Job 33:5

5 If thou mayest, answer thou to me, and stand thou against my face.

Job 33:5 Meaning and Commentary

Job 33:5

If thou canst answer me
That is, when he had done speaking, after he had heard him out; if he thought he could make a reply to him, he gave him full liberty so to do, and tacitly suggests that he should give him an attentive and candid hearing, as he had requested of him:

set [thy words] in order before me;
put them into the best form and order thou canst for thy self-defence, and level them at me; set them, as it were, in battle array against me; give them all the poignancy, strength, and three thou art capable of:

stand up;
not out of veneration to him, but to denote freedom and boldness in himself; a presentation of himself with boldness, and standing and keeping his ground: the expressions are military; Mr. Broughton renders it, "stand to it".

Job 33:5 In-Context

3 Of simple heart be my words, and my lips shall speak clean sentence. (My words be from a sincere heart, and my lips shall speak clear sentences.)

4 The spirit of God made me, and the breathing of Almighty God quickened me.

5 If thou mayest, answer thou to me, and stand thou against my face.

6 Lo! God made me as and thee; and also I am formed of the same clay. (Lo! God hath made me like he did thee; and I am also formed out of the same clay.)

7 Nevertheless my miracle, that is, (the) knowing given of God, either by (a) miracle, to me, make thee not afeared, and mine eloquence be not grievous to thee. (But let not my miracle, that is, the knowledge given to me by God, by a miracle, make thee afraid, and let not my eloquence be grievous, or heavy, to thee.)