Job 23:5 (LSB)

Passage

I would know the words which He would answer, And discern what He would say to me.

Nearby Context

Job 23:3 Oh that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat!

Job 23:4 I would arrange my case for justice before Him And fill my mouth with arguments.

Job 23:5 I would know the words which He would answer, And discern what He would say to me.

Job 23:6 Would He contend with me by the greatness of His power? No, surely He would pay attention to me.

Job 23:7 There the upright would argue with Him; And I would have escaped forever from my Judge.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "words", "answer", and "discern". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "words" and "answer", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "I would arrange my case for justice..." into verse 6's "Would He contend with me by the...", so "words" and "answer" belong inside that flow. In Job context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "words" and "answer" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.