Job 32
Young Elihu, not fond of flattery
Job’s visitors stop arguing with him
1Job’s three visitors couldn’t convince him he sinned. Job insisted he was a good and righteous man. So the visitors stopped arguing with him.2Elihu of Buz [1] got steaming mad because Job defended himself against God. Elihu’s father was Barachel. Their family belonged to the Ram clan. They were part of a tribe known as Buzites.
3Elihu got angry at Job’s three visitors, too. They condemned Job, arguing that he must have sinned. But they couldn't prove it, and they couldn't win the debate. 4Elihu waited to talk last because he was the youngest of the group. 5But when everything got quiet, and the other three men had run out of words to use against Job, the silence steamed Elihu.
6Elihu of Buz spoke up:
I’m young and you’re not.
That's why I haven't said anything until now.
I was afraid to share my opinion.
7Then I thought of a quote: [2]
“Let the days do the talking,
Let the years do the teaching.”
8Here is where you're getting it wrong.
Wisdom comes from God's spirit inside us.
It doesn't come from aging.
9Old folks are not necessarily wise folks.
The elderly do not always get it right.
Elihu’s not-so-humble opinion
10So, listen to me.Let me tell you what I think.
11I waited to hear what you had to say.
I listened for whatever wisdom you might offer.
I waited while you thought about it.
12I gave you my full attention.
But you had nothing.
You couldn’t knock down Job’s argument.
You couldn't even find someone to arbitrate the dispute.
13But don't you dare give in to him.
Don't you dare say, “We have found wisdom
And his name is Job.
We cannot defeat him.
It's up to God himself.”
14Job did not address me.
He didn't target me with his words.
And I certainly will not answer him
With any of your speeches.
Elihu the angry poet
15Here's what I will say, instead:They were dismayed and speechless.
They couldn't find their words.
16I’m supposed to wait because they can't talk?
I'm supposed to hang loose while they do nothing?
17No way. I'm gonna answer Job myself.
I will give him a piece of my mind.
18I am full of words
But I'm holding my breath.
19My belly is a wineskin
Full of fermenting wine with belching gas.
I'm about to pop.
20I've got to open my mouth
And release some pressure.
I've got to get my lips moving
So I can answer some questions
21I'm not going to play favorites.
I'm not going to flatter anyone.
22Flattery is not my thing.
My creator would kill me if I flattered someone. [3]
Footnotes
No one seems to know where Buz was. If the phrase following the name in Jeremiah 25:23 is correct, the people of Buz likely lived along the edge of the desert. But that phrase itself is an educated guess. Some say Buz was in the vicinity of the ancient nation of Edom, southeast of what is now Israel and Palestinian Territory.
This is a guess, calling the words a quote. But the saying reads like a couple lines from a genre known as Wisdom Literature. This snippet of wisdom seems to argue that it’s best to let older and more experienced people teach others. It was often considered customary and less risky for young people to lead with a quote. It was like testing a product. Put the words out there and see if they stick. If they don’t, the person you’re quoting takes the bigger hit.
Drama queen much? If ever a Bible character sounded too young to talk and too arrogant to spend time in mixed company