Job 32:4

4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years 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 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned because he justified himself before God.

3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he.

5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men his anger burned.

6 So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite spoke out and said, "I am young in years and you are old; Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you what I think.

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "for Job with words;" or possibly "while they were speaking with Job"