Question 1

What are the “two things” Job asks for in verses 20–21, and how are they different from each other?

Accepted Answer

Job limits his request to two conditions. First, he asks God to “withdraw your hand far from me,” which points to relief from whatever Job experiences as God’s pressing force—suffering, harm, or unbearable pressure. Second, he asks God not to let God’s “terror” make him afraid (afraid), which targets the internal, emotional effect of facing God. The first condition is about the burden on Job; the second is about the fear that prevents him from speaking. Together they address both external distress and inward intimidation.

Question 2

In verse 20, what does Job mean when he says he will not “hide myself from your face” if those conditions are met?

Accepted Answer

Job connects hiding with the inability to face God directly. In the immediate context, he wants a setting where he can speak rather than retreat. So “hide from your face” most naturally means avoiding a direct encounter—pulling back from God’s presence because the meeting feels unbearable. It can include avoidance of prayer or any attempt to engage God, but the point in these verses is specifically about a hearing: if pain and dread are removed, Job believes he can remain present and speak openly instead of shrinking back.

Question 3

What does the word “hand” contribute to the picture in verse 21, and why might it be described as needing to be “far” from Job?

Accepted Answer

“Hand” is concrete language for power at work against someone. In these verses it functions as Job’s way of naming the pressure he feels coming from God. Asking that it be “far” underscores distance and relief: not just a slight easing, but a withdrawal sufficient for Job to stand and speak. The text does not define the “hand” as only bodily illness or only circumstances; it simply portrays an overpowering force that, if kept close, prevents a fair hearing by making Job unable to participate without being crushed.

Question 4

How does “your terror” in verse 21 relate to Job’s goal of speaking with God in verse 22?

Accepted Answer

The sequence matters: terror leads to fear, and fear leads to silence or hiding. Job is not merely asking to feel better emotionally; he is naming a barrier to communication. If God’s dread overwhelms him, then any “hearing” would be one-sided because Job would be too afraid to speak or answer. Verse 22 then makes the goal explicit: an exchange where either God calls and Job answers, or Job speaks and God responds. Removing terror is therefore presented as a condition for meaningful dialogue.

Question 5

In verse 22, what two procedures for the hearing does Job offer, and what do they have in common?

Accepted Answer

Job offers two possible ways to start. Option one: God “calls” (initiates) and Job will answer. Option two: Job speaks first and God answers him. The common element is reciprocal response—one speaks, the other replies. Job is not trying to avoid engagement; he is trying to ensure it happens in a form that allows real participation from both sides. The verse frames fairness as turn-taking rather than domination, assuming that a valid hearing involves an actual exchange, not just God speaking while Job is unable to respond.

Question 6

What does Job’s request imply about the relationship between power and “fairness” in a hearing, based on these verses?

Accepted Answer

The explicit claims show Job believes power can distort a hearing before any words are spoken. God’s “hand” and “terror” represent overwhelming force and overwhelming fear. If those remain in full effect, Job expects he will “hide” and be unable to speak. So fairness, in Job’s view, requires the stronger party to restrain what would silence the weaker party. This is not a denial that God is greater; it is a claim that meaningful speech depends on conditions where the weaker party is not crushed or terrified into silence.

Question 7

What does Job assume about God’s willingness or ability to respond, and how is that shown in the wording of verse 22?

Accepted Answer

Job assumes that God can engage in responsive conversation—calling, hearing answers, and replying to Job’s words. Verse 22 is built on that expectation: “Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you answer me.” Job is not describing a silent, distant deity; he is asking for a setting where God’s presence does not overwhelm him, precisely so that actual communication can occur. The confidence of the sentence is striking: Job speaks as though God’s reply is a real possibility once the conditions for speech are met.

Question 8

How do verses 20–22 fit with Job’s broader desire in the nearby context to present his case directly to God?

Accepted Answer

These verses function like a proposed ground rule for the encounter Job wants. Nearby he insists he wants to speak to God and present what he considers a real case (Job 13:3). But he also recognizes that God’s sheer power could prevent him from speaking at all. So he specifies what must change: the pressure of God’s “hand” and the paralyzing effect of God’s “terror.” Once those obstacles are removed, Job is ready for direct exchange—either God initiates or Job does—so the hearing can actually happen.

Job 13:20-22

Scripture