F. Elihu's Speeches chs. 32-37

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 argument of the book.

". . . the Elihu speeches (chaps. 32-37), which seemingly interrupt the argument of the book, actually set the stage for the Yahweh speeches. Elihu appears as a type of mediator (an impartial witness) who speaks on behalf of God (36:2) by rebuking the three friends (cf. 32:3, 6-14; 34:2-15; cf. 35:4) and by suggesting that Job needed to repent of his pride which developed because of his suffering (cf. 33:17; 35:12-16). He recommended that Job should exalt God's works which are evident in nature (36:24-37:18) and fear Him who comes in golden splendor out of the north (37:22-24). These basic ideas of Elihu are either assumed or developed by the Lord in His speeches."¹³⁶

 1. The introduction of Elihu 32:1-5

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 Abraham since a man named Buz was a descendant of Nahor, Abraham's brother (Gen. 22:20-21), and Elihu was a Buzite (cf. Jer. 25:23). A man named Ram (v. 2) was an ancestor of David (Ruth 4:19-22).

Elihu was angry. The writer mentioned his burning anger four times in these verses (vv. 2 [twice], 3, 5). He was angry with Job because Job considered himself right and God wrong. This is the meaning of "he justified himself before God"(v. 5). Furthermore he was angry with Job's three companions because they had failed to prove Job worthy of God's punishment (v. 3).¹³⁷

 2. Elihu's first speech 32:6-33:33

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).

 3. Elihu's second speech ch. 34

Elihu sought to refute Job's charge that God was unjust in this speech. He tried to answer Job's question, "Why doesn't God have mercy on me?"He first addressed the three friends (vv. 10-15, plural "you"in Hebrew) and then spoke to Job (vv. 16-27, singular "you"). In his first speech Elihu had alluded to Eliphaz's arguments. In this one he took up Bildad's (vv. 2, 34).

 4. Elihu's third speech ch. 35

We could chart the differences in Elihu's first three speeches this way.

Elihu's Speech

Job's question that Elihu answered

Job's charge that Elihu refuted

First

Why doesn't God respond to me?

God is insensitive (ch. 33).

Second

Why doesn't God relieve me?

God is unjust (ch. 34).

Third

Why doesn't God reward me?

Holiness is unprofitable (ch. 35).

Job felt God should have rewarded him for his innocence rather than subjecting him to suffering. Elihu replied that man's sin or innocence does not affect God, and God was silent to Job because Job was proud. As before, Elihu first quoted Job (vv. 1-3) and then refuted his statement (vv. 4-16).

 5. Elihu's fourth speech chs. 36-37

Of all Elihu's discourses this one is the most impressive because of his lofty descriptions of God.

"This concluding statement contains Elihu's best and most distinctive ideas. Up until now he has been treading on familiar and conventional ground, repeating largely the ideas which Job and his friends have already expressed. The harsh tone that Elihu had adopted in his second and third speeches is here softened. Job 36:1-21 is a more mature and engaging statement of orthodox theology than anything found elsewhere in the book."¹⁴⁷