New International Version Answer me then, if you can; stand up and argue your case before me. New Living Translation Answer me, if you can; make your case and take your stand. English Standard Version Answer me, if you can; set your words in order before me; take your stand. Berean Standard Bible Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me. Berean Literal Bible If you are able to refute me, arrange it before my face; station yourself. King James Bible If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up. New King James Version If you can answer me, Set your words in order before me; Take your stand. New American Standard Bible “Refute me if you can; Line up against me, take your stand. NASB 1995 “Refute me if you can; Array yourselves before me, take your stand. NASB 1977 “Refute me if you can; Array yourselves before me, take your stand. Legacy Standard Bible Respond to me if you can; Arrange yourselves before me, take your stand. Amplified Bible “Answer me, if you can; Set yourselves before me, take your stand. Berean Annotated Bible Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me. Christian Standard Bible Refute me if you can. Prepare your case against me; take your stand. Holman Christian Standard Bible Refute me if you can. Prepare your case against me; take your stand. American Standard Version If thou canst, answer thou me; Set thy words in order before me, stand forth. Contemporary English Version Now line up your arguments and prepare to face me. English Revised Version If thou canst, answer thou me; set thy words in order before me, stand forth. GOD'S WORD® Translation Answer me if you can. Present your case to me, and take your stand. Good News Translation Answer me if you can. Prepare your arguments. International Standard Version Answer me, if you can! Present your case! Take your stand in my presence! NET Bible Reply to me, if you can; set your arguments in order before me and take your stand! New Heart English Bible If you can, answer me. Set your words in order before me, and stand forth. Webster's Bible Translation If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleRefute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me. World English Bible If you can, answer me. Set your words in order before me, and stand up. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionIf you are able—answer me, "" Set in array before me—station yourself. Berean Literal Bible If you are able to refute me, arrange it before my face; station yourself. Young's Literal Translation If thou art able -- answer me, Set in array before me -- station thyself. Smith's Literal Translation If thou shalt be able to turn back to me, set in order before me, stand forth. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleIf thou canst, answer me, and stand up against my face. Catholic Public Domain Version If you can, answer me, and oppose me to my face. New American Bible If you are able, refute me; draw up your arguments and take your stand. New Revised Standard Version Answer me, if you can; set your words in order before me; take your stand. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleIf you can answer me, then prepare yourself and stand up before me. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated If can you return an answer, be ready and stand before me OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917If thou canst, answer thou me, Set thy words in order before me, stand forth. Brenton Septuagint Translation If thou canst, give me an answer: wait therefore; stand against me, and I will stand against thee. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Elihu Rebukes Job…4The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 5Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me. 6I am just like you before God; I was also formed from clay.… Cross References Refute me if you can; Isaiah 50:8 The One who vindicates Me is near. Who will dare to contend with Me? Let us confront each other! Who has a case against Me? Let him approach Me! Job 13:22 Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply. Isaiah 41:21 “Present your case,” says the LORD. “Submit your arguments,” says the King of Jacob. prepare your case Job 23:4 I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. Job 13:18 See now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated. Isaiah 43:26 Remind Me, let us argue the matter together. State your case, so that you may be vindicated. and confront me. Job 38:3 Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me. Job 40:7 “Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me. Micah 6:1-2 Hear now what the LORD says: “Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. / Hear, O mountains, the LORD’s indictment, you enduring foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a case against His people, and He will argue it against Israel: Isaiah 41:1 “Be silent before Me, O islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come forward and testify; let us together draw near for judgment. Jeremiah 2:9 Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children. 