Job 23:4
Job 23:4 in Multiple Translations
I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would set my cause in order before him, And fill my mouth with arguments.
I would put my cause in order before him, and my mouth would be full of arguments.
There I would lay out my case before him and present all my arguments in full.
I would pleade the cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
I arrange before Him the cause, And my mouth fill [with] arguments.
I would set my cause in order before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would set judgment before him, and would fill my mouth with complaints.
If I could do that, I would tell him why I know that I am innocent; I would tell [MTY] to him all my ◄arguments/evidence to show that I have not done what is evil►.
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 23:4
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 23:4 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
אֶעֶרְכָ֣ה
לְ/פָנָ֣י/ו
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט
וּ֝/פִ֗/י
אֲמַלֵּ֥א
תוֹכָחֽוֹת
אֶעֶרְכָ֣ה
ʻârak
H6186
to arrange
V-Qal-1cs
לְ/פָנָ֣י/ו
pânîym
H6440
face
Prep | N-cp | Suff
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט
mishpâṭ
H4941
justice
N-ms
וּ֝/פִ֗/י
peh
H6310
lip
Conj | N-ms | Suff
אֲמַלֵּ֥א
mâlêʼ
H4390
to fill
V-Piel-Imperf-1cs
תוֹכָחֽוֹת
tôwkêchâh
H8433
rebuke
N-fp
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 23:4
אֶעֶרְכָ֣ה
ʻârak
H6186
"to arrange"
V-Qal-1cs
This Hebrew word means to value or arrange things in order. It is used in various contexts, like setting up an army for battle or estimating the value of something, as seen in 1 Kings 10.
Definition: 1) to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array, prepare, order, ordain, handle, furnish, esteem, equal, direct, compare 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to arrange or set or lay in order, arrange, state in order, set forth (a legal case), set in place 1a2) to compare, be comparable
Usage: Occurs in 72 OT verses. KJV: put (set) (the battle, self) in array, compare, direct, equal, esteem, estimate, expert (in war), furnish, handle, join (battle), ordain, (lay, put, reckon up, set) (in) order, prepare, tax, value. See also: Genesis 14:8; 1 Chronicles 12:39; Psalms 5:4.
לְ/פָנָ֣י/ו
pânîym
H6440
"face"
Prep | N-cp | Suff
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Definition: : face 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of
Usage: Occurs in 1891 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 43:31; Exodus 30:16.
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט
mishpâṭ
H4941
"justice"
N-ms
Mishpat means justice or judgment, and is often used to describe God's righteous judgment, as well as human laws and decisions, in books like Deuteronomy and Isaiah.
Definition: : judgement/punishment 1) judgment, justice, ordinance 1a) judgment 1a1) act of deciding a case 1a2) place, court, seat of judgment 1a3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges) 1a4) case, cause (presented for judgment) 1a5) sentence, decision (of judgment) 1a6) execution (of judgment) 1a7) time (of judgment) 1b) justice, right, rectitude (attributes of God or man) 1c) ordinance 1d) decision (in law) 1e) right, privilege, due (legal) 1f) proper, fitting, measure, fitness, custom, manner, plan
Usage: Occurs in 406 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] adversary, ceremony, charge, [idiom] crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, [idiom] worthy, [phrase] wrong. See also: Genesis 18:19; 1 Kings 2:3; Psalms 1:5.
וּ֝/פִ֗/י
peh
H6310
"lip"
Conj | N-ms | Suff
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to the mouth, lips, or edge of something, and can also mean a portion or side of something. It is often used to describe speech or the act of speaking. This word appears in various forms, such as mouth, lip, or edge.
Definition: : lip/mouth peh 1) mouth 1a) mouth (of man) 1b) mouth (as organ of speech) 1c) mouth (of animals) 1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc) 1e) extremity, end pim 2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21
Usage: Occurs in 460 OT verses. KJV: accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, tenor, [idiom] to, [phrase] two-edged, wish, word. See also: Genesis 4:11; Deuteronomy 21:17; Ezra 9:11.
אֲמַלֵּ֥א
mâlêʼ
H4390
"to fill"
V-Piel-Imperf-1cs
To fill means to make something full or complete, like filling a container or fulfilling a promise. This word is used in many contexts, including being full of joy or having a job completed.
