the Week of Proper 24 / Ordinary 29
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King James Version
Job 37:19
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- CharlesEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
"So teach the rest of us what to say to God. We are too ignorant to make our own arguments.
Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.
Teach us what we shall say to him; [For] we can't set [our speech] in order by reason of darkness.
Tell us what we should say to him; we cannot get our arguments ready because we do not have enough understanding.
Tell us what we should say to him. We cannot prepare a case because of the darkness.
Teach us what we shall say to him; [for] we cannot order [our speech] by reason of darkness.
Teach us what we shall tell him; For we can't make our case by reason of darkness.
"Tell us [Job] what words [of man] shall we say to such a Being; We cannot state our case because of darkness [that is, our ignorance in the presence of the unsearchable God].
Teach us what we shall say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of darkness.
Schewe thou to vs, what we schulen seie to hym; for we ben wlappid in derknessis.
Teach us what we should say to Him; we cannot draw up our case when our faces are in darkness.
Tell us what to say to God! Our minds are in the dark, and we don't know how to argue our case.
Teach us what we shall say unto him; For we cannot set our speech in order by reason of darkness.
Make clear to me what we are to say to him; we are unable to put our cause before him, because of the dark.
Teach us what we should tell him, for the darkness keeps us from organizing our case.
Teach us what we shall say unto him! We cannot order [our words] by reason of darkness.
"Job, tell us what we should say to God! We cannot think of what to say because of our ignorance.
Teach us what we shall say unto Him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.
Teach vs what we shall say vnto him; for we cannot order our speach by reason of darknes.
Teach us what we should say to Him. We cannot put words together to help us because of darkness.
Teach us what we shall say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of darkness.
Tell vs what we shall say vnto him: for we can not dispose our matter because of darknes.
Teach us what we shall say to him, that we may not hide because of the darkness.
Teach us what to say to God; our minds are blank; we have nothing to say.
Let us know what we shall say to him, We cannot set in order, by reason of darkness.
Shew us what we may say to him: or we are wrapped up in darkness.
Teach us what we shall say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of darkness.
Teache vs what we shall saye vnto him: for we are vnmeete to frame our talke because of darkenesse.
Wherefore teach me, what shall we say to him? and let us cease from saying much.
Teach us what we should say to him;we cannot prepare our case because of our darkness.
Teach us what we shall tell him; For we can't make our case by reason of darkness.
"Teach us what we should say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of the presence of darkness.
Make us know what we shall say to Him; for we cannot arrange our case because of darkness.
Let us know what we say to Him, We set not in array because of darkness.
Teach vs what we shal saye vnto hi, for we are vnmete because of darcknes.
"If you're so smart, give us a lesson in how to address God. We're in the dark and can't figure it out. Do you think I'm dumb enough to challenge God? Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble? No one in his right mind stares straight at the sun on a clear and cloudless day. As gold comes from the northern mountains, so a terrible beauty streams from God.
"Teach us what we are to say to Him; We cannot present our case because of darkness.
"Teach us what we should say to Him, For we can prepare nothing because of the darkness.
"Teach us what we shall say to Him; We cannot arrange our case because of darkness.
Make us know what we shall say to Him;We cannot arrange our case because of darkness.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Teach: Job 12:3, Job 13:3, Job 13:6
we: Job 26:14, Job 28:20, Job 28:21, Job 38:2, Job 42:3, Psalms 73:16, Psalms 73:17, Psalms 73:22, Psalms 139:6, Proverbs 30:2-4, 1 Corinthians 13:12, 1 John 3:2
Reciprocal: Job 6:3 - my words are swallowed up Job 23:4 - order Job 37:23 - we Psalms 40:5 - they cannot Romans 11:33 - how
Cross-References
And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Teach us what we shall say unto him,.... To this wonder working God, of whose common works of nature we know so little; how we should reason with him about his works of Providence, when we know so little of these:
[for] we cannot order [our speech] by reason of darkness; by reason of darkness in themselves, which is in all men naturally, and even in the saints in this state of imperfection; and by reason of the clouds and darkness which are about the Lord himself, who is incomprehensible in his nature and perfections; and by reason of the darkness cast about his providential dealings with men, so that they are unsearchable and past finding out; and the best of men are at a loss how to order their speech, or discourse with God concerning these things.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Teach us what we shall say unto him - This seems to be addressed to Job. It is the language of Elihu, implying that he was overawed with a sense of the majesty and glory of such a God. He knew not in what manner, or with what words to approach such a Being, and he asks Job to inform him, if he knew.
We cannot order our speech by reason of darkness - Job had repeatedly professed a desire to bring his cause directly before God, and to argue it in his presence. He felt assured that if he could do that, he should be able so to present it as to obtain a decision in his favor; see Job 13:3, note; Job 13:18-22, notes. Elihu now designs, indirectly, to censure that confidence. He says that he and his friends were so overawed by the majesty of God, and felt themselves so ignorant and so ill qualified to judge of him and his works, that they would not know what to say. They were in darkness. They could not understand even the works of his hands which were directly before them, and the most common operations of nature were inscrutable to them. How then could they presume to arraign God? How could they manage a cause before him with any hope of success? It is scarcely necessary to say, that the state of mind referred to here by Elihu is that which should be cultivated, and that the feelings which he expresses are those with which we should approach the Creator. We need someone to teach us. We are surrounded by mysteries which we cannot comprehend, and we should, therefore, approach our Maker with profound reverence and submission
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 37:19. Teach us what we shall say unto him? — Thou pretendest to be so very wise, and to know every thing about God, pray make us as wise as thyself, that we may be able to approach with thy boldness the Sovereign of the world; and maintain our cause with thy confidence before him. As for our parts, we are ignorant; and, on all these subjects, are enveloped with darkness. Mr. Good translates: -
"Teach us how we may address him,
When arrayed in robes of darkness."
It is a strong and biting irony, however we take it.
