Job 37:19
Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.
Original Language Analysis
ה֭וֹדִיעֵנוּ
Teach
H3045
ה֭וֹדִיעֵנוּ
Teach
Strong's:
H3045
Word #:
1 of 8
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including o
מַה
H4100
מַה
Strong's:
H4100
Word #:
2 of 8
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and
לֹ֥א
H3808
לֹ֥א
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
5 of 8
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
נַ֝עֲרֹ֗ךְ
unto him for we cannot order
H6186
נַ֝עֲרֹ֗ךְ
unto him for we cannot order
Strong's:
H6186
Word #:
6 of 8
to set in a row, i.e., arrange, put in order (in a very wide variety of applications)
Historical Context
In ancient legal settings, litigants carefully ordered speeches to present their case. Elihu admits that before God, no human can properly arrange arguments—not due to lack of skill but because divine wisdom infinitely surpasses human comprehension. This contrasts with Greek philosophy's confidence in human reason. Hebraic wisdom began with fearing God (Proverbs 1:7), recognizing human limitation.
Questions for Reflection
- When have you experienced the 'darkness' of not being able to understand God's purposes, and how did you respond?
- How should recognizing our intellectual limitations before God affect how we pray and make requests?
- Does admitting 'darkness' mean abandoning reason, or recognizing reason's proper limits?
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Analysis & Commentary
Teach us what we shall say unto him—Elihu acknowledges human inadequacy in addressing God. The phrase we cannot order our speech (לֹא־נַעֲרֹךְ, lo-naarokh) uses עָרַךְ (arakh), meaning to set in order, arrange, or prepare for battle. We cannot marshal arguments before God as warriors array battle lines. Why? By reason of darkness (מִפְּנֵי־חֹשֶׁךְ, miphnei-choshekh)—not moral darkness but intellectual darkness, the limitation of human understanding.
This confession anticipates Job's final response: 'I have uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not' (Job 42:3). Paul similarly writes, 'Now we see through a glass, darkly' (1 Corinthians 13:12). The 'darkness' isn't ignorance due to sin but creaturely limitation. Even regenerate minds cannot fully comprehend God's eternal purposes. Elihu's humility contrasts with Job's earlier demands for explanation (Job 13:22, 23:3-7). True wisdom acknowledges the epistemological gap between Creator and creature.