Job 37:20

Job 37:20 Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.

Ver. 20. Shall it be told him that I speak?] An in acta referetur ei, si loquar? Shall it be recorded before him? &c. q.d. Then woe be to me, for I am sure to rue it; yea, and (without mercy) to be ruined for it. Did not Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesy long since, saying, "Behold, the Lord cometh to execute judgment upon all, and to convince them of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him," Jdg 1:14-15.

If a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up] If he speak in thy behalf, or after thine example, presuming to control God’s works, and to quarrel his proceedings, as thou hast done, he is sure to be undone. Some read the words thus, For if he speak man shall be devoured; that is, if God speak, man (who, before he cometh to speak, thinks that he shall be able to reason with him) shall be quite confounded, and his words, as it were, swallowed up by his profound wisdom; and be made unable to speak one word for himself. Wherefore let all flesh be silent before the Lord; for if any presume to chat against his judgments, he shall have his words driven down his throat again by a divine vengeance. Cave ne lingua feriat collum, Take heed thy tongue cut not thy throat, say the Arabian’s wise proverb.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Job 37:20. Shall it be told him that I speak? — Does he need to be informed of any thing? Is any thing that I have said of him worth his hearing? Will any one report it to him? Will any man dare to approach him? But the Hebrew, אדבר, adabber, should rather be rendered, I should, or I will, speak. Shall I send, or who dare carry, a challenge from me to God, or a message that I am ready and desirous to debate with him concerning his proceedings? This, indeed, thou hast done, in effect, but far be such presumption from me. If a man speak — If a man should be so bold and venturous as to enter the lists with God, surely he shall be swallowed up — With the sense of his infinite majesty and spotless purity.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

37:20 speak when they are confused? Or speak without being swallowed up? Punishment as severe as death might result from contesting God’s judgment (cp. 13:14).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Hath God need that any should tell him when man murmureth against him?

If God would destroy a man, should he repine?

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

What I a mortal say against God's dealings is not worthy of being told HIM. In opposition to Job's wish to "speak" before God (Job 13:3, Job 13:18-22).

if . . . surely he shall be swallowed up--The parallelism more favors UMBREIT, "Durst a man speak (before Him, complaining) that he is (without cause) being destroyed?"

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 20. Shall it be told him that I speak?] Shall I dare to whisper even before God? And suppose any one were to accuse me before him for what I have spoken of him, though that has been well intended, how should I be able to stand in his presence? I should be swallowed up in consternation, and consumed with the splendour of his majesty.

But in what state art thou? What hast thou been doing? Thou hast arraigned God for his government of the world; thou hast found fault with the dispensations of his providence; thou hast even charged him with cruelty! What will become of THEE?

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(20) Be swallowed up.—The sense will vary, according as we understand this of God or of the sun. In the first case, it is a simple expression of awe at God’s majesty: “Shall it be told Him that I would speak? If a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up;” but unquestionably the sense is clearer if we understand it of the sun: “Shall it be told of him? Shall I, indeed, speak it? or hath any man ever ventured to say, in such a case, that the sun is swallowed up, extinguished?”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. The verse means,

Shall it be told him that I would speak?

Or shall a man wish that he should be swallowed up?

Elihu recoils from the thought of going into God’s presence to strive with Him; such daring presumption would be voluntarily to court destruction. The words “shall a man wish?” are lit. has a man said or commanded? i. e. has any one ever voluntarily ordered his own annihilation? Nothing other than this does the man do who ventures to contend with the Almighty.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Shall it be told him that I speak?.... And what I speak? there is no need of it, since he is omniscient, and knows every word that is spoken by men; or is anything I have said concerning him, his ways, and his works, worthy relating, or worthy of his hearing, being so very imperfect? nor can the things I have spoken of, though common things, be fully explained to any; or should it be told him, the Lord, that he, Elihu, had spoke as Job had done, and arraigned his justice, and complained of his dealings? God forbid; he would not have it said they were spoken by him for all the world: or "shall it be recorded unto him what I speak?" as Mr. Broughton, or that I speak; shall it be recorded in a book, and that sent to God; that I will speak in thy cause, and be an advocate for thee, and endeavour to justify thee in all thou hast said? no, by no means;

if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up; if he speaks of the being and perfections of God, he is soon lost; his essence, and many of his attributes, are beyond his comprehension; if he speaks of his works of nature and providence, he is presently out of his depth; there is a bathos, a depth in them he cannot fathom: if he speaks of his love, and grace, and mercy, in the salvation of man, he is swallowed up with admiration; he is obliged to say, what manner of love is this? it has heights he cannot reach, depths he cannot get to the bottom of, lengths and breadths immeasurable: or should he undertake to dispute with God, to litigate a point with him concerning his works, he could not answer him in one thing of a thousand; and particularly Elihu suggests, was he to undertake Job's cause, it would soon be lost and all over with him; so Mr. Broughton renders the words, "would any plead, when he should be undone?" who would engage in a cause he is sure would be lost, and prove his utter undoing?

