Also against his three friends was his wrath
kindled
He did not take part with either side, but blamed both, and took
upon him to be a moderator between them, and deal impartially
with them: what highly displeased him, and raised his spirit
against the three friends of Job, was,
because they had found no answer;
they were at a loss for one, for a sufficient one; they had all
of them been answering him in their turns again and again, but
with nothing to the purpose, not with anything conclusive and
convincing; and particularly they could find and give no answer
to Job's last vindication of himself:
and [yet] had condemned Job;
as a very wicked man, and an hypocrite, for no other reason but
because he was afflicted; and they still persisted in their
sentiment, though Job had so fully cleared himself, and put them
to entire silence; this exasperated Elihu, to observe these men
to retain so unreasonable a sentiment, to pronounce such a rash
sentence, and yet could make no reply to Job's defence of
himself. Jarchi says, this place is one of the corrections of the
Scribes, it having been formerly written "God" instead of "Job";
as if the sense was, that Elihu was provoked with them, because
by their silence they had condemned the Lord, not vindicating his
honour and glory as became them; but Aben Ezra declares his
ignorance of that correction, and observes, that they that say so
knew what was hid from him.
