Job 32:18 Meaning and Explanation
“For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Elihu feels filled to the brim with things to say, pressed by the spirit within him.
What Does Job 32:18 Mean?
Elihu describes the pressure he feels. He is full of words, and the spirit within him compels him so that he can no longer hold back. What had been restrained by patience is now driven outward by an inner urgency he cannot ignore.
This sense of being constrained from within is familiar to all who have carried a truth they felt they must speak. The prophets knew it; a fire shut up in the bones that could not be kept silent. Such compulsion, when it serves God and not the self, is a holy thing. The question is always whether the fullness we feel is truth seeking release or merely our own need to be heard.
Job 32:18 in the Original Language
ruach (רוּחַ), 'spirit' -- the same word for breath, wind, and the Spirit of God, here the inward force pressing Elihu to speak.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 32:18
What does Job 32:18 mean?
Elihu feels filled to the brim with things to say, pressed by the spirit within him.