Job 13:17
Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
Original Language Analysis
שָׁ֭מוֹעַ
Hear
H8085
שָׁ֭מוֹעַ
Hear
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
1 of 5
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
שָׁ֭מוֹעַ
Hear
H8085
שָׁ֭מוֹעַ
Hear
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
2 of 5
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
מִלָּתִ֑י
my speech
H4405
מִלָּתִ֑י
my speech
Strong's:
H4405
Word #:
3 of 5
a word; collectively, a discourse; figuratively, a topic
Historical Context
Formal legal proceedings in Israel required attentive witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:4). Job's double appeal ('hear... with your ears') reflects the gravity of judicial testimony. He's not offering casual conversation but sworn testimony that will determine his eternal standing.
Questions for Reflection
- What prevents us from truly 'hearing' when others declare their pain and questions to us?
- How can we create space for others to speak their 'declarations' without rushing to fix or explain?
- In what areas of your faith journey do you need to move from secondhand explanations to firsthand declaration?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Hear diligently my speech (שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ מִלָּתִי, shim'u shamo'a millati)—The doubled imperative shim'u shamo'a (hear, truly hear) is emphatic, demanding full attention. Millati (my speech/word) is the Aramaic-influenced term Job uses for his carefully prepared legal argument.
And my declaration with your ears (וְאַחֲוָתִי בְּאָזְנֵיכֶם, ve-akhavati be-ozneikhem)—Akhavati (my declaration/explanation) shares a root with khidah (riddle, enigma). Job's 'declaration' will unravel the enigma of his suffering by appealing directly to God (vv. 20-24), bypassing his friends' failed explanations. This parallels Paul's later wrestling with suffering's mystery (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).