White, windless heat over the gray ash heap: a small wrapped man sits on the ash, three older men sit apart with their backs half turned, and well behind them one young man stands, under a pale, empty sky.

The Book of

Job 32

Elihu speaks, his first speech. Everyone has stopped talking. One young man has been waiting his turn.

22 verses≈ 3 min2 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

1–3The testBlameless, stripped of everything, and his cry
4–14Round oneThe friends speak; Job answers
15–21Round twoMy Redeemer lives
22–31Round threeThen wisdom, and Job's last defense
32–37ElihuA younger voiceChapter 32
38–41The LORD speaksOut of the whirlwind
42The endJob prays and is restored

Elihu Rebukes Job’s Friends

Three older men sit on the ground near the gray ash heap, each looking down or away with idle hands, in hot flat light, a small wrapped man far off beyond them.

So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

This kindled the anger of Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram. He burned with anger against Job for justifying himself rather than God, and he burned with anger against Job’s three friends because they had failed to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.

Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the others were older than he. But when he saw that the three men had no further reply, his anger was kindled.

Elihu’s four speeches

Whiteboard

Four speeches, and no one answers him.

Question

Quick question

Why did he wait so long?

Why had Elihu kept quiet?

Elihu

Elihu

So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite declared:

“I am young in years,

while you are old;

that is why I was timid and afraid

to tell you what I know.

I thought that age should speak,

and many years should teach wisdom.

Elihu

Job 32:8

Elihu

It is not only the old who are wise,

or the elderly who understand justice.

Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;

I too will declare what I know.’

Reflect

Who gets to speak

Elihu waited: “I thought that age should speak.” Then he spoke. When have you held back too long, or spoken too soon? Write down one conversation where listening first would change what you say.

Elihu

Elihu

Job’s friends are dismayed, with no more to say;

words have escaped them.

Must I wait, now that they are silent,

now that they stand and no longer reply?

Elihu

Inside a black goat-hair tent, a new goatskin wine bag hangs from a tent pole, swollen drum-tight with its seams straining and a bead of wine at the tied neck.

I too will answer;

yes, I will declare what I know.

For I am full of words,

and my spirit within me compels me.

Behold, my belly is like unvented wine;

it is about to burst like a new wineskin.

I must speak and find relief;

I must open my lips and respond.

0:18

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Elihu

I will be partial to no one,

nor will I flatter any man.

For I do not know how to flatter,

or my Maker would remove me in an instant.

Pray

Ask for the patience to listen to the end. Ask for courage to speak when the time comes. Ask to be kept from flattering anyone. Remember that we too are in our Maker’s hands.

You’ve experienced

Job 32

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A verse to carry with you

But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.

Job 32:8

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