3 Also against his three H7969 friends H7453 was his wrath H639 kindled, H2734 because they had found H4672 no answer, H4617 and yet had condemned H7561 Job. H347
If thou wert pure H2134 and upright; H3477 surely now he would awake H5782 for thee, and make the habitation H5116 of thy righteousness H6664 prosperous. H7999
Is not thy wickedness H7451 great? H7227 and thine iniquities H5771 infinite? H7093 For thou hast taken a pledge H2254 from thy brother H251 for nought, H2600 and stripped H6584 the naked H6174 of their clothing. H899 Thou hast not given water H4325 to the weary H5889 to drink, H8248 and thou hast withholden H4513 bread H3899 from the hungry. H7457 But as for the mighty H2220 man, H376 he had the earth; H776 and the honourable man H5375 H6440 dwelt H3427 in it. Thou hast sent H7971 widows H490 away empty, H7387 and the arms H2220 of the fatherless H3490 have been broken. H1792 Therefore snares H6341 are round about H5439 thee, and sudden H6597 fear H6343 troubleth H926 thee; Or darkness, H2822 that thou canst not see; H7200 and abundance H8229 of waters H4325 cover H3680 thee. Is not God H433 in the height H1363 of heaven? H8064 and behold H7200 the height H7218 of the stars, H3556 how high H7311 they are! And thou sayest, H559 How doth God H410 know? H3045 can he judge H8199 through the dark cloud? H6205 Thick clouds H5645 are a covering H5643 to him, that he seeth H7200 not; and he walketh H1980 in the circuit H2329 of heaven. H8064 Hast thou marked H8104 the old H5769 way H734 which wicked H205 men H4962 have trodden? H1869 Which were cut down H7059 out of time, H6256 whose foundation H3247 was overflown H3332 with a flood: H5104 Which said H559 unto God, H410 Depart H5493 from us: and what can the Almighty H7706 do H6466 for them? Yet he filled H4390 their houses H1004 with good H2896 things: but the counsel H6098 of the wicked H7563 is far H7368 from me. The righteous H6662 see H7200 it, and are glad: H8055 and the innocent H5355 laugh them to scorn. H3932 Whereas H518 our substance H7009 is not cut down, H3582 but the remnant H3499 of them the fire H784 consumeth. H398 Acquaint H5532 now thyself with him, and be at peace: H7999 thereby good H2896 shall come H935 unto thee. Receive, H3947 I pray thee, the law H8451 from his mouth, H6310 and lay up H7760 his words H561 in thine heart. H3824 If thou return H7725 to the Almighty, H7706 thou shalt be built up, H1129 thou shalt put away H7368 iniquity H5766 far H7368 from thy tabernacles. H168 Then shalt thou lay up H7896 gold H1220 as H5921 dust, H6083 and the gold of Ophir H211 as the stones H6697 of the brooks. H5158 Yea, the Almighty H7706 shall be thy defence, H1220 and thou shalt have plenty H8443 of silver. H3701 For then shalt thou have thy delight H6026 in the Almighty, H7706 and shalt lift up H5375 thy face H6440 unto God. H433 Thou shalt make thy prayer H6279 unto him, and he shall hear H8085 thee, and thou shalt pay H7999 thy vows. H5088 Thou shalt also decree H1504 a thing, H562 and it shall be established H6965 unto thee: and the light H216 shall shine H5050 upon thy ways. H1870 When men are cast down, H8213 then thou shalt say, H559 There is lifting up; H1466 and he shall save H3467 the humble H7807 person. H5869 He shall deliver H4422 the island H336 of the innocent: H5355 and it is delivered H4422 by the pureness H1252 of thine hands. H3709
And if it be not so now, H645 who will make H7760 me a liar, H3576 and make H7760 my speech H4405 nothing worth? H408
Dominion H4910 and fear H6343 are with him, he maketh H6213 peace H7965 in his high places. H4791 Is there H3426 any number H4557 of his armies? H1416 and upon whom doth not his light H216 arise? H6965 How then can man H582 be justified H6663 with God? H410 or how can he be clean H2135 that is born H3205 of a woman? H802 Behold even to the moon, H3394 and it shineth H166 not; yea, the stars H3556 are not pure H2141 in his sight. H5869 How much less man, H582 that is a worm? H7415 and the son H1121 of man, H120 which is a worm? H8438
How hast thou helped H5826 him that is without power? H3581 how savest H3467 thou the arm H2220 that hath no H3808 strength? H5797 How hast thou counselled H3289 him that hath no H3808 wisdom? H2451 and how hast thou plentifully H7230 declared H3045 the thing as it is? H8454 To whom hast thou uttered H5046 words? H4405 and whose spirit H5397 came H3318 from thee?
