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Texts -- Job 32:1-17 (NET)

Context

V. The Speeches of Elihu (32:1-37:24)

Elihu’s First Speech
32:1 So these three men refused to answer Job further, because he was righteous in his own eyes . 32:2 Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite , of the family of Ram , became very angry . He was angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God . 32:3 With Job’s three friends he was also angry , because they could not find an answer , and so declared Job guilty . 32:4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job , because the others were older than he was. 32:5 But when Elihu saw that the three men had no further reply , he became very angry .
Elihu Claims Wisdom
32:6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up : “I am young , but you are elderly ; that is why I was fearful , and afraid to explain to you what I know . 32:7 I said to myself, ‘Age should speak , and length of years should make wisdom known .’ 32:8 But it is a spirit in people , the breath of the Almighty , that makes them understand . 32:9 It is not the aged who are wise , nor old men who understand what is right . 32:10 Therefore I say , ‘Listen to me. I, even I, will explain what I know .’ 32:11 Look , I waited for you to speak ; I listened closely to your wise thoughts,while you were searching for words . 32:12 Now I was paying you close attention , yet there was no one proving Job wrong , not one of you was answering his statements ! 32:13 So do not say , ‘We have found wisdom ! God will refute him, not man !’ 32:14 Job has not directed his words to me, and so I will not reply to him with your arguments .
Job’s Friends Failed to Answer
32:15 “They are dismayed and cannot answer any more ; they have nothing left to say . 32:16 And I have waited . But because they do not speak , because they stand there and answer no more , 32:17 I too will answer my part , I too will explain what I know .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Elihu

    [ebd] whose God is he. (1.) "The son of Barachel, a Buzite" (Job 32:2), one of Job's friends. When the debate between Job and his friends is brought to a close, Elihu for the first time makes his appearance, and delivers his opini...
    [nave] ELIHU 1. A Buzite and one of Job's three friends, Job 32-37. 2. Son of Tohu, 1 Sam. 1:1. Probably identical with Eliel, 1 Chr. 6:34, and Eliab, 1 Chr. 6:27. 3. A Manassite warrior, who joined David at Ziklag, 1 Chr. 12:20...

  • Heathen

    [nave] HEATHEN Under this head are grouped all who are not embraced under the Abrahamic covenant. Cast out of Canaan, Lev. 18:24, 25; Psa. 44:2; and their land given to Israel, Psa. 78:55; 105:44; 135:12; 136:21, 22; Isa. 54:1-3. ...

  • JOB, BOOK OF

    [isbe] JOB, BOOK OF - || I. INTRODUCTORY 1. Place in the Canon 2. Rank and Readers II. THE LITERARY FRAMEWORK 1. Setting of Time, Place and Scene 2. Characters and Personality 3. Form and Style III. THE COURSE OF THE STORY A) To Jo...

  • Job

    [nave] JOB 1. A man who dwelt in Uz, Job 1:1. Righteousness of, Job 1:1, 5, 8; 2:3; Ezek. 14:14, 20. Riches of, Job 1:3. Trial of, by affliction of Satan, Job 1:13-19; 2:7-10. Fortitude of, Job 1:20-22; 2:10; Jas. 5:11. Visite...

  • Barachel

    [ebd] whom God has blessed, a Buzite, the father of Elihu, one of Job's friends (Job 32:2, 6).
    [isbe] BARACHEL - bar'-a-kel (barakh'el, "God blesses"): Barachel, the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was the father of Elihu, who was the last one to reason with Job (Job 32:2,6). Compare BUZ; RAM.
    [smith] (God has blessed), father of Elihu. (Job 32:2,6) [BUZ]
    [nave] BARACHEL, father of Elihu, Job 32:2, 6.

  • Old Age

    [nave] OLD AGE. Gen. 15:15; Gen. 47:9; Deut. 34:7; 2 Sam. 19:34-37; 1 Chr. 29:28; Job 5:26; Job 11:17 Job 42:17. Job 12:12; Job 32:4-9; Psa. 71:9, 18; Psa. 90:10; Psa. 92:14; Psa. 148:12, 13; Prov. 16:31; Eccl. 6:3, 6; Eccl. 12:1-...

