Job 32:4

4 Thus Elihu had waited for Job {to speak} because {they were older than he}.

Job 32:4 Meaning and Commentary

Job 32:4

Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken
Made an end of speaking, until he had thus expressed himself, "the words of Job are ended", ( Job 31:40 ) : and waited likewise until his three friends had said all they had to say, and which is here supposed and implied, as appears by what follows:

because they [were] elder than he;
it may be added, from the original text, "in", or "as two days" ^F12; they had lived longer in the world than he, and therefore did not take upon him to speak till they had done; he, as became a young man, was swift to hear, and slow to speak; that they were old men, appears from what Eliphaz says, ( Job 15:10 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 (Mymyl) "diebus", Beza, Montanus, Mercerus; "quod ad dies", Schultens.

Job 32:4 In-Context

2 So Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite, from the clan of Ram, {became angry}. {He became angry} at Job because he justified himself rather than God,

3 and {he became angry} at his three friends because they had not found an answer, and they had declared Job guilty.

4 Thus Elihu had waited for Job {to speak} because {they were older than he}.

5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, {he became angry}.

6 Then Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite {spoke up} and said, "{I am young}, but you are old; therefore I feared and became afraid of explaining my knowledge to you.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "in words"
• [b] Literally "they [were] older than he as far as days"