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Elihu Decides to Speak to Job

32 These three men stopped answering Job because Job thought he was righteous. Then Elihu, son of Barachel, a descendant of Buz from the family of Ram, became very angry with Job because Job thought he was more righteous than Elohim. Elihu was also very angry with Job’s three friends because they had found no answer. They made it look as if Elohim[a] were wrong. Elihu waited as they spoke to Job because they were older than he was. When Elihu saw that the three men had no further responses, he became very angry.

Elihu Speaks: The Reason for Elihu’s Discourse

So Elihu, son of Barachel, the descendant of Buz, replied to Job,

“I am young, and you are old.
    That’s why I refrained from speaking
    and was afraid to tell you what I know.
I thought, ‘Age should speak,
    and experience should teach wisdom.’
However, there is in humans a Ruach,
    the breath of Shadday, that gives them understanding.
People do not become wise merely because they live long.
    They don’t understand what justice is merely because they’re old.

10 “That is why I say, ‘Listen to me!
    Let me tell you what I know.’
11 I waited for you to speak.
    I listened for you to share your understanding
        until you could find the right words.
12 I’ve paid close attention to you,
    but none of you refuted Job.
        None of you has an answer to what he says.
13 So don’t say, ‘We’ve found wisdom.
    Let El, not humans, defeat him.’
14 Job did not choose his words to refute me,
    so I won’t answer him with your speeches.

15 “Job’s friends have been overwhelmed and don’t have any more answers.
    They don’t have another word to say.
16 Should I wait because they don’t speak,
    because they stand there and don’t have any more answers?

17 “I’ll give my answer.
    I’ll tell you what I know.
18 I’m full of words.
    The Ruach within me forces me to speak.
19 My belly is like a bottle of wine that has not been opened,
    like new wineskins that are ready to burst.
20 I must speak to get relief.
    I must open my mouth and answer.
21 I won’t be partial toward anyone
    or flatter anyone.
22 I don’t know how to flatter.
    If I did, my maker would soon carry me away.

Footnotes

  1. Job 32:3 Masoretic Text “Job.” At times some scribes would alter the text when they thought it was disrespectful to God.

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