Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Bear with me a little, and I will show you; for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.
- BSB “Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.
- NKJV “Bear with me a little, and I will show you That there are yet words to speak on God’s behalf.
- NASB “Wait for me a little, and I will show you That there is still more to be said on God’s behalf.
- NLT “Let me go on, and I will show you the truth. For I have not finished defending God!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Elihu asks Job to bear with him a little longer, for he still has words to speak on God's behalf. He presents himself as God's advocate.
Overview
Elihu requests patience as he claims to have more to say in defense of God's character. His confidence that he speaks 'on God's behalf' shows earnest zeal, though only God can finally vindicate Himself. The verse models a desire to honor God in speech, while reminding us that the perfect Advocate and Mediator between God and men is Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Job 21:3Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
- 2 Cor 5:20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
- Job 13:7–8Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
- Job 33:31–33Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak.
- Jer 15:19Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.
- Ezek 2:7And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.
- Heb 13:22And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
- Job 33:6Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead: I also am formed out of the clay.
- Exod 4:16And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 36:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.