Job 32:20 — Word Study
WLCאֲדַבְּרָ֥ה וְיִֽרְוַֽח־ לִ֑י אֶפְתַּ֖ח שְׂפָתַ֣י וְאֶֽעֱנֶֽה׃
BSAI must speakdâbar [to express my thoughts, to communicate] and find reliefrâvach▸ [be refreshed, take breath] I must openpâthach▸ [to engrave, to carve out] my lipssâphâh [language, the edge of my being] and respondʻânâh▸ [to answer, to sing, to make music]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֲדַבְּרָ֥ה | let me speak | Verb, Piel, infinitive construct first person common singular |
| וְיִֽרְוַֽח־ | and it may be relieved | Conjunction, verb qal third person masculine singular |
| לִ֑י | to me | Preposition, suffix |
| אֶפְתַּ֖ח | let me open | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
| שְׂפָתַ֣י | lips my | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| וְאֶֽעֱנֶֽה׃ | so I may answer | Conjunction, verb qal first person common singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond. |
| KJV | I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer. |
| ASV | I will speak, that I may be refreshed; I will open my lips and answer. |
| YLT | I speak, and there is refreshment to me, I open my lips and answer. |
| WEB | I will speak, that I may be refreshed. I will open my lips and answer. |
| BBE | Let me say what is in my mind, so that I may get comfort; let me give answer with open mouth. |
The translations agree in conveying Job's urgent need to speak for relief.
The sentence is built around Job's urgent need to speak, with various phrases elaborating on the purpose and means of his communication.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbדָבַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 32:20
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Expression of Distressgenerated
Job 32:20 reveals Job's urgent desire to speak out as a means of finding relief from his emotional burden. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job is preparing to respond to his friends, expressing his need to articulate his thoughts and feelings after enduring much suffering. His words reflect a universal human experience of seeking to communicate in times of distress, similar to the sentiments found in Job 13:13-19.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 13:13–19 | Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may. |
| 2 | Job 20:2 | “So my anxious thoughts compel me to answer, because of the turmoil within me. |
| 3 | Job 21:3 | Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking. |
| 4 | Proverbs 8:6–7 | Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֲדַבְּרָ֥ה, 'a.da.be.Rahgenerated
The verb דָבַר (dabar) means 'to speak' and encompasses a range of actions from declaring to conversing. In this context, Job is expressing a strong need to communicate his thoughts, which is essential for his emotional relief.
The Piel form indicates an active engagement in the act of speaking, emphasizing Job's desire to convey his inner turmoil. This is not merely about uttering words; it is about the necessity of expressing oneself to alleviate distress.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations of this verse are consistent in conveying Job's urgent need to speak.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse is structured around four main verbs: אֲדַבְּרָ֥ה (let me speak), וְיִֽרְוַֽח־ (and it may be relieved), אֶפְתַּ֖ח (let me open), and וְאֶֽעֱנֶֽה (so I may answer). Each verb contributes to the overall plea for relief and the act of communication.
The arrangement emphasizes Job's desperate need to express himself, with the verbs indicating sequential actions that reflect his emotional state.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֲדַבְּרָ֥ה as λαλήσω (lalēsō), which also means 'to speak.' This choice aligns closely with Job's intent to articulate his thoughts, suggesting a direct correspondence in meaning.
However, the LXX does not fully capture the nuances of relief and response found in the Hebrew, indicating a slight interpretive shift in the translation.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 32:20 shows Job's urgent need to speak out in order to find relief from his distress. He expresses a desire to open his lips and respond, indicating that communication is essential for his emotional well-being.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is expressing that voicing his thoughts is crucial for alleviating his emotional pain, similar to how one might feel relief after sharing burdens with a friend.
Opening his lips symbolizes Job's need to communicate his feelings and thoughts, which he believes is necessary for his mental and emotional relief.
Job's intention to respond indicates his readiness to engage in dialogue, to answer questions, and to express his perspective after enduring suffering.
This verse highlights the importance of communication in the book of Job, where dialogue plays a central role in expressing suffering, seeking understanding, and finding relief.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I find relief by expressing my thoughts and feelings?
- How can I create a space for open communication with others who are suffering?
- What are some examples from my life where speaking out has helped me find clarity?
- How does Job's plea for relief resonate with my own experiences of distress?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Ephrem the Syrian comments on Job's expression of distress, using this verse to illustrate the relief that comes from speaking out during suffering.
“I must speak so that I may find relief,” like a woman in labor, who, after bringing forth her offspring, is relieved from the pain of giving birth.Early Church Fathers on Job 32 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 32:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI will speak, that I may be refreshed,.... That his mind might be made easy; the matter it was full of lay with much weight upon it, pressed him hard, and gave him pain; and therefore he determines
Read John Gill on Job 32 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer. Refreshed - literally, that there may be air or relief to me (1 Samuel 16:23).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 32 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThat I may be refreshed; that I may ease my mind of those thoughts which now oppress it. I will open my lips and answer; I will not utter impertinent words, but solid answers, to Job’ s arguments.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 32 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 32:20 I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.Ver. 20. I will speak, that I may be refreshed] Heb. that I may breathe: this many martyrs did, though to the loss of their precious lives; as those that came to the tribunals, and cried out, Christiani sumus, We are Christians, hang us, burn us, stone us, &c., Modo Iesum nostrum nanciscamur, so that we may get our Jesus. And when they were told that they were put to death, Non pro fide, sed pro obstinatione, not for their religion, but for their obstinace, Tertullian answered, Pro hac obstinatione fidei morimur, For this religious obstinace we gladly die. As for those that made not a good confession, but either…
Read John Trapp on Job 32 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 20. I will open my lips and answer.] In the preceding verse Elihu compares himself to a skin-bottle, in which the wine was in a state of fermentation, and the bottle ready to burst for want of vent. He carries on the metaphor in this verse: the bottle must be opened to save it from bursting; I will OPEN my mouth.
Read AdamClarke on Job 32 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges20. be refreshed] Rather, find relief; lit. get air or vent. The figure is still that of fermenting wine, Job 32:19.
Read Cambridge on Job 32 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI will speak, that I may be refreshed - Margin, “breathe.” The meaning is, that he would then have room to breathe again; he would feel relieved.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 32 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible20. I will speak — He carries on the metaphor in this verse; the bottle must be opened to save it from bursting. Be refreshed — The margin is more literal.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 32 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond.
I will speak, that I may be refreshed. I will open my lips and answer.
I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond.
I will speak, so that I may find relief; I will open my lips, so that I may answer.
Tyndale line
I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.
I will speak, that I may be refreshed; I will open my lips and answer.
I will speak, that I may be refreshed; I will open my lips and answer.
I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.
Therefore will I speake, that I may take breath: I will open my lippes, and will answere.
Strictly literal
I will speak, that I may find relief; I will open my lips and answer.
I speak, and there is refreshment to me, I open my lips and answer.
I speak, and there is refreshment to me, || I open my lips and answer.
I will speak, that I may breathe freer: I will open my lips and answer.
I will speak so that I may be refreshed; I will open my lips and answer.
From the Latin
I will speak and take breath a little: I will open my lips, and will answer.
Simplified
I have to speak before I burst; I will open my lips to answer him.
Let me say what is in my mind, so that I may get comfort; let me give answer with open mouth.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads אֲדַבְּרָ֥ה וְיִֽרְוַֽח־ לִ֑י אֶפְתַּ֖ח שְׂפָתַ֣י וְאֶֽעֱנֶֽה׃, while the Septuagint matches only three of the words. This suggests a partial agreement in the translation, with differences in word order and expression.
אֲדַבְּרָ֥ה וְיִֽרְוַֽח־ לִ֑י אֶפְתַּ֖ח שְׂפָתַ֣י וְאֶֽעֱנֶֽה׃
3 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 32:20
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
דָבַר (dabar) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning 'to speak.' It encompasses a range of actions including declaring, commanding, and conversing. The root suggests a figurative use of words, with some entries noting a rare destructive sense of subduing. Various forms of the verb indicate different nuances, such as speaking with one another or making promises.
[דָבַר] 1142 vb. speak (original mng. dub.)
Qal speak
Niph. reciprocal sense, speak with one another, talk
Pi. speak
Pu. in the day when she may be spoken for
Hithp. speaking this word
Hiph. either leads subject, or puts to flight, fig. for subdues
base
H1696 דָבַר speak (original mng. dub.)
1696 dabar daw-bar'
a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used
figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive
sense) to subdue:--answer, appoint, bid, command, commune,
declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse,
say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think,
use (entreaties), utter, X well, X work.
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: speak.
: speak/tell/command
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: subdue.
: subdue
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: promise.
: promise/declare
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
V-Piel-1cs — Verb · Piel · infinitive construct first person common singularHVpc1cs
רָוַח (ravach) means to be wide or spacious, and can imply relief or enlargement. It is used in contexts suggesting breathing easily or having ample room. The entries indicate its root meaning relates to the idea of revival or refreshment, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
רָוַח vb. be wide, spacious
Qal fig. there was enlargement, relief, for Saul; that there may be relief for me.
Pu. spacious
base
H7304 רָוַח be wide, spacious .fig. there was enlargement, relief, for Saul; that there may be relief for me.
. spacious
7304 ravach raw-vakh'
a primitive root (identical with 7306); properly, to breathe
freely, i.e. revive; by implication, to have ample room:--be
refreshed, large.
see HEBREW for 07306
רָוַח (ra.vach) — be wide.
1) to be wide, be spacious, breathe
1a) (Qal) to breathe easily, be relieved
1b) (Pual) spacious (participle)
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine singularHC/Vqu3ms
נִי (ni) — me.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bs
פָּתַח (pathach) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to open' and can refer to various actions such as opening doors, loosening restraints, or engraving. It has different forms, including Qal (to open), Niphal (to be opened), and Piel (to engrave). The entries highlight its literal and figurative uses, but there is some overlap in meaning regarding its applications in opening and engraving.
פָּתַח vb. open
Qal open sack
Niph. be opened
Pi. be opened
free, i.e. ungird, camels
loosen (and remove) sack-cloth
open gates, doors
Hithp. loosen thee the fetters of thy neck
base
[פָּתַח] vb. Pi. engrave
Pu. stones engraved with the engravings of a signet.
base
H6605a פָּתַח open .open sack
. be opened
. be opened . free, i.e. ungird, camels
. loosen (and remove) sack-cloth
. open gates, doors
. loosen thee the fetters of thy neck
H6605b פָּתַח Pi. engrave
6605 pathach paw-thakh'
a primitive root; to open wide (literally or figuratively);
specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve:--appear, break
forth, draw (out), let go free, (en-)grave(-n), loose (self),
(be, be set) open(-ing), put off, ungird, unstop, have vent.
פָּתַח (pa.tach) — to open.
1) to open
1a) (Qal) to open
1b) (Niphal) to be opened, be let loose, be thrown open
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to free
1c2) to loosen
1c3) to open, open oneself
1d) (Hithpael) to loose oneself
Aramaic equivalent: pe.tach (פְּתַח "to open" H6606)
פָּתַח (pa.tach) — to engrave.
1) to carve, engrave
1a) (Piel) to engrave
1b) (Pual) to be engraved
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
o'-p'-n: In the Old Testament represents chiefly pathach, but also other words, as galah, "to uncover"; of the opening of the eyes in vision, etc. (thus Balaam, Nu 22:31; 24:4; compare Job 33:16; 36:10; Ps 119:18; Jer 32:11,14). In the New Testament the usual word is anoigo (of opening of mouth, eyes, heavens, doors, etc.). A peculiar word, trachelizomai (literally, to have the neck bent back, to be laid bare), is used for "laid open" before God in Heb 4:13.
The Hebrew word שָׂפָה (*saphah*) encompasses meanings related to 'lip,' 'speech,' and 'edge.' It is derived from concepts of termination, suggesting boundaries like the edge of a vessel or the bank of a river. The word can refer to physical lips, language, or the edges of various objects, including shores.
שָׂפָה 176 n.f. lip, speech, edge
lip
language
edge: shore of sea; bank of river
base
H8193 שָׂפָה lip, speech, edge . lip
. language
. edge: shore of sea; bank of river
8193 saphah saw-faw'
or (in dual and plural) sepheth {sef-eth'}; probably from
5595 or 8192 through the idea of termination (compare 5490);
the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by
analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.):--band,
bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip,
prating, ((sea-))shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words.
see HEBREW for 05595
see HEBREW for 08192
see HEBREW for 05490
שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lips.
: lips/mouth
1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding
1a) lip (as body part)
1b) language
1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)
שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lip: words.
: words/language
1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding
1a) lip (as body part)
1b) language
1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)
שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lip: edge.
: edge/border/opening
1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding
1a) lip (as body part)
1b) language
1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)
שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lip: shore.
: shore/bank(of_sea/river)
1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding
1a) lip (as body part)
1b) language
1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)
N-fd | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word עָנָה (*anah*) is built from a primitive root meaning to heed or pay attention, covering a range of meanings including to answer, respond, testify, and sing. It appears in contexts where one responds to speech or circumstances, and can also refer to singing. The lexicons indicate that it can imply both verbal responses and musical expression.
[עוּן] vb. dwell
base
עָנָה 316 vb. answer, respond
Qal
answer, respond to sthg. said, actual or implied
respond to an occasion, speak in view of circumstances
money meets all demands
specif. respond as a witness, testify
less oft. make response as one accused (respondent)
Niph.
make answer
be answered
Hiph. wholly dub.; causes all things to respond in the joy of his heart
base
עָנָה vb. sing
Qal sing, utter tunefully
Pi. sing sweetly of it
base
H6030a עוּן dwell H6030b עָנָה answer, respond .. answer, respond to sthg. said, actual or implied
. . respond to an occasion, speak in view of circumstances
. money meets all demands
. . specif. respond as a witness, testify
. less oft. make response as one accused (respondent)
. . make answer
. be answered
. wholly dub.; causes all things to respond in the joy of his heart
H6030c עָנָה sing
6030 `anah aw-naw'
a primitive root; properly, to eye or (generally) to heed,
i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extens. to
begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify,
announce:--give account, afflict (by mistake for 6031),
(cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for 6031), cry,
hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, X scholar, (give a) shout, sing
(together by course), speak, testify, utter, (bear) witness.
See also 1042, 1043.
see HEBREW for 06031
see HEBREW for 06031
see HEBREW for 01042
see HEBREW for 01043
עוּן (un) — to dwell.
(Qal) to dwell
עָנָה (a.nah) — to answer.
1) to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to answer, respond to
1a2) to testify, respond as a witness
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to make answer
1b2) to be answered, receive answer
Aramaic equivalent: a.nah (עֲנָה "to answer" H6032)
עָנָה (a.nah) — to sing.
(Qal) to sing, utter tunefully
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Conjunction · verb qal first person common singularHC/Vqu1cs
an'-ser: In our English Bible the word "answer" does not always mean a simple reply to a question.
1. In the Old Testament:
Six different words are translated by answer.
(1) It is frequently used where no question has been asked and in such cases it means a word, a statement.
(2) It also means a response (Job 21:34; 34:36).
(3) It often means a declaration or proclamation from God where no question has been asked. See the many passages that read: "The Lord answered and said."
Besides the common use of this word in the sense of to reply, it is very often used in the bible, following the Hebrew and Greek idioms, in the sense of to speak; meaning simply that one begins or resumes his discourse, Zec 3:4; 6:4; Mt 11:25; 12:38; Lu 7:40. It also means, to sing in choruses or responses, 1Sa 18:7; and to give account of one’s self in judgment, Ge 30:33; Job 9:3.