Despite their efforts, Job's three friends could move Job from his profession of innocence. "Although Job could reduce them to silence, he could not induce God out of silence!" _(Zuck p. 140)._ Yet, all the while throughout this debate there has been another human listener (Job 32:2). __... [ Continue Reading ]
"ELIHU": (eh LIE hew). "THE SON OF BARACHEL": (BAR ah kell). "THE BUZITE OF THE FAMILY OF RAM": "His genealogy is longer than that of any other character in the book" _(Zuck p. 142)._ As. "Buzite" he may have been related to Abraham, for Buz was. brother of UZ and. son of Nahor, who was Abraham's br... [ Continue Reading ]
He was angry with the three friends because they had condemned Job without any evidence. So far everyone in the book is angry. The three friends are mad at Job, he is mad at them, and Job feels that God is mad at him, and now Elihu is angry! __... [ Continue Reading ]
Elihu had been patient. He had waited to speak because he was younger than Job's three friends. Deferring to age was. custom in the East (Job 29:8). __... [ Continue Reading ]
At this point he could tell that the debate was over, and that "the three men had run out of ways to play their one string" _(Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 756)._... [ Continue Reading ]
He had not spoken because, being younger, he was shy and believed that age and experience should speak. Instead of just rushing in, Elihu is going to take some time and explain why he has not spoken thus far and why they should listen to him at this point.... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet real wisdom does not inherently come with age, and God is the true source of wisdom (James 1:5). Some feel that the expression "it is. spirit in man" refers to God inspiring men to speak by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21). And the same wisdom can be gained by reading the words inspired by the... [ Continue Reading ]
In view of this inference that Job and his friends were ignorant, Elihu pleads for. hearing. The expressions "listen to me" and "let me speak" are repeated in this section (Job 32:20; Job 33:1; Job 34:2; Job 37:14).... [ Continue Reading ]
He has been. careful listener, and he has weighed all the arguments, and observed that Job's three friends could not answer Job's arguments.... [ Continue Reading ]
"DO NOT SAY, 'WE HAVE FOUND WISDOM; GOD WILL ROUT HIM, NOT MAN'": The three friends are cautioned against thinking they had the right answers. "The thought is that man's wisdom cannot defeat Job's arguments; only God can do that" _(Zuck p. 143)._ "He cautions them not to assume that their 'wisdom' h... [ Continue Reading ]
And so Elihu will not use the arguments that the three friends have used. This approach would be different for he had no need to defend himself against verbal attacks by Job.... [ Continue Reading ]
Seeing that the three friends had run out of words, Elihu felt it was time to speak. "Elihu surveys the situation. Job's opponents have been muted, but does that suggest that he should remain silent too?" _(Jackson p. 70)._... [ Continue Reading ]
He will speak and he is so full of words that he is almost ready to explode. And verbose he will be! "Rowley humorously comments, 'None would dispute this' (that Elihu is full of words)" _(Zuck p. 143)_.... [ Continue Reading ]
"His pent-up constraint was compared to fermenting wine about to cause even new wineskins (without. hole for venting) to burst. He then requested relief from his bottled condition" _(p. 144)._... [ Continue Reading ]
_ _ Job 32:21 He would be impartial and would not take sides for or against Job, neither would he flatter anyone (Job 32:22), for he feared God. "He has. responsibility to God, who will hold him accountable" _(Jackson p. 70). _... [ Continue Reading ]