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VII. Elihu’s Speeches

Chapter 32

Then the three men ceased to answer Job, because in his own eyes he was in the right.(A) (B)But the anger of Elihu,[a] son of Barachel the Buzite, of the clan of Ram, was kindled. He was angry with Job for considering himself rather than God to be in the right. (C)He was angry also with the three friends because they had not found a good answer and had not condemned Job. But since these men were older than he, Elihu bided his time before addressing Job. When, however, Elihu saw that there was no reply in the mouths of the three men, his wrath was inflamed. So Elihu, son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said:

I am young and you are very old;
    therefore I held back and was afraid
    to declare to you my knowledge.
I thought, days should speak,
    and many years teach wisdom!(D)
But there is a spirit in human beings,(E)
    the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.
It is not those of many days who are wise,
    nor the aged who understand the right.
10 Therefore I say, listen to me;
    I also will declare my knowledge!
11 Behold, I have waited for your words,
    have given ear to your arguments,
    as you searched out what to say.
12 Yes, I followed you attentively:
    And look, none of you has convicted Job,
    not one could refute his statements.
13 So do not say, “We have met wisdom;[b]
    God can vanquish him but no mortal!”
14 For had he addressed his words to me,
    I would not then have answered him with your words.
15 They are dismayed, they make no more reply;
    words fail them.
16 Must I wait? Now that they speak no more,
    and have ceased to make reply,
17 I too will speak my part;
    I also will declare my knowledge!
18 For I am full of words;
    the spirit within me compels me.
19 My belly is like unopened wine,
    like wineskins ready to burst.
20 Let me speak and obtain relief;
    let me open my lips, and reply.
21 I would not be partial to anyone,
    nor give flattering titles to any.
22 For I know nothing of flattery;
    if I did, my Maker would soon take me away.

Footnotes

  1. 32:2 Elihu means “My God is he.” This speaker was from Buz, which, according to Jer 25:23, was near Tema and Dedan. A young man, he impetuously and impatiently upbraids Job for his boldness toward God, and the three friends for not successfully answering Job. He undertakes to defend God’s absolute justice and to explain more clearly why there is suffering. While fundamentally his position is the same as that of the three friends, he locates the place of suffering in the divine plan. Because Elihu’s four speeches (32:6–33:33; 34:2–37; 35:2–16; 36:2–37:24) repeat the substance of the earlier arguments of the three friends and also anticipate the content of the divine speeches (chaps. 39–41), many scholars consider them a later addition to the book.
  2. 32:13 Met wisdom: in Job’s arguments.

Elihu

32 So these three men stopped answering Job,(A) because he was righteous in his own eyes.(B) But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite,(C) of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself(D) rather than God.(E) He was also angry with the three friends,(F) because they had found no way to refute Job,(G) and yet had condemned him.[a](H) Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.(I) But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.

So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said:

“I am young in years,
    and you are old;(J)
that is why I was fearful,
    not daring to tell you what I know.
I thought, ‘Age should speak;
    advanced years should teach wisdom.’(K)
But it is the spirit[b](L) in a person,
    the breath of the Almighty,(M) that gives them understanding.(N)
It is not only the old[c] who are wise,(O)
    not only the aged(P) who understand what is right.(Q)

10 “Therefore I say: Listen to me;(R)
    I too will tell you what I know.(S)
11 I waited while you spoke,
    I listened to your reasoning;
while you were searching for words,
12     I gave you my full attention.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
    none of you has answered his arguments.(T)
13 Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;(U)
    let God, not a man, refute(V) him.’
14 But Job has not marshaled his words against me,(W)
    and I will not answer him with your arguments.

15 “They are dismayed and have no more to say;
    words have failed them.(X)
16 Must I wait, now that they are silent,
    now that they stand there with no reply?
17 I too will have my say;
    I too will tell what I know.(Y)
18 For I am full of words,
    and the spirit(Z) within me compels me;(AA)
19 inside I am like bottled-up wine,
    like new wineskins ready to burst.(AB)
20 I must speak and find relief;
    I must open my lips and reply.(AC)
21 I will show no partiality,(AD)
    nor will I flatter anyone;(AE)
22 for if I were skilled in flattery,
    my Maker(AF) would soon take me away.(AG)

Footnotes

  1. Job 32:3 Masoretic Text; an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition Job, and so had condemned God
  2. Job 32:8 Or Spirit; also in verse 18
  3. Job 32:9 Or many; or great