Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 23:4

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

I would order my cause before him – Compare the notes at Isa 43:26. That is, I would arrange my arguments, or plead my cause, as one does in a court of justice. I would suggest the considerations which would show that I am not guilty in the sense charged by my friends, and that notwithstanding my calamities, I am the real friend of God.

And fill my mouth with arguments – Probably he means that he would appeal to the evidence furnished by a life of benevolence and justice, that he was not a hypocrite or a man of distinguished wickedness, as his friends maintained.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

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.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

4. orderstate methodically(Job 13:18; Isa 43:26).

fill, &c.I wouldhave abundance of arguments to adduce.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

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 Ps 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,

1Sa 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,

Ps 35:1;

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 c signifies, to those that contended with him.

c “increpationibus”, V. L. and so Montanus, Beza, Mercerus, Drusius, Schultens.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

4. Order Set in order. Job 13:18. Used also of the drawing up of an army. Jdg 20:22.

Second strophe Regerminant faith leads Job to trust that God yet would look propitiously upon him, but the hope is dispelled by the counter thought that God hides himself from all human search. Job 23:6-9.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

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 ( ,) 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 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

order: Job 13:18, Job 37:19, Psa 43:1, Isa 43:26

fill my mouth: Gen 18:25-32, Gen 32:12, Exo 32:12, Exo 32:13, Num 14:13-19, Jos 7:8, Jos 7:9, Psa 25:11, Dan 9:18, Dan 9:19

Reciprocal: Gen 18:28 – wilt Num 27:5 – General Job 9:14 – choose Job 13:15 – but I will Job 33:5 – set Job 33:6 – I am Job 38:2 – General Job 40:4 – what Job 40:7 – Gird Isa 41:21 – Produce

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge