to fill or (intransitively) be full of · verb, qal perfect, 1st person common singular
matter
מִלִּ֑יםmi.Lim
H4405
a word · noun, common masculine plural absolute
spirit
ר֣וּחַRu.ach
H7307
wind · noun, common feminine singular construct
within
בִּטְנִֽיbit.Ni
H990
the belly · noun, common feminine singular construct + pronominal suffix
constraineth
הֱ֝צִיקַ֗תְנִיhe.tzi.Kat.ni
H6693
to compress · verb, hiphil perfect, 3rd person feminine singular + pronominal suffix
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Psalms 39:3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,
Acts 4:20 For we can not but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my…
Ezekiel 3:14-27 So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon m…
2 Corinthians 5:13-14 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Job 32:15–end
Three things here apologize for Elihu's interposing as he does in this controversy which had already been canvassed by such acute and learned disputants: -
1. That the stage was clear, and he did not break in upon any of the managers on either side: They were amazed (Job 32:15); they stood still, and answered no more, Job 32:16. They not only left off speaking themselves, but they stood still, to hear if any of the company would speak their minds, so that (as we say) he had room and fair play given him. They seemed not fully satisfied themselves with what they had said, else they would have adjourned the court, and not have stood still, expecting what might further be offered. And therefore…
"I am full of words," whereas the friends have not a word more to say.
the spirit-- (Job 32:8; Job 33:4; Jer 20:9; Act 18:5).
Adam Clarke on Job 32:18
I am full of matter - מלים millim, "I am full of Words," or sayings; i.e., wise sentences, and ancient opinions.
The spirit within me constraineth me - How similar to the words of St. Paul! The love of Christ constraineth us. Elihu considered himself under the influence of that Spirit of God which gives understanding, and felt anxiously concerned for the welfare both of Job and his friends.
John Gill on Job 32:18
For I am full of matter,.... Or "full of words" (y); not of mere words, such that have nothing solid and substantial in them; this is the character of a fool, Ecclesiastes 10:14; nor was Elihu a loquacious talkative man, as Job is charged to be, a man full of talk, Job 11:2; but he was full of words, which had fulness of matter in them, which were to the purpose, and contained strong reasonings and solid arguments; his mind was full of them, and he could easily fill his mouth with them, and was not easy until he had uttered them: so an able minister of the word may be said to be full of words, of the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus, of useful doctrines, when the word of Christ dwells richl…
The Church Fathers
He wants to show that he suffered for a long time and waited to speak and that he contained himself and could burst. Therefore, he needed a large amount of patience. To be able to control one's words is the greatest proof of wisdom, and [Elihu's] ardor for God has enabled him to bear such an interior fire.
I am full of words, the spirit of my womb constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as new wine without a vent, which bursts in sunder new vessels. I will speak, and will take breath awhile; I will open my lips and answer. When boastful men observe that holy preachers speak eloquently, and are reverenced for their eloquence, they frequently imitate the loftiness of their language, and not their useful intention. They are far from loving what the others desire, but are especially anxious to gain great renown amongst men. For it is frequently the case that wise men, when they find that they are not listened to, impose silence on their lips. But frequently when they see that the sins of the ungodly gain strength when they are silent, and cease to reprove, they endure a kind of violence in their spirit, so that they burst forth in language of open reproof. And hence when the Prophet Jeremiah had imposed on himself silence in preaching, saying, I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His Name; he immediately added, And there was made as it were a burning fire in my bosom, and shut up in my bones: and I was wearied, not being able to bear it; for I have heard the insults of many. For, seeing that he was not listened to, he wished to hold his peace; but when he beheld evil increasing, he no longer persisted in the same silence. For when he ceased to speak without, from being wearied of speaking, he felt a flame kindled within him by the zeal of charity. For the hearts of the just burn within them, when they behold the deeds of the ungodly gain strength from not being reproved, and they believe that they are themselves partakers in the guilt of those, whom they allow, by their own silence, to go on in iniquity. The prophet David, after he had imposed silence on himself, saying, I have set a guard upon my mouth, while the sinner stood against me. I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence even from good things: in the midst of his silence blazed forth with this zeal of charity, when he immediately subjoined; My sorrow was renewed, my heart grew hot within me, and in my meditation a fire shall flame out. His heart grew hot within him, because the flame of charity refused to burst forth in words of admonition. The fire burned in the meditation of his heart, because his reproof of the ungodly had ceased to flow on with the chiding of his lips. For the zeal…
Dictionary and topics
Elihu — Whose God is he. (1.) “The son of Barachel, a Buzite” (Job 32:2), one of Job’s friends. When the debate between Job and his friends is brought to a close, Elihu for the first time makes his…
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
18 For I am full of words,
The spirit of my inner nature constraineth me.
19 Behold, my interior is like wine which is not opened,
Like new bottles it is ready to burst.
20 I will speak, that I may gain air,
I will open my lips and reply.
21 No, indeed, I will accept no man's person,
And I will flatter no man.
22 For I understand not how to flatter;
My Maker would easily snatch me away.
The young speaker continues still further his declaration, promising so much. He has a rich store of מלּים, words, i.e., for replying. מלתי defective for מלאתי, like יצתי for יצאתי, Job 1:21; whereas מלוּ, Eze 28:6, is not only written defectively, but is also conjugated after the manner of a Lamed He verb, G…
The length of Elihu’s speech (32:1–37:24) demonstrates that he truly was full of pent-up words. • Elihu probably thought the spirit (Hebrew ruakh) within him was prophetic urgency (32:8, 19-20; Ps 39:3), but the reader might find him full of wind (Hebrew ruakh; see study note on Job 15:2-3). • Like Zophar, Elihu must speak to find relief (cp. 20:2).
Rashi on Job 32:15
have removed themselves Words have turned away from them.