1 Samuel 2:10 Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder from heaven against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth and will give power to His king. He will exalt the horn of His anointed.” Psalm 50:21 You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face. Psalm 35:23 Awake and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord! Psalm 74:22 Rise up, O God; defend Your cause! Remember how the fool mocks You all day long. Proverbs 18:17 The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him. Treasury of Scripture If you can answer me, set your words in order before me, stand up. If Job 33:32,33 If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee… Job 32:1,12 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes… set Job 23:4,5 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments… Job 32:14 Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches. Psalm 50:21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. stand Acts 10:26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. Jump to Previous Able Array Cause Confront Forth Forward Order Prepare Refute Stand Station Thyself Words YourselvesJump to Next Able Array Cause Confront Forth Forward Order Prepare Refute Stand Station Thyself Words YourselvesJob 33 1. Elihu offers himself instead of God to reason with Job8. He excuses God from giving man an account of his ways, by his greatness 14. God calls man to repentance by visions, by afflictions, and by his ministry 31. He incites Job to attention Refute me if you can; Elihu invites Job to answer the charges and reasoning he has presented. Having listened while Job and his friends debated, Elihu now speaks directly, convinced that Job has wrongly questioned God’s justice. Isa 50:8 The One who vindicates Me is near. Who will dare?… prepare your case He calls Job to state his defense clearly and in order, as in a formal hearing. Job 23:4 I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth… and confront me. Elihu is willing to hear Job’s response face-to-face in a direct and serious confrontation aimed at seeking truth, believing that honest examination will show that God is righteous and Job must humble himself before Him. Job 38:3 Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you… Persons / Places / Events 1. ElihuA young man who speaks to Job and his friends. He is not one of the three friends who initially came to comfort Job but is introduced later in the account. Elihu claims to speak on God's behalf and offers a different perspective on Job's suffering. 2. Job The central figure of the Book of Job, a man who experiences immense suffering and seeks to understand the reasons behind it. Job is known for his patience and faithfulness, despite his trials. 3. Job's Friends Although not directly mentioned in this verse, they are part of the larger context. They initially come to comfort Job but end up arguing that his suffering must be due to sin. 4. The Setting The dialogue takes place in the land of Uz, where Job lived. The setting is significant as it provides a backdrop for the theological discussions on suffering and divine justice. 5. The Event Elihu's speech is part of a larger discourse where he attempts to correct both Job and his friends, offering a new perspective on God's justice and human suffering. Teaching Points The Importance of DialogueElihu's invitation to Job to refute him underscores the value of open dialogue in resolving misunderstandings and seeking truth. As believers, we should be willing to engage in respectful conversations about our faith and beliefs. Preparation in Faith Just as Elihu challenges Job to prepare his case, we are reminded of the importance of being prepared to defend our faith and beliefs. This involves studying Scripture and understanding the reasons for our hope. Humility in Discourse Elihu's approach, while confident, also requires humility. We should approach discussions with a willingness to listen and learn, recognizing that we may not have all the answers. God's Sovereignty and Justice Elihu's speeches remind us of God's ultimate sovereignty and justice, even when we do not fully understand His ways. Trusting in God's character is crucial during times of suffering. The Role of Suffering Elihu offers a perspective that suffering can be a means of refining and teaching. As believers, we should seek to understand what God might be teaching us through our trials. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Job 33:5?2. How does Job 33:5 encourage us to prepare our defense before God? 3. What does Elihu's challenge in Job 33:5 reveal about God's justice? 4. How can Job 33:5 inspire us to speak truthfully in difficult situations? 5. In what ways does Job 33:5 connect to Ephesians 6:13 about standing firm? 6. How can we apply the principle of readiness from Job 33:5 in daily life? 7. How does Job 33:5 challenge the concept of human accountability before God? 8. What does Job 33:5 reveal about God's expectations for human response? 9. How does Job 33:5 fit into the broader theme of divine justice in the Book of Job? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 33? Verse 5. - If thou canst answer me; rather, if thou canst answer thou me (see the Revised Version). Set thy words in order before me, stand up (comp. Job 23:4). Job 33:5 records Elihu inviting Job to a fair hearing: “Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me.” Each clause champions open examination, orderly reasoning, and honest dialogue. Scripture shows that truth welcomes scrutiny, urges clear preparation, and invites respectful confrontation—all so that genuine wisdom, grounded in God’s unchanging Word, shines through. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Refuteהֲשִׁיבֵ֑נִי (hă·šî·ḇê·nî) Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again me if אִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not you can; תּוּכַ֥ל (tū·ḵal) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 3201: To be able, have power prepare your case עֶרְכָ֥ה (‘er·ḵāh) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular Strong's 6186: To set in a, row, arrange, put in order and confront me. לְ֝פָנַ֗י (lə·p̄ā·nay) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Strong's 6440: The face Additonal Resources Job 33:5 Blue Letter BibleJob 33:5 Bible Gateway Job 33:5 Bible.com Job 33:5 NIV |
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