  • Pride

    [nave] PRIDE. Ex. 18:10, 11; Lev. 26:19; Deut. 8:11-14, 17-20; Judg. 9:14, 15; 1 Sam. 2:3-5; 1 Kin. 20:11; 2 Kin. 14:9, 10 2 Chr. 25:18, 19. Job 11:12; Job 12:2, 3; Job 13:2, 5; Job 15:1-13; Job 18:3, 4; Job 21:31, 32; Job 32:9-13...

  • Children

    [nave] CHILDREN In answer to prayer: To Abraham, Gen. 15:2-5, with Gen. 21:1, 2; Isaac, Gen. 25:21; Leah, Gen. 30:17-22; Rachel, Gen. 30:22-24; Haah, 1 Sam. 1:9-20; Zacharias, Luke 1:13. Treatment of, at birth, Ezek. 16:4-6; Luke ...

  • Wisdom

    [isbe] WISDOM - wiz'-dum: 1. Linguistic 2. History 3. Religious Basis 4. Ideals 5. Teaching of Christ 6. Remainder of the New Testament (1) James (2) Paul 7. Hypostasis LITERATURE 1. Linguistic: In the Revised Version (British and ...
    [nave] WISDOM Of Joseph, Gen. 41:16, 25-39; Acts 7:10. Of Moses, Acts 7:22. Of Bezaleel, Ex. 31:3-5; 35:31-35; 36:1. Of Aholiab, Ex. 31:6; 35:34, 35; 36:1; of other skilled artisans, Ex. 36:2; of women, Ex. 35:26. Of Hiram, 1 K...

  • Humility

    [nave] HUMILITY. Deut. 9:7 vs. 4-29.; Deut. 15:15; Job 5:11; Job 22:29; Job 25:5, 6; Psa. 9:12; Psa. 10:17; Psa. 22:6, 26; Psa. 25:9; Psa. 37:11; Psa. 69:32; Psa. 86:1; Psa. 131:1, 2; Psa. 138:6; Psa. 147:6; Psa. 149:4; Prov. 3:34...

  • Modesty

    [nave] MODESTY, of women, 1 Tim. 2:9. Instances of Saul, 1 Sam. 9:21. Vashti, Esth. 1:11, 12. Elihu, Job 32:4-7. See: Humility.

  • Reverence

    [nave] REVERENCE For God, Gen. 17:3; Ex. 3:5; 19:16-24; 34:29-35; Isa. 45:9. See: Fear of God. For God's house, Lev. 19:30; 26:2. For ministers, 1 Sam. 16:4; Acts 28:10; 1 Cor. 16:18; Phil. 2:29; 1 Thess. 5:12, 13; 1 Tim. 5:17; ...

  • Ram

    [ebd] exalted. (1.) The son of Hezron, and one of the ancestors of the royal line (Ruth 4:19). The margin of 1 Chr. 2:9, also Matt. 1:3, 4 and Luke 3:33, have "Aram." (2.) One of the sons of Jerahmeel (1 Chr. 2:25, 27). (3.) A per...
    [smith] (high, exalted). A son of Hezron and the father of Ammin-adab, born in Egypt after Jacob?s migration there. (Ruth 4:19) (B.C. 1706.) In (Matthew 1:3,4) and Luke 3:33 He is called ARAM in the Authorized Version, but RAM in th...
    [nave] RAM 1. Son of Hezron and an ancestor of Jesus, Ruth 4:19; 1 Chr. 2:9, 10. Called Aram, Matt. 1:3, 4; Luke 3:33. 2. Son of Jerahmeel, 1 Chr. 2:25, 27. 3. An ancestor, probably of Elihu, mentioned in Job 32:2. 4. A sheep. ...

  • AGE; OLD AGE

    [isbe] AGE; OLD AGE - In individual lives (cheledh; helikia): We have scarcely any word in the Old Testament or New Testament which denotes "age" in the familiar modern sense; the nearest in the Old Testament is perhaps heledh, "li...

  • Self-righteousness

    [nave] SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. Num. 16:3; Deut. 9:4-6; 1 Sam. 2:9; Job 6:13; Job 11:4-6; Job 12:2; Job 13:3, 13, 15, 19; Job 16:17, 18; Job 18:2-4; Job 21:27-29; Job 22:2, 3; Job 32:1, 2; Job 33:8, 9; Job 35:2, 7, 8; Psa. 10:5, 6; Pro...

