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Job 32
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Job 32
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
VII. Elihu’s Speeches
Chapter 32
1 Then the three men ceased to answer Job, because in his own eyes he was in the right.(A) 2 (B)But the anger of Elihu,[a] son of Barachel the Buzite, of the clan of Ram, was kindled. He was angry with Job for considering himself rather than God to be in the right. 3 (C)He was angry also with the three friends because they had not found a good answer and had not condemned Job. 4 But since these men were older than he, Elihu bided his time before addressing Job. 5 When, however, Elihu saw that there was no reply in the mouths of the three men, his wrath was inflamed. 6 So Elihu, son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said:
I am young and you are very old;
therefore I held back and was afraid
to declare to you my knowledge.
7 I thought, days should speak,
and many years teach wisdom!(D)
8 But there is a spirit in human beings,(E)
the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.
9 It is not those of many days who are wise,
nor the aged who understand the right.
10 Therefore I say, listen to me;
I also will declare my knowledge!
11 Behold, I have waited for your words,
have given ear to your arguments,
as you searched out what to say.
12 Yes, I followed you attentively:
And look, none of you has convicted Job,
not one could refute his statements.
13 So do not say, “We have met wisdom;[b]
God can vanquish him but no mortal!”
14 For had he addressed his words to me,
I would not then have answered him with your words.
15 They are dismayed, they make no more reply;
words fail them.
16 Must I wait? Now that they speak no more,
and have ceased to make reply,
17 I too will speak my part;
I also will declare my knowledge!
18 For I am full of words;
the spirit within me compels me.
19 My belly is like unopened wine,
like wineskins ready to burst.
20 Let me speak and obtain relief;
let me open my lips, and reply.
21 I would not be partial to anyone,
nor give flattering titles to any.
22 For I know nothing of flattery;
if I did, my Maker would soon take me away.
Footnotes
- 32:2 Elihu means “My God is he.” This speaker was from Buz, which, according to Jer 25:23, was near Tema and Dedan. A young man, he impetuously and impatiently upbraids Job for his boldness toward God, and the three friends for not successfully answering Job. He undertakes to defend God’s absolute justice and to explain more clearly why there is suffering. While fundamentally his position is the same as that of the three friends, he locates the place of suffering in the divine plan. Because Elihu’s four speeches (32:6–33:33; 34:2–37; 35:2–16; 36:2–37:24) repeat the substance of the earlier arguments of the three friends and also anticipate the content of the divine speeches (chaps. 39–41), many scholars consider them a later addition to the book.
- 32:13 Met wisdom: in Job’s arguments.
Job 32
1599 Geneva Bible
Job 32
1599 Geneva Bible
32 2 Elihu reproveth them of folly. 8 Age maketh not a man wise, but the spirit of God.
1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he [a]esteemed himself just.
2 Then the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the [b]Buzite, of the family of [c]Ram, was kindled: his wrath, I say, was kindled against Job, because he justified himself [d]more than God.
3 Also his anger was kindled against his three friends, because they could not find an answer, and yet condemned Job.
4 (Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken: for [e]they were more ancient in years than he.)
5 So when Elihu saw, that there was none answer in the mouth of the three men, his wrath was kindled.
6 Therefore Elihu the son of Barachel, the Buzite answered and said, I am young in years, and ye are ancient: therefore I doubted, and was afraid to show you mine opinion.
7 For I said, The days [f]shall speak, and the multitude of years shall teach wisdom.
8 Surely there is a spirit in man, [g]but the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding.
9 Great men are not always wise, neither do the aged always understand judgment.
10 Therefore I say, Hear me and I will show also mine opinion.
11 Behold, I did wait upon your words, and hearkened unto your knowledge, while you sought out [h]reasons.
12 Yea, when I had considered you, lo, there was none of you that reproved Job, nor answered his words:
13 Lest ye should say, We have [i]found wisdom: for God hath cast him down, and no man.
14 Yet hath [j]he not directed his words to me, neither will I answer [k]him by your words.
15 Then they fearing, answered no more, but left off their talk.
16 When I had waited (for they spake not, but stood still and answered no more)
17 Then answered I in my turn, and I showed mine opinion.
18 For I am full of [l]matter, and the spirit within me compelleth me.
19 Behold, my belly is as the wine, which hath no vent, and like the new bottles that burst.
20 Therefore will I speak, that I may take breath: I will open my lips, and will answer.
21 I will not now accept the person of man, [m]neither will I give titles to man.
22 For I may not give [n]titles, lest my Maker should take me away suddenly.
Footnotes
- Job 32:1 Hebrew, was just in his own eyes.
- Job 32:2 Which came of Buz, the son of Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
- Job 32:2 Or, as the Chaldean paraphrase readeth, Abram.
- Job 32:2 By making himself innocent, and by charging God of rigor.
- Job 32:4 That is, the three mentioned before.
- Job 32:7 Meaning, the ancient, which have experience.
- Job 32:8 It is a special gift of God that man hath understanding, and cometh neither of nature nor by age.
- Job 32:11 To prove that Job’s affliction came for his sins.
- Job 32:13 And flatter yourselves, as though you had overcome him.
- Job 32:14 To wit, Job.
- Job 32:14 He useth almost the like arguments, but without taunting and reproaches.
- Job 32:18 I have conceived in my mind great store of reasons.
- Job 32:21 I will neither have regard to riches, credit, nor authority, but will speak the very truth.
- Job 32:22 The Hebrew word signifieth, to change the name, as to call a fool a wise man: meaning, that he would not cloak the truth to flatter men.
Job 32
New International Version
Job 32
New International Version
Elihu
32 So these three men stopped answering Job,(A) because he was righteous in his own eyes.(B) 2 But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite,(C) of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself(D) rather than God.(E) 3 He was also angry with the three friends,(F) because they had found no way to refute Job,(G) and yet had condemned him.[a](H) 4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.(I) 5 But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.
6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said:
“I am young in years,
and you are old;(J)
that is why I was fearful,
not daring to tell you what I know.
7 I thought, ‘Age should speak;
advanced years should teach wisdom.’(K)
8 But it is the spirit[b](L) in a person,
the breath of the Almighty,(M) that gives them understanding.(N)
9 It is not only the old[c] who are wise,(O)
not only the aged(P) who understand what is right.(Q)
10 “Therefore I say: Listen to me;(R)
I too will tell you what I know.(S)
11 I waited while you spoke,
I listened to your reasoning;
while you were searching for words,
12 I gave you my full attention.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.(T)
13 Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;(U)
let God, not a man, refute(V) him.’
14 But Job has not marshaled his words against me,(W)
and I will not answer him with your arguments.
15 “They are dismayed and have no more to say;
words have failed them.(X)
16 Must I wait, now that they are silent,
now that they stand there with no reply?
17 I too will have my say;
I too will tell what I know.(Y)
18 For I am full of words,
and the spirit(Z) within me compels me;(AA)
19 inside I am like bottled-up wine,
like new wineskins ready to burst.(AB)
20 I must speak and find relief;
I must open my lips and reply.(AC)
21 I will show no partiality,(AD)
nor will I flatter anyone;(AE)
22 for if I were skilled in flattery,
my Maker(AF) would soon take me away.(AG)
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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