SO THESE THREE MEN CEASED TO ANSWER JOB - Each had had three opportunities of replying to him, though in the last series of the controversy Zophar had been silent. Now all were silent; and though they do not appear in the least to have been convinced, or to have changed their opinion, yet they found... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN WAS KINDLED THE WRATH - Wrath or anger is commonly represented as kindled, or as burning. OF ELIHU - The name Elihu (אליהוא _'ĕlı̂yhû'_) means, “God is he;” or, since the word He (הוא _hû'_) is often used by way of eminence to denote the true God or Yahweh, the name is equivalent to saying,... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THEY HAD FOUND NO ANSWER, AND YET HAD CONDEMNED JOB - They held Job to be guilty, and yet they were unable to adduce the proof of it, and to reply to what he had said. They still maintained their opinion, though silenced in the argument. They were in that state of mind, not uncommon, in whic... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW ELIHU HAD WAITED - Margin, as in Hebrew, expected Job in words. The meaning is plain, that he had waited until all who were older than himself had spoken. BECAUSE THEY WERE ELDER THAN HE - Margin, as in Hebrew, older for days. It appears that they were all older than he was. We have no means of... [ Continue Reading ]
And Elihu - “said, I am young” Margin, few of days. The Hebrew is, “I am small (צעיר _tsâ‛ı̂yr_) of days;” that is, I am inexperienced. We have no means of ascertaining his exact age, though it is evident that there was a considerable disparity between them and him. AND YE ARE VERY OLD - ישׁישׁים _... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAID, DAYS SHOULD SPEAK - The aged ought to speak. They have had the advantage of long observation of the course of events; they are acquainted with the sentiments of past times; they may have had an opportunity of conversing with distinguished sages, and it is to them that we look up for counsel.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THERE IS A SPIRIT IN MAN - This evidently refers to a spirit imparted from above; a spirit from the Almighty. The parallelism seems to require this, for it responds to the phrase “the inspiration of the Almighty” in the other hemistich. The Hebrew expression here also seems to require this inter... [ Continue Reading ]
GREAT MEN ARE NOT ALWAYS WISE - Though wisdom may in general be looked for in them, yet it is not universally true. Great men here denote those who are distinguished for rank, age, authority. NEITHER DO THE AGED UNDERSTAND JUDGMENT - That is, they do not always understand it. The word judgment here... [ Continue Reading ]
I GAVE EAR TO YOUR REASONS - Margin, “understandings.” The meaning is, that he had given the most respectful attention to the views which they had expressed, implying that he had been all along present, and had listened to the debate. WHILST YE SEARCHED OUT WHAT TO SAY - Margin, as in Hebrew, words... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WAS NONE OF YOU THAT CONVINCED JOB - There was no one to produce conviction on his mind, or rather, there was no one to reprove him by answering him - ענה מוכיח _môkiyach_ _‛ânâh_. They were completely silenced: and had nothing to reply to the arguments which he had advanced, and to his ref... [ Continue Reading ]
LEST YE SHOULD SAY, WE HAVE FOUND OUT WISDOM - That is, this has been permitted and ordered in such a manner that it might be manifest that the truths which are to convince him come from God and not from man. You were not permitted to refute or convince him, for if you had been you would have been l... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW, HE HATH NOT DIRECTED HIS WORDS AGAINST ME - Margin, “ordered.” The meaning of this expression is, “I can approach this subject in a wholly dispassionate and unprejudiced manner. I have had none of the provocations which you have felt; his harsh and severe remarks have not fallen on me as they h... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY WERE AMAZED - There also are the words of Elihu, and are designed to express his astonishment that the three friends of Job did not answer him. He says that they were completely silenced, and he repeats this to call attention to the remarkable fact that men who began so confidently, and who sti... [ Continue Reading ]
I ALSO WILL SHOW MINE OPINION - In this language, as in Job 32:6, there is a delicate expression of modesty in the Hebrew which does not appear in our translation. It is אף־אני _'aph_ _'ănı̂y_ - even I. “Even one so young, and so humble as I, may be permitted to express my sentiments, when the aged... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I AM FULL OF MATTER - Margin, as in Hebrew words.” The three friends of Job had been silenced. They had not one word more to say. Elihu says that the reverse was true of him. He was full of words, and felt constrained to speak. It was not because he forced himself to do it, nor because he did it... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, MY BELLY IS AS WINE WHICH HATH NO VENT - Margin, as in Hebrew, “is not opened” - לאיפתח _lo'_ _yipâthach_. The repherence is to a bottle, in which there is no opening, or no vent phor the phermenting wine to work itselph ophph. It is usual to leave a small hole in barrels and casks when win... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL SPEAK, THAT I MAY BE REFRESHED - Margin, “breathe.” The meaning is, that he would then have room to breathe again; he would feel relieved.... [ Continue Reading ]
LET ME NOT, I PRAY YOU - This is not to be regarded as an address to them, or a prayer to God, but as an expression of his determination. It is similar to the phrase which we use when we say, “may I never do this;” implying the strongest possible purpose not to do it. Elihu means to say that on no a... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I KNOW NOT TO GIVE FLATTERING TITLES - I do not know how to flatter. It is not in my character; it has not been my habit. “In so doing.” These words are not in the Hebrew, and they greatly mar the sense, and give a different idea from that which was intended by the speaker. MY MAKER WOULD SOON T... [ Continue Reading ]