Job 32

32ND CHAPTER

Elihu Decides to Speak to Job

¹These three men stopped answering Job because Job thought he was righteous. ²Then Elihu, son of Barachel, a descendant of Buz from the family of Ram, became very angry with Job because Job thought he was more righteous than God. ³Elihu was also very angry with Job’s three friends because they had found no answer. They made it look as if God^awere wrong. ⁴Elihu waited as they spoke to Job because they were older than he was. ⁵When Elihu saw that the three men had no further responses, he became very angry. 

Elihu Speaks:

the Reason for Elihu’s Discourse

⁶So Elihu, son of Barachel, the descendant of Buz, replied ⸤to Job⸥, 

“I am young, and you are old. 

That’s why I refrained from speaking 

and was afraid to tell you what I know. 

⁷I thought, ‘Age should speak, 

and experience should teach wisdom.’ 

⁸However, there is in humans a Spirit, 

the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding. 

⁹People do not become wise merely because they live long. 

They don’t understand what justice is merely because they’re old. 

¹⁰“That is why I say, ‘Listen to me! 

Let me tell you what I know.’ 

¹¹I waited for you to speak. 

I listened for you to share your understanding 

until you could find the right words. 

¹²I’ve paid close attention to you, 

but none of you refuted Job. 

None of you has an answer to what he says. 

¹³So don’t say, ‘We’ve found wisdom. 

Let God, not humans, defeat him.’ 

¹⁴Job did not choose his words to refute me, 

so I won’t answer him with your speeches. 

¹⁵“Job’s friends have been overwhelmed and don’t have any more answers. 

They don’t have another word to say. 

¹⁶Should I wait because they don’t speak, 

because they stand there and don’t have any more answers? 

¹⁷“I’ll give my answer. 

I’ll tell you what I know. 

¹⁸I’m full of words. 

The Spirit within me forces me ⸤to speak⸥. 

¹⁹My belly is like ⸤a bottle of⸥ wine that has not been opened, 

like new wineskins that are ready to burst. 

²⁰I must speak to get relief. 

I must open my mouth and answer. 

²¹I won’t be partial toward anyone 

or flatter anyone. 

²²I don’t know how to flatter. 

If I did, my maker would soon carry me away.