Job 32:4

4 Elihu had waited for the others to speak to Job 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 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

Job 32:4 In-Context

2 Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the clan of Ram, became angry. He was angry because Job refused to admit that he had sinned and that God was right in punishing him.

3 He was also angry with Job’s three friends, for they made God appear to be wrong by their inability to answer Job’s arguments.

4 Elihu had waited for the others to speak to Job because they were older than he.

5 But when he saw that they had no further reply, he spoke out angrily.

6 Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said, “I am young and you are old, so I held back from telling you what I think.