Definition: 1) to fill, be full 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be full 1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle) 1a1b) to be full, be accomplished, be ended 1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be filled, be armed, be satisfied 1b2) to be accomplished, be ended 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to fill 1c2) to satisfy 1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete 1c4) to confirm 1d) (Pual) to be filled 1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against Aramaic equivalent: me.la (מְלָא "to fill" H4391)
Usage: Occurs in 242 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, confirm, [phrase] consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, [idiom] draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-) flow, fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume, replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-) full, [phrase] have wholly. See also: Genesis 1:22; 2 Chronicles 16:14; Psalms 10:7.
תוֹכָחֽוֹת
tôwkêchâh
H8433
"rebuke"
N-fp
This Hebrew word means argument, correction, or reproof, often referring to a verbal rebuke or chastisement. It involves reasoning or proof to make a point or correct someone.
Definition: rebuke, correction, punishment, chastisement
Usage: Occurs in 28 OT verses. KJV: argument, [idiom] chastened, correction, reasoning, rebuke, reproof, [idiom] be (often) reproved. See also: 2 Kings 19:3; Proverbs 12:1; Psalms 38:15.
Study Notes — Job 23:4
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 23:4 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 23:4
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 23:4
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 23:4
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 23:4
- Cambridge Bible on Job 23:4
- Barnes' Notes on Job 23:4
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 23:4
- Sermons on Job 23:4
Context — Job Longs for God
2“Even today my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning.
3If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat.
4I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments.
5I would learn how He would answer, and consider what He would say. 6Would He contend with me in His great power? No, He would certainly take note of me.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 13:18 | Behold, now that I have prepared my case, I know that I will be vindicated. |
| 2 | Daniel 9:18–19 | Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our righteous acts, but because of Your great compassion. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your name.” |
| 3 | Exodus 32:12–13 | Why should the Egyptians declare, ‘He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce anger and relent from doing harm to Your people. Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your very self when You declared, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land that I have promised, and it shall be their inheritance forever.’” |
| 4 | Genesis 18:25–32 | Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” So the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place.” Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes— suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will You destroy the whole city for the lack of five?” He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.” Once again Abraham spoke to the LORD, “Suppose forty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the forty, I will not do it.” Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He replied, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.” And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.” Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.” |
| 5 | Genesis 32:12 | But You have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper, and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, too numerous to count.’” |
| 6 | Psalms 25:11 | For the sake of Your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, for it is great. |
| 7 | Job 37:19 | Teach us what we should say to Him; we cannot draw up our case when our faces are in darkness. |
| 8 | Psalms 43:1 | Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; deliver me from deceitful and unjust men. |
| 9 | Joshua 7:8–9 | O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies? When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?” |
| 10 | Numbers 14:13–19 | But Moses said to the LORD, “The Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought this people from among them. And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have already heard that You, O LORD, are in the midst of this people, that You, O LORD, have been seen face to face, that Your cloud stands over them, and that You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. If You kill this people as one man, the nations who have heard of Your fame will say, ‘Because the LORD was unable to bring this people into the land He swore to give them, He has slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ So now I pray, may the power of my Lord be magnified, just as You have declared: ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation.’ Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people, in keeping with the greatness of Your loving devotion, just as You have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.” |
Job 23:4 Summary
This verse means that Job wants to talk to God directly and tell Him all about his troubles and concerns. He wants to explain his situation and hear God's response, trusting that God will listen and answer. This is similar to what the Psalmist says in Psalm 142:2, where he pours out his complaints to God. We can learn from Job's example and approach God with our own concerns, knowing that He cares about us and wants to hear from us, as promised in Jeremiah 33:3.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to 'plead my case' before God?
To plead one's case before God means to present one's concerns, troubles, and arguments to Him, trusting in His justice and mercy, as seen in Jeremiah 12:1 and Psalm 119:169.
Is it okay to 'fill my mouth with arguments' when talking to God?
While it's natural to express our thoughts and feelings to God, we must do so with humility and reverence, acknowledging His sovereignty, as warned in Job 42:3 and Romans 11:33-34.
How can I be sure God will listen to my arguments?
