Job 33:5

5 Answer me if you can; get yourself ready and stand before me.

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 My words come from an honest heart, and I am sincere in saying what I know.
4 The Spirit of God created me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
5 Answer me if you can; get yourself ready and stand before me.
6 I am just like you before God; I too am made out of clay.
7 Don't be afraid of me; I will not be hard on you.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.