Elihu
32 So these three men stopped answering Job,(A) because he was righteous in his own eyes.(B) 2 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) 3 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) 4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.(I) 5 But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.
6 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.
7 I thought, ‘Age should speak;
advanced years should teach wisdom.’(K)
8 But it is the spirit[b](L) in a person,
the breath of the Almighty,(M) that gives them understanding.(N)
9 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
- Job 32:3 Masoretic Text; an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition Job, and so had condemned God
- Job 32:8 Or Spirit; also in verse 18
- Job 32:9 Or many; or great
Cross references
- Job 32:1 : ver 15
- Job 32:1 : S Job 2:3; S 10:7
- Job 32:2 : S Ge 22:21
- Job 32:2 : ver 1
- Job 32:2 : S Job 13:19; 27:5; 30:21; 35:2
- Job 32:3 : Job 42:7
- Job 32:3 : ver 12-13
- Job 32:3 : S Job 15:13
- Job 32:4 : S Lev 19:32
- Job 32:6 : Job 15:10
- Job 32:7 : S 1Ch 29:15; S 2Ch 10:6
- Job 32:8 : ver 18
- Job 32:8 : S Job 27:3
- Job 32:8 : S Job 12:13; S Ps 119:34; Jas 1:5
- Job 32:9 : 1Co 1:26
- Job 32:9 : Ps 119:100
- Job 32:9 : S Job 12:12, 20; Lk 2:47; 1Ti 4:12
- Job 32:10 : Job 33:1, 31, 33; 34:2, 16; 37:2, 14; Ps 34:11
- Job 32:10 : S Job 5:27
- Job 32:12 : ver 3
- Job 32:13 : S Job 4:12; S Ecc 9:11
- Job 32:13 : S Job 11:5
- Job 32:14 : Job 23:4
- Job 32:15 : ver 1
- Job 32:17 : S Job 5:27; 33:3; 36:4
- Job 32:18 : ver 8
- Job 32:18 : Ac 4:20; 1Co 9:16; 2Co 5:14
- Job 32:19 : Jer 20:9; Am 3:8; Mt 9:17
- Job 32:20 : S Job 4:2; S Jer 6:11
- Job 32:21 : S Lev 19:15; S 2Ch 19:7; S Job 13:10; Mt 22:16
- Job 32:21 : Pr 29:5; 1Th 2:5
- Job 32:22 : S Job 4:17; S 9:9
- Job 32:22 : Ps 12:2-4