Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent; like new wineskins ready to burst.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Elihu isn't just feeling overwhelmed; he's experiencing a buildup of intense emotion and thought that feels physically dangerous, like a sealed container of volatile new wine ready to explode. The specific imagery of "new wineskins" highlights that this pressure is so powerful it could burst even something strong, not just something old and weak.
Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent; like new wineskins ready to burst.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Elihu, frustrated that Job and his friends have fallen silent after their long debate, feels a surge of words bubbling up within him. He compares himself to new wine fermenting in a wineskin without a vent, ready to burst from the pressure if he doesn't speak. He then explains that he must now offer his perspective, as he feels compelled by the Spirit to speak.
Imagine a bottle of soda that's been shaken up, and you try to open it without letting any of the fizz out first. What happens? Elihu uses this vivid image to describe his inner turmoil.
Elihu compares himself to new wine fermenting inside a skin bottle without a vent. In ancient times, when new wine fermented, it produced gases. If this gas had no escape, the pressure would build up until the container burst. Elihu feels this immense internal pressure, believing his words are essential and must be released before they consume him.
Elihu feels an overwhelming need to speak, a burden that feels like it might break him. What drives this urgency?
Elihu is not just agitated; he feels compelled by a divine urgency. He perceives that the words bubbling up within him are crucial for the situation, especially given the long silence of Job and his friends. He believes that withholding these truths would be like allowing a dangerous pressure to build, with potentially destructive consequences. This isn't mere impatience; it's a sense of prophetic responsibility.
Elihu is the youngest of the characters, and his perspective might seem different. How does this imagery set him apart?
The metaphor of "new wineskins" also subtly positions Elihu. Unlike the older friends who rely on established traditions and arguments, Elihu presents himself as having a fresh perspective, like new skins meant to hold something new. He acknowledges that new wine (his insights) needs appropriate vessels. This highlights his role as a bridge figure, bringing a potentially new understanding to the long-standing debate.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
beṭen · Hebrew Noun
The internal part of the human body, often used metaphorically in Scripture to refer to the seat of deep emotions, the heart, or the innermost being where thoughts and passions reside.
yayin · Hebrew Noun
In a biblical context, fermented grape juice. It is used metaphorically for joy, abundance, or in this case, the fermenting, pressurized buildup of words and thoughts seeking release.
ʾōḇôṯ · Hebrew Noun
Containers made of animal skin used for storing liquids. Metaphorically, they represent the capacity of the human vessel to hold content, emphasizing the danger of rupture when stretched beyond capacity.
This passage directly uses the same analogy of new wine bursting old wineskins, highlighting the danger of putting something new into an unsuitable old container, much like Elihu feels his new words are too much for the old ways of thinking.
Jeremiah 20:9Jeremiah describes a similar internal pressure, stating 'his word is in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones,' showing how an unexpressed message can become an unbearable burden.
Acts 2:4The Holy Spirit empowering the disciples to speak in tongues is described as being 'filled with the Holy Spirit,' which can be seen as a divine 'vent' allowing powerful, potentially overwhelming, expressions of God's message.
Romans 8:19This verse speaks of 'the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God,' suggesting a universal groaning or pressure for something new to break forth, echoing Elihu's sense of imminent revelation.
wesleyJob 32:19: "Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles."
32:19 Bottles - Bottles of new wine.
ellicottJob 32:19: "Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles."
(19) New bottles. —Or wine-skins. (Comp. Matthew 9:17 .)
Elihu isn't just feeling overwhelmed; he's experiencing a buildup of intense emotion and thought that feels physically dangerous, like a sealed container of volatile new wine ready to explode. The specific imagery of "new wineskins" highlights that this pressure is so powerful it could burst even something strong, not just something old and weak.
Elihu, frustrated that Job and his friends have fallen silent after their long debate, feels a surge of words bubbling up within him. He compares himself to new wine fermenting in a wineskin without a vent, ready to burst from the pressure if he doesn't speak. He then explains that he must now offer his perspective, as he feels compelled by the Spirit to speak.
Elihu, frustrated that Job and his friends have fallen silent after their long debate, feels a surge of words bubbling up within him. He compares himself to new wine fermenting in a wineskin without a vent, ready to burst from the pressure if he doesn't speak. He then explains that he must now offer his perspective, as he feels compelled by the Spirit to speak.
"Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent; like new wineskins ready to burst." — Elihu isn't just feeling overwhelmed; he's experiencing a buildup of intense emotion and thought that feels physically dangerous, like a sealed container of volatile new wine ready to explode. The sp…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026