Lectionary Calendar
Monday, December 22nd, 2025
the Fourth Week of Advent
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Read the Bible

Young's Literal Translation

Job 32:20

I speak, and there is refreshment to me, I open my lips and answer.

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Elihu;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Prophet;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Job, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ethics;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elihu;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Job, Book of;   Lip;   Refresh;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I must speak so that I can find relief;I must open my lips and respond.
Hebrew Names Version
I will speak, that I may be refreshed. I will open my lips and answer.
King James Version
I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.
English Standard Version
I must speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.
New Century Version
I must speak so I will feel relief; I must open my mouth and answer.
New English Translation
I will speak, so that I may find relief; I will open my lips, so that I may answer.
Amplified Bible
"I must speak so that I may get relief; I will open my lips and answer.
New American Standard Bible
"Let me speak so that I may get relief; Let me open my lips and answer.
World English Bible
I will speak, that I may be refreshed. I will open my lips and answer.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore will I speake, that I may take breath: I will open my lippes, and will answere.
Legacy Standard Bible
Let me speak that I may get relief;Let me open my lips and answer.
Berean Standard Bible
I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond.
Contemporary English Version
if I don't speak.
Complete Jewish Bible
I must speak, to find relief; I will open my lips and answer.
Darby Translation
I will speak, that I may find relief; I will open my lips and answer.
Easy-to-Read Version
I must speak so that I will feel better. I must answer your arguments.
George Lamsa Translation
I will speak so that I may find relief; I will open my lips and answer.
Good News Translation
I can't stand it; I have to speak.
Lexham English Bible
Let me speak that I may find relief; let me open my lips, and let me answer.
Literal Translation
I will speak so that I may be relieved; I will open my lips and answer.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therfore wil I speake, that I maye haue vete: I wil open my lyppes, and make answere.
American Standard Version
I will speak, that I may be refreshed; I will open my lips and answer.
Bible in Basic English
Let me say what is in my mind, so that I may get comfort; let me give answer with open mouth.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
I will speak, that I may find relief; I will open my lips and answer.
King James Version (1611)
I will speake, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lippes, and answere.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
[Therfore] will I speake, that I may haue a bent: I will open my lippes, and make aunswere.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I will speak, that I may open my lips and relieve myself.
English Revised Version
I will speak, that I may be refreshed; I will open my lips and answer.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y schal speke, and brethe ayen a litil; Y schal opene my lippis, and Y schal answere.
Update Bible Version
I will speak, that I may be refreshed; I will open my lips and answer.
Webster's Bible Translation
I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.
New King James Version
I will speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.
New Living Translation
I must speak to find relief, so let me give my answers.
New Life Bible
Let me speak, that I may find comfort. Let me open my lips and answer.
New Revised Standard
I must speak, so that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I will speak, that I may freely breathe, I will open my lips and respond.
Douay-Rheims Bible
I will speak and take breath a little: I will open my lips, and will answer.
Revised Standard Version
I must speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Let me speak that I may get relief; Let me open my lips and answer.

Contextual Overview

15 (They have broken down, They have not answered again, They removed from themselves words. 16 And I have waited, but they do not speak, For they have stood still, They have not answered any more.) 17 I answer, even I -- my share, I shew my opinion -- even I. 18 For I have been full of words, Distressed me hath the spirit of my breast, 19 Lo, my breast [is] as wine not opened, Like new bottles it is broken up. 20 I speak, and there is refreshment to me, I open my lips and answer. 21 Let me not, I pray you, accept the face of any, Nor unto man give flattering titles, 22 For I have not known to give flattering titles, In a little doth my Maker take me away.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I will speak: Job 13:13, Job 13:19, Job 20:2, Job 21:3

be refreshed: Heb. breathe

I will open: Proverbs 8:6, Proverbs 8:7

Reciprocal: Psalms 39:2 - my sorrow Isaiah 42:14 - long time 2 Corinthians 6:11 - our mouth

Cross-References

Genesis 32:8
and saith, `If Esau come in unto the one camp, and have smitten it -- then the camp which is left hath been for an escape.'
Genesis 32:9
And Jacob saith, `God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Jehovah who saith unto me, Turn back to thy land, and to thy kindred, and I do good with thee:
Genesis 32:17
And he commandeth the first, saying, `When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and hath asked thee, saying, Whose [art] thou? and whither goest thou? and whose [are] these before thee?
Genesis 43:11
And Israel their father saith unto them, `If so, now, this do: take of the praised thing of the land in your vessels, and take down to the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds;
1 Samuel 6:5
and ye have made images of your emerods, and images of your mice that are corrupting the land, and have given honour to the God of Israel; it may be He doth lighten His hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land;
1 Kings 20:31
And his servants say unto him, `Lo, we pray thee, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel -- that they are kind kings; let us put, we pray thee, sackcloth on our loins, and ropes on our heads, and we go out unto the king of Israel; it may be he doth keep thee alive.'
Proverbs 6:35
He accepteth not the appearance of any atonement, Yea, he doth not consent, Though thou dost multiply bribes!
Proverbs 15:18
A man of fury stirreth up contention, And the slow to anger appeaseth strife.
Proverbs 16:14
The fury of a king [is] messengers of death, And a wise man pacifieth it.
Proverbs 21:14
A gift in secret pacifieth anger, And a bribe in the bosom strong fury.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I will speak, that I may be refreshed,.... That his mind might be made easy; the matter it was full of lay with much weight upon it, pressed him hard, and gave him pain; and therefore he determines to speak his mind, and disburden himself: so a minister of the word speaks sometimes to the refreshment of others, the Gospel being a word in season to weary souls, bread to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, even wine to them that are of an heavy heart; and especially it is refreshing when the love of God is shed abroad in the heart through it, and the presence of God is enjoyed under it; and sometimes he speaks to the refreshment of himself with others, Romans 15:32; and whether it be so, one or the other, yet a faithful minister eases his mind, discharges his conscience, and is clear from the blood of all, when he truly and fully declares the whole counsel of God, so far as he is acquainted with it:

I will open my lips and answer; speak freely and boldly what was upon his mind, and he had to say, and which he judged would be a sufficient answer to Job; the opening of his lips is a phrase used by him in allusion to the opening of a bottle, full of new wine, the metaphor before expressed by him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I will speak, that I may be refreshed - Margin, “breathe.” The meaning is, that he would then have room to breathe again; he would feel relieved.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 32:20. I will open my lips and answer. — In the preceding verse Elihu compares himself to a skin-bottle, in which the wine was in a state of fermentation, and the bottle ready to burst for want of vent. He carries on the metaphor in this verse: the bottle must be opened to save it from bursting; I will OPEN my mouth.


 
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