Job 37:20
Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.
Original Language Analysis
הַֽיְסֻפַּר
Shall it be told
H5608
הַֽיְסֻפַּר
Shall it be told
Strong's:
H5608
Word #:
1 of 9
properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e., (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e., celebra
כִּ֣י
H3588
כִּ֣י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
3 of 9
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
אֲדַבֵּ֑ר
him that I speak
H1696
אֲדַבֵּ֑ר
him that I speak
Strong's:
H1696
Word #:
4 of 9
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
אִֽם
H518
אִֽם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
5 of 9
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
אִ֝֗ישׁ
if a man
H376
אִ֝֗ישׁ
if a man
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
7 of 9
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern court protocol required careful speech before royalty—rash words could mean death. Elihu applies this to addressing God, the ultimate King. His warning reflects wisdom literature's theme of measured speech (Proverbs 10:19, 17:27-28). However, later biblical revelation shows God welcomes honest cries (Psalms, Lamentations) while rejecting hypocritical formality (Isaiah 29:13).
Questions for Reflection
- How do you distinguish between honest lament (which God welcomes) and presumptuous accusation (which He judges)?
- When has fear of being 'swallowed up' kept you from bringing honest questions to God, and was that fear warranted?
- What does the Bible's inclusion of Job's protests teach about God's tolerance for human struggle with understanding His ways?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Shall it be told him that I speak?—Elihu questions whether humans should even presume to demand God's attention. The Hebrew verb סָפַר (saphar, 'told/recounted') suggests formal reporting. If a man speak with complaints or accusations against God, surely he shall be swallowed up (יְבֻלָּע, yebula). The verb בָּלַע (bala) means to swallow, engulf, destroy—the same word describes the earth swallowing Korah (Numbers 16:30) and death swallowing up forever in messianic hope (Isaiah 25:8).
Elihu warns that presumptuous speech before God invites judgment. This echoes Ecclesiastes 5:2: 'Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God.' Yet remarkably, God later criticizes Elihu's friends for not speaking rightly, while Job—despite his protests—spoke truth (Job 42:7-8). The resolution: humble lament differs from arrogant accusation. Job's questions arose from relationship; his friends' certainties arose from pride. God welcomes honest wrestling but judges presumptuous certainty about His ways.