can prepare nothing because of the darkness.

Job 37:19 niv

"Tell us what we should say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.

Job 37:19 esv

Teach us what we shall say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of darkness.

Job 37:19 nlt

"So teach the rest of us what to say to God.
We are too ignorant to make our own arguments.

Job 37 verses

Job 37 19 Meaning

Job 37:19 expresses Elihu's rhetorical challenge to Job, emphasizing the profound inadequacy of human understanding and wisdom in attempting to address or comprehend the infinite God. It is an admission of human inability to form a coherent or fitting argument before divine majesty due to spiritual and intellectual "darkness." Elihu highlights the need for divine instruction to even know how to approach or speak about God properly.

Job 37 19 Context

Job 37:19 concludes Elihu's discourse on God's overwhelming majesty, particularly demonstrated through His control of natural phenomena like thunder, lightning, snow, and rain. Elihu has meticulously cataloged God's awe-inspiring power (Job 37:1-18), showing that human beings are incapable of fully comprehending or even replicating such phenomena. The immediate verse serves as a direct challenge, not just to Job, but to all humanity, by rhetorical means. It exposes the futility of human reasoning when confronted with the incomprehensible God. Historically, in the ancient Near East, storms were often attributed to multiple gods. Elihu's speech, within the broader book of Job, stands in stark polemic opposition to these beliefs by attributing all meteorological power to Yahweh, the one true God. This also challenges any notion of humanity being able to engage God in a courtroom setting on equal terms, a desire Job himself had expressed. The "darkness" signifies humanity's profound ignorance and inability to process divine reality or articulate a valid position before God's infinite light.

Job 37 19 Word analysis

• "Teach us" (הוֹרֵנוּ, horenū): An imperative verb derived from the root יָרָה (yarah), meaning "to instruct, guide, direct." It indicates an earnest request for divine guidance. The use of "us" suggests Elihu includes himself and all humanity in this shared state of perplexity and need for revelation, underscoring collective human limitation. It implies that true understanding and fitting speech before God must originate from Him.

• "what we should say" (מַה-נֹּאמַר, mah-nōmar): Lit. "what we will say." This highlights the human struggle to find appropriate words or a coherent argument when facing the Almighty. It points to the inadequacy of human language and logic in addressing God's infinite wisdom and power.

• "to him" (לֹוֹ, lo): This direct reference specifies God as the recipient of the words, underscoring the solemn and overwhelming nature of addressing the Divine.

• "for we cannot" (כִּי-לֹא, ki-lo): The conjunction כִּי (ki, "for" or "because") introduces the reason for the request, making it a definitive statement of human inability. The negative particle לֹא (lo, "not") confirms absolute powerlessness.

• "arrange our case" (נַעֲרֹךְ עֵרוּךְ, na‘arokh ‘erūkh): From the verb עָרַךְ (‘arakh), meaning "to set in order, prepare, array for battle or a court case." Here, "our case" (lit. "an arrangement") signifies the inability to organize a legal defense or present a logical, compelling argument. This directly challenges Job's repeated desire to plead his case before God. It means our very thought process, our system of logic, falls apart in God's presence.

• "by reason of darkness" (מֵחֹשֶׁךְ, mehōs̄hekh): This is a crucial metaphorical phrase. חֹשֶׁךְ (choshekh) typically means "darkness," "obscurity." Here, the preposition מִן (min, "from/because of") signifies the cause. This "darkness" primarily refers to:

  • Ignorance and Lack of Comprehension: Humanity’s inherent intellectual and spiritual blindness concerning God's vastness, His plans, and His justice. We simply do not possess enough knowledge to construct a sound argument.
  • Overwhelming Presence of God: The awe-inspiring and potentially terrifying aspect of God's majesty that blinds or confounds human understanding, much like physical darkness makes vision impossible. This is the darkness often associated with divine manifestation.
  • Human Finitude: Our limitations as created beings trying to grasp the uncreated, infinite God. Our reasoning fails due to our finite capacity.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Teach us what we should say to him": This phrase expresses Elihu's acknowledgment of a fundamental human predicament: how can limited mortals properly address an infinite, incomprehensible God? It conveys humility and dependence on divine revelation or guidance for correct speech and understanding. It subtly shifts the burden from Job justifying himself to recognizing a universal need for instruction on how to approach God.
  • "for we cannot arrange our case by reason of darkness": This part explains the root cause of the previous statement. The "darkness" makes orderly, rational argumentation impossible. It emphasizes the contrast between human limitation and divine knowledge, suggesting that any attempt at human logic or legal defense is inherently flawed due to profound ignorance. It highlights the biblical truth that apart from God's self-revelation, human beings remain spiritually and intellectually lost concerning ultimate truths.

Job 37 19 Bonus section

This verse beautifully prefigures the profound chasm between finite human intellect and infinite divine wisdom. It establishes that understanding God is not a matter of human reasoning or accumulated knowledge, but a matter of divine revelation and humble submission. Elihu's question is rhetorical; no human can genuinely teach another what to say to God from a place of natural understanding because our "darkness"—our limited perspective and spiritual blindness—prevents us from accurately perceiving His full reality. The entire Book of Job aims to show that true understanding of God transcends human wisdom and experience, requiring an encounter with God Himself. This verse acts as a vital transition, preparing Job (and the reader) for the direct divine intervention and instruction that follows in chapters 38-41, where God systematically exposes the vastness of Job's, and humanity's, ignorance.

Job 37 19 Commentary

Elihu’s words in Job 37:19 function as a humbling indictment of human presumption, specifically addressing Job's previous desires to confront God in a legal setting. Elihu, speaking from the perspective of human finitude, admits that humanity is so limited by spiritual and intellectual "darkness" that it doesn't even know how to construct a proper statement or defense before the Creator. This "darkness" is not merely a lack of information but an inherent inability of the human mind, left to its own devices, to grasp God's infinite wisdom and justice. Our reasoned arguments become nonsensical when weighed against the absolute sovereignty and unfathomable works of God. The verse underscores the need for divine instruction (true revelation) if humanity is to say anything meaningful or appropriate concerning God, effectively setting the stage for God's grand appearance in the subsequent chapters, where He reveals even more of His unapproachable majesty. It points to the reality that true wisdom begins with recognizing our limitations and God's boundless nature.