The Bible assures us that God hears the cries of the righteous, as stated in Psalm 34:15 and Psalm 145:18, and that He will respond in His perfect timing, as promised in Isaiah 40:31 and Jeremiah 29:12.
What is the right attitude to have when approaching God with our arguments?
We should approach God with a humble and contrite heart, recognizing our limitations and His infinite wisdom, as taught in Isaiah 57:15 and Matthew 5:3-4.
Reflection Questions
- What are the deepest concerns and troubles that I want to plead before God, and how can I express them to Him honestly and reverently?
- In what ways do I try to 'fill my mouth with arguments' when praying to God, and how can I balance my expressions of concern with trust in His sovereignty?
- How does the example of Job, who desired to plead his case before God, encourage or challenge me in my own faith and prayer life?
- What are some ways that God has responded to my prayers and arguments in the past, and how can I learn to trust in His goodness and timing?
Gill's Exposition on Job 23:4
I would order [my] cause before him,.... Either, as a praying person, direct his prayer to him, and set it in order before him, see Psalms 5:3; or else as pleading in his own defence, and in
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 23:4
I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. Order - state methodically (Job 13:3; Job 13:18; Isaiah 43:26). Fill ... - I would have abundance of arguments to adduce.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 23:4
I would orderly declare the things which concern and prove the right of my cause; not only debating the controversy between my friends and me, concerning my sincerity or hypocrisy before God, as a witness or judge; but also pleading with God as a party, and modestly inquiring whether he doth not deal more rigorously with me than I might reasonably expect, wherein I desire no other judge but himself. Fill my mouth with arguments, to prove my innocency and sincerity towards God, and consequently that am severely used.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 23:4
Job 23:4 I would order [my] cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.Ver. 4. I would order my cause before him] I would not stick to approach to his tribunal, there to plead my cause (not against him, as being the supreme Judge, and not either plaintiff or defendant, but) against your false and wrongful accusations, which undoubtedly I would disprove and confute by many forcible and strong arguments (Beza). And fill my mouth with arguments] Heb. Redargutions (ελεγχος,) increpations, reprehensions. A good orator will first rightly lay down his cause, state the question, as we call it. 2. Confirm it with reasons. 3. Observe what is said to the contrary, and confute it. Job would do all this if he might have audience; but if to God all this, Job was much mistaken. And so at another time, when in a better mind, he could say, "Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me," &c., Job 9:15; Job 9:20.
Cambridge Bible on Job 23:4
3–7. Job ardently desires that he could come to God’s judgment-seat to plead his cause before Him; and that God would give heed to him and answer him. Then assuredly his innocence would be established.
Barnes' Notes on Job 23:4
I would order my cause before him - Compare the notes at Isaiah 43:26. That is, I would arrange my arguments, or plead my cause, as one does in a court of justice.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 23:4
4. Order — Set in order. Job 13:18. Used also of the drawing up of an army.
Sermons on Job 23:4
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Desperate Prayer by Leonard Ravenhill | In this sermon, Mary had a powerful encounter with God and was described as a brilliant dancer and singer. She was hesitant to go to church because she didn't want to be put in the |
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(Hebrews - Part 10): Jesus Made a Little Lower That the Angels by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the perfection and flawless nature of God's work. He highlights that God's ultimate goal is to bring many sons under glory. This is achieved |
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Attributes of God (Series 1): The Justice of God by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of a judge being caught between mercy and justice. He uses the example of a man torn between his love for a woman and his sense o |
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The Holiness of God - Part 3 by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of holiness and the need for individuals to give account of their deeds before God. He highlights the urgency of seeking forg |
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God's Judgment and America's Only Hope (Compilation) by Compilations | This sermon emphasizes the impending storm of God's judgment, warning against a diluted gospel and the consequences of facing God's wrath. It speaks of a time when mercy will be cu |
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A Still Small Voice by Charles Alexander | In this sermon, the preacher reflects on the wickedness that exists in the world and the mystery of God's ways. He acknowledges that even the best of men can be driven to despair b |
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Excerpt From Ten Shekels and a Shirt by Paris Reidhead | In this sermon, the speaker reflects on his philosophy of mission and evangelism. He initially went to Africa with the belief that he was improving upon the justice of God by givin |