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Shall it be told him that I speak? - Still the language of profound awe and reverence, as if he would not have it even intimated to God that he had presumed to say anything in regard to him, or with a view to explain the reason of his doings.

If a man speak - That is, if he attempt to speak with God; to argue a case with him; to contend with him in debate; to oppose him. Elihu had designed to reprove Job for the bold and presumptuous manner in which he bad spoken of God, and for his wish to enter into a debate with him in order to vindicate his cause. He now says, that if anyone should attempt this, God had power at once to destroy him; and that such an attempt would be perilous to his life. But other interpretations have been proposed, which may be seen in Rosenmuller, Umbreit, and Lee.

Surely he shall be swallowed up - Destroyed for his presumption and rashness in thus contending with the Almighty. Elihu says that on this account he would not dare to speak with God. He would fear that he would come forth in his anger, and destroy him. How much man by nature instinctively feels, when he has any just views of the majesty of God, that he needs a Mediator!

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

He shall be swallowed up. All that man can say, when he speaks of God, is so little and inconsiderable in comparison with the subject, that man is lost, an das it were swallowed up in so immense an ocean. (Challoner) --- The man who should are to mention what I could reprehend in God’s works, would soon be overwhelmed with majesty. (Calmet) --- Alphonsus IX, king of Leon, (the year of our Lord 1252) surnamed "the wise and the astronomer," said "he could have given some good advice respecting the motions of the stars, if he had been consulted by God;" meaning to ridicule some vain systems of philosophers, then in vogue. (Dict. 1774.) (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

That I speak, Heb. that I will speak. Shall I send, or who dare carry, a challenge from me to God, or a message that I am ready and desirous to debate with him concerning his proceedings? This indeed thou hast done in effect, but far be such presumption from me.

If a man speak; if a man should be so bold and venturous to enter the lists with God.

He shall be swallowed up with the sense of God’s infinite majesty and spotless purity.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. That I speak — Shall it be told Him that I question and arraign his moral government — even I, involved in such darkness (Job_37:19) that I cannot order aright my speech? He who thus speaks has reason to fear destruction: for such is the overwhelming presence of God that none can “see his face and live,” much less speak to him face to face.

If a man speak… swallowed up — Dillmann and the best critics render these words as a question: “Hath a man ever said that he would (fain) be destroyed?” Will one readily pursue a course involving certain destruction, such as Job would have done had he intruded himself before God? Exo_19:21; Exo_33:20; Jdg_13:22, etc.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Shall it be told him that I speak? rather, that I would speak. (comp. Job_31:35) Job had expressed the wish that God would "hear him, and answer him." Elihu, intending to rebuke this presumption, yet shrinking from doing so directly, puts himself in Job"s place, and asks, "Would it be fitting that I should demand to speak with God?" If not, it cannot be fitting that Job should do so. If a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up. This is probably the true meaning, though another has been suggested by some commentators, who prefer to render, "Or should a man wish that he were destroyed?" (So Ewald, Dillmann, Canon Cook, and our Revisers.) If we adopt this rendering, we must understand Elihu as appending to his first rebuke a second, levelled against Job"s desire to have his life ended.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Shall - I send a challenge to God, or a message that I am ready to debate with him concerning his proceedings? Speak - If a man should be so bold to enter the lists with God. Swallowed up - With the sense of his infinite majesty.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Need it be told to Him when I speak Is He like mortals, that He must be told what we are saying?

or need a man tell utter with his mouth.

what is kept a secret so that it should be revealed to Him immediately, like (II Sam. 17:16), “lest the king be told secretly (יבלע)” [lest] it be revealed. But our Sages (Meg. 18a) explained: Can all His praise be told Him, that I should speak That we should speak of Him and His might? Has any man said to tell them all, he would surely be destroyed from his place.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.