Lenten Study Job Ch 32
This is our introduction to the youngest person present, Elihu. He has been silent for three-quarters of the book because he is the most junior member present. However, the Holy Spirit is moving in him to make him reveal what his silent contemplations have concluded about Job’s condition.
"There was a man in the land of Uz" by andrevanb is marked with CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.Caption
1 Then these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
Job 32:1 (NASB)
So Job did get through to Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, or at least they understand he believes he is righteous. I think the “…in his own eyes.” Line means they still don’t believe him. They still think he has committed some affront to God that Job is unaware of.
2 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned because he justified himself before God.
Job 32:2 (NASB)
A Buzite came from Edom, a region south of Israel between Egypt and Jordan. I’m not sure when Elihu shows up at the gathering of these four men, but he has been here for enough time to hear the back and forth. Job’s accusations toward God, namely that He isn’t aware of what is going on, are what anger Elihu, but there is more.
3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
Job 32:3 (NASB)
Elihu is mad at everyone because the three friends have no evidence that Job has done anything wrong, and they still condemn him. This was Job’s main problem with his friends, but Elihu isn’t letting him off the hook just because he agrees with Job on that score.
4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he.
Job 32:4 (NASB)
There’s our explanation of how long Elihu has been here. He’s been here the whole time. He is just the youngest so let the older, wiser men speak until they were done.
5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men his anger burned.
Job 32:5 (NASB)
None of the three friends knows what to say back to Job, either because he has finally won them over to his side on his point that he’s done nothing wrong or because they don’t know what to say. In either case, Elihu is mad because they have nothing to reply to Job.
6 So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite spoke out and said, “I am young in years and you are old; Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you what I think.
7 “I thought age should speak, And increased years should teach wisdom.
Job 32:6-7 (NASB)
The implication Elihu is making here is that age and experience do not always translate into wisdom for those who have lived long enough to survive and experience life. Just because someone lives through a thing does not mean they learned any lessons from that event.
8 “But it is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
Job 32:8 (NASB)
The “breath of the Almighty” might also be called the Holy Spirit.
9 “The abundant in years may not be wise, Nor may elders understand justice.
10 “So I say, ‘Listen to me, I too will tell what I think.’
Job 32:9-10 (NASB)
This opening statement by Elihu establishes that he believes he is speaking what God intends him to say and not just his thoughts. He has to set this up; otherwise, if he offends any of the men, they could try to dismiss his opinion based on his age.
11 “Behold, I waited for your words, I listened to your reasonings, While you pondered what to say.
12 “I even paid close attention to you; Indeed, there was no one who refuted Job, Not one of you who answered his words.
Job 32:11-12 (NASB)
Elihu wisely listened rather than spoke. This demonstrated his wisdom because it told the people he was speaking to he was wise and prudent. His listening allowed him to get everything the people were trying to say so that they could think he didn’t miss out on anything they believed was important. He had considered everything the speakers believed vital to understand their positions before he gave his response.
13 “Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom; God will rout him, not man.’
14 “For he has not arranged his words against me, Nor will I reply to him with your arguments.
Job 32:13-14 (NASB)
The three friends have not responded to Job because they do not know what to say. Elihu is pointing out that they cannot then argue against his response that they are still right because God will manage the response to Job. Elihu has a response he believes is from God, and it is the right answer he believes.
15 “They are dismayed, they no longer answer; Words have failed them.
16 “Shall I wait, because they do not speak, Because they stop and no longer answer?
17 “I too will answer my share, I also will tell my opinion.
18 “For I am full of words; The spirit within me constrains me.
Job 32:15-18 (NASB)
Elihu has chosen his time to add his two cents to the conversation well. He has waited until those who are senior to him are done. He is also laying the groundwork to refute their rebuttals of his opinion before they are even made.
19 “Behold, my belly is like unvented wine, Like new wineskins it is about to burst.
20 “Let me speak that I may get relief; Let me open my lips and answer.
Job 32:19-20 (NASB)
Elihu has chosen to be silent, but God’s spirit has moved him to keep silent no more. Such is the feeling that God granted Elihu, a feeling of being ready to burst at the seams if he did not speak.
21 “Let me now be partial to no one, Nor flatter any man.
22 “For I do not know how to flatter, Else my Maker would soon take me away.
Job 32:21-22 (NASB)
This is a warning to those present that Elihu will speak plainly and bluntly. He will not couch his words nor worry about hurting someone’s feelings. He will speak the truth that God has given him to speak.