Job 32:4-14

4 Therefore Elihu abode Job speaking, for they, that spake, were elder men. (And so Elihu waited for Job to finish speaking, for all those, who spoke, were older than he was.)

5 But when he had seen, that these three men might not answer Job, he was wroth greatly (he was very angry).

6 And Elihu, the son of Barachel (the) Buzite, answered, and said, I am younger in time, and ye be elder; therefore with head holden down, I dreaded to show to you my sentence. (And Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered, and said, I am younger in age, and ye be older; and so with my face cast down, I feared to tell you my thinking.)

7 For I hoped that [the] longer age should speak, and that the multitude of years should teach wisdom.

8 But as I see now, a spirit is in men, and the inspiration, either revelation, of Almighty God giveth understanding.

9 Men of long life be not (always) wise, and eld men understand not doom. (Men of long life do not always be wise, nor do old men always have judgement, or know what is right.)

10 Therefore I shall say, Hear ye me, and I also shall show my knowing to you. (And so I say, Listen ye to me, and I shall show my knowledge to you.)

11 For I abode your words, I heard your prudence, as long as ye disputed in your words. (For I waited on your words, and I listened to your thinking, for as long as ye disputed with your words.)

12 And as long as I guessed you to say anything, I beheld; but as I perceive, there is none of you, that may reprove Job, and answer to his words; (And for as long as I thought, that any of you had something of value to say, I listened; but now I perceive, that none of you can rebuke Job, or make an answer to his words;)

13 lest peradventure ye say, We have found wisdom; God, and not man, hath cast him away. (lest perhaps ye say, We have found wisdom; but it is God who hath thrown him away, and not man.)

14 Job spake nothing to me, and I not by your words shall answer him. (Job spoke to you, and said nothing to me, but I shall not shall answer him with words like yours.)

Job 32:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 32

Job's three friends being silenced, and having no more to say in reply to him, Elihu, of whose descent some account is given, a bystander and hearer of the whole dispute between them, rises up as a moderator, and expresses some anger both against them and Job, Job 32:1-5; he makes an apology for engaging in this controversy, by reason of his youth, and they being advanced in years, Job 32:6,7; but since there is a spirit in man, that gives understanding to men of every age, and old men are not always wise, he desires they would hearken to him while he delivered his sentiments on the subject in debate, Job 32:8-10; and hopes to be heard patiently, since he had waited until they had said all they had to say, and had closely attended to it, and which fell short of convincing Job; and this he was obliged to say, lest they should be wise in their own conceit, and attribute that to men which belongs to God, Job 32:11-13; he proposes to take a new method with Job, different from theirs; and now they hearing all this from a young man, they were filled with amazement, and struck with silence; and after he had waited a while to observe whether they would say anything or not, he determined to take his turn, and show his opinion also, Job 32:14-17; and the rather because he was full of arguments, he was desirous to propose them, and was uneasy until he had brought them out; and which he was resolved to do with all impartiality and integrity, Job 32:18-22.