  • Age

    [ebd] used to denote the period of a man's life (Gen. 47:28), the maturity of life (John 9:21), the latter end of life (Job 11:17), a generation of the human race (Job 8:8), and an indefinite period (Eph. 2:7; 3:5, 21; Col. 1:26)....

  • Holy Spirit

    [nave] HOLY SPIRIT. Gen. 1:2; Gen. 6:3; Gen. 41:38; Ex. 31:3 Ex. 35:31. Num. 27:18; Neh. 9:20; Job 16:19; Job 32:8; Job 33:4; Psa. 51:11, 12; Psa. 103:9; Psa. 139:7; Isa. 4:4; Isa. 6:8; Isa. 11:2; Isa. 28:6; Isa. 30:1; Isa. 32:15;...

  • Prophets

    [nave] PROPHETS Called Seers, 1 Sam. 9:19; 2 Sam. 15:27; 24:11; 2 Kin. 17:13; 1 Chr. 9:22; 29:29; 2 Chr. 9:29; 12:15; 29:30; Isa. 30:10; Mic. 3:7. Schools of, 1 Kin. 20:35; 2 Kin. 2:3-15; 4:1, 38; 9:1. Kept the chronicles, 1 Chr....

  • Inspiration

    [nave] INSPIRATION. Ex. 19:6; Ex. 25:21, 22 Deut. 5:31. Num. 11:16-26, 28, 29 Ex. 28:3; 31:3, 6; 35:31; 36:1; Deut. 34:9; Job 32:8; Isa. 51:16; Jer. 1:9; Luke 1:15. Luke 12:12 Matt. 10:19; Mark 13:11; Luke 21:14, 15. 2 Tim. 3:16; ...

  • Mankind

    [nave] MANKIND. Index of Sub-topics Created; Created in the Image of God; Design of the Creation of; Dominion of; Duty of; Equality of; Ignorance of; Immortal; Insignificance of; Little Lower than the Angels; Mortal; Spirit; Stat...
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Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 2:4 Having related the creation of the universe as we know it, God next inspired Moses to explain for his readers what became of it.129Sin entered it and devastated it."The destiny of the human creation is to live in God's wo...
  • What this book is all about has been the subject of considerable debate. Many people think God gave it to us to provide His answer to the age-old problem of suffering. In particular, many believe it is in the Bible to help us...
  • I. Prologue chs. 1-2A. Job's character 1:1-5B. Job's calamities 1:6-2:101. The first test 1:6-222. The second test 2:1-10C. Job's comforters 2:11-13II. The dialogue concerning the basis of the divine-human relationship 3:1-42...
  • The writer composed the prologue and epilogue of this book in prose narrative and the main body (3:1-42:6) in poetry. The prologue and epilogue form a frame around the main emphasis of the revelation, the poetic section, and ...
  • Really four men came to visit Job, though the writer did not mention Elihu's presence until chapter 32. Eliphaz seems to have been the eldest for several reasons. His name occurs first (2:11; 42:9), he spoke before the others...
  • Because the speech in this chapter is more soliloquy than dialogue some scholars have concluded that someone other than Job spoke it: Zophar, Bildad, or God. One writer argued for its being a speech by none of the characters,...
  • Many critical scholars believe that a later editor inserted chapters 32-37 in the text of Job.135Most conservatives believe there is ample external and internal evidence indicating that this section of chapters fits into the ...
  • A short prose pericope (32:1-6a) breaks into the poetic body of the book. Its purpose is to introduce Elihu, as the prose prologue to the whole book (chs. 1-2) introduced the other characters.Elihu may have been a relative of...
  • Before Elihu began presenting his views (ch. 33), he first had to gain the attention of his elders and to explain why he wanted to speak (32:6-22)....
  • Elihu began by voicing his respect for Job's three friends (vv. 6-10). They were older than he, and for this reason he said he had refrained from speaking until now. However he had become convinced that advancing age does not...
  • Andersen, Francis I. Job. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series. Leicester, Eng. and Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1976.Archer, Gleason L., Jr. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction. Revised ed. Chicago: Moody...
  • "Younger men"is literally "younger ones"and includes females as well as males.190Nevertheless younger men were probably in Peter's mind since the contrast is with older men in verses 1-4."In the ancient world the division of ...
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