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Elihu Rebukes Job and His Three Friends

32 Then these three men ceased from answering Job because he was righteous in his own eyes. So Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite, from the clan of Ram, became angry.[a] He became angry[b] at Job because he justified himself rather than God, and he became angry[c] at his three friends because they had not found an answer, and they had declared Job guilty. Thus Elihu had waited for Job to speak[d] because they were older than he.[e] When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, he became angry.[f] Then Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up[g] and said,

I am young,[h] but[i] you[j] are old;
therefore I feared and became afraid of explaining my knowledge to you.[k]
I thought,[l] ‘Let days[m] speak,
and let many years teach wisdom.’
“Truly, it is a spirit in a human being,
and the breath of Shaddai teaches them.
It is not the aged[n] who are wise,
or[o] it is not the elders who understand justice.
10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
let me also declare my knowledge myself.’
11 “Look, I waited for your[p] words;
I listened for your[q] insight,
until you searched out what to say.[r]
12 And I directed my attention to you;[s]
and, look, there is no one for Job who refuted,
answering his words among you.
13 So do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;
let God refute him, not a man.’
14 But[t] he did not direct his words[u] to me,
and I will not answer him with your[v] words.
15 “They are dismayed; they no longer answer;
they have nothing to say.[w]
16 And I have waited because they do not speak,
because they stand there and no longer answer.
17 I myself will answer my share also;
I myself will declare my knowledge also,
18 for I am full of words;[x]
the spirit within me[y] urges me.
19 “Look, my internal organs are like unopened wine,
like new wineskins it[z] is ready to burst open.
20 Let me speak that I may find relief;[aa]
let me open my lips, and let me answer.
21 Please let me not show partiality to anyone,[ab]
and let me not show flattery to human beings,
22 for I do not know how to flatter,[ac]
else my Maker would soon[ad] put an end to me.

Footnotes

  1. Job 32:2 Literally “the nose of Elihu became hot”
  2. Job 32:2 Literally “His nose became hot”
  3. Job 32:3 Literally “his nose became hot”
  4. Job 32:4 Literally “in words”
  5. Job 32:4 Literally “they were older than he as far as days”
  6. Job 32:5 Literally “his nose became hot”
  7. Job 32:6 Literally “answered”; see NET
  8. Job 32:6 Literally “Young I am as far as days”
  9. Job 32:6 Or “and”
  10. Job 32:6 Plural
  11. Job 32:6 Plural
  12. Job 32:7 Or “said”
  13. Job 32:7 Compare the idiom of “as far as days” in vv. 4 and 6
  14. Job 32:9 Literally “many in days
  15. Job 32:9 Hebrew “and”
  16. Job 32:11 Plural
  17. Job 32:11 Plural
  18. Job 32:11 Literally “words,” or “sentences”
  19. Job 32:12 Plural
  20. Job 32:14 Hebrew “And”
  21. Job 32:14 Or “sentences,” or “what he said”
  22. Job 32:14 Plural
  23. Job 32:15 Literally “words fail from them,” or “sentences fail from them,” or “what to say fails from them”
  24. Job 32:18 Or “sentences,” or “what to say”
  25. Job 32:18 Literally “the spirit of my stomach”
  26. Job 32:19 Antecedent is “wine”
  27. Job 32:20 Literally “and let it find relief for me”
  28. Job 32:21 Literally “Not please I will lift up face of a man”
  29. Job 32:22 Literally “I will flatter”
  30. Job 32:22 Literally “like little”

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