So these three H7969 men H582 ceased H7673 to answer H6030 Job, H347 because he was righteous H6662 in his own eyes. H5869
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 32
Commentary on Job 32 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 32
Job 32:1-37:24. Speech of Elihu.
1-6. Prose (poetry begins with "I am young").
because, &c.—and because they could not prove to him that he was unrighteous.
2. Elihu—meaning "God is Jehovah." In his name and character as messenger between God and Job, he foreshadows Jesus Christ (Job 33:23-26).
Barachel—meaning "God blesses." Both names indicate the piety of the family and their separation from idolaters.
Buzite—Buz was son of Nahor, brother of Abraham. Hence was named a region in Arabia-Deserta (Jer 25:23).
Ram—Aram, nephew of Buz. Job was probably of an older generation than Elihu. However, the identity of names does not necessarily prove the identity of persons. The particularity with which Elihu's descent is given, as contrasted with the others, led Lightfoot to infer Elihu was the author of the book. But the reason for particularity was, probably, that Elihu was less known than the three called "friends" of Job; and that it was right for the poet to mark especially him who was mainly to solve the problem of the book.
rather than God—that is, was more eager to vindicate himself than God. In Job 4:17, Job denies that man can be more just than God. Umbreit translates, "Before (in the presence of) God."
3. Though silenced in argument, they held their opinion still.
4. had spoken—Hebrew, "in words," referring rather to his own "words" of reply, which he had long ago ready, but kept back in deference to the seniority of the friends who spoke.
6. was afraid—The root meaning in Hebrew is "to crawl" (De 32:24).
7. Days—that is, the aged (Job 15:10).
8. Elihu claims inspiration, as a divinely commissioned messenger to Job (Job 33:6, 23); and that claim is not contradicted in Job 42:4, 5. Translate: "But the spirit (which God puts) in man, and the inspiration … is that which giveth," &c.; it is not mere "years" which give understanding (Pr 2:6; Joh 20:22).
9. Great—rather, "old" (Job 32:6). So Hebrew, in Ge 25:23. "Greater, less" for the older, the younger.
judgment—what is right.
10. Rather, "I say."
opinion—rather, "knowledge."
11. Therefore Elihu was present from the first.
reasons—literally, "understandings," that is, the meaning intended by words.
whilst—I waited until you should discover a suitable reply to Job.
13. This has been so ordered, "lest you should" pride yourselves on having overcome him by your "wisdom" (Jer 9:23, the great aim of the Book of Job); and that you may see, "God alone can thrust him down," that is, confute him, "not man." So Elihu grounds his confutation, not on the maxims of sages, as the friends did, but on his special commission from God (Job 32:8; 33:4, 6).
14. I am altogether unprejudiced. For it is not I, whom he addressed. "Your speeches" have been influenced by irritation.
15. Here Elihu turns from the friends to Job: and so passes from the second person to the third; a transition frequent in a rebuke (Job 18:3, 4).
they left off—Words were taken from them.
17. my part—for my part.
opinion—knowledge.
18. "I am full of words," whereas the friends have not a word more to say.
the spirit—(Job 32:8; 33:4; Jer 20:9; Ac 18:5).
19. belly—bosom: from which the words of Orientalists in speaking seem to come more than with us; they speak gutturally. "Like (new) wine (in fermentation) without a vent," to work itself off. New wine is kept in new goatskin bottles. This fittingly applies to the young Elihu, as contrasted with the old friends (Mt 9:7).
20. refreshed—literally, "that there may be air to me" (1Sa 16:23).
21. "May I never accept," &c. Elihu alludes to Job's words (Job 13:8, 10), wherein he complains that the friends plead for God partially, "accepting His person." Elihu says he will not do so, but will act impartially between God and Job. "And I will not give flattery," &c. (Pr 24:23).
22. take me away—as a punishment (Ps 102:24).