Job 23:4

4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

Job 23:4 Meaning and Commentary

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 justification of himself; not of his person before God, setting his works of righteousness in order before him, and pleading his justification on the foot of them; for, by these no flesh living can be justified before God; but of his cause, for, as a man may vindicate his cause before men, and clear himself from aspersions cast upon him, as Samuel did, ( 1 Samuel 12:5 ) ; so he may before God, with respect to the charges he is falsely loaded with, and may appeal to him for justice, and desire he would stir up himself, and awake to his judgment, even to his cause, and plead it against those that strive with him, as David did, ( Psalms 35:1 Psalms 35:23 ) ( 43:1 ) ;

and fill my mouth with arguments;
either in prayer, as a good man may; not with such as are taken from his goodness and righteousness, but from the person, office, grace, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice of Christ, and from the declarations of God's grace, and the promises of his word; or else as in a court of judicature, bringing forth his strong reasons, and giving proofs of his innocence, such as would be demonstrative, even convincing to all that should hear, and be not only proofs for him, and in his favour, but reproofs also, as the word ^F3 signifies, to those that contended with him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (twxkwt) "increpationibus", V. L. and so Montanus, Beza, Mercerus, Drusius, Schultens.

Job 23:4 In-Context

2 Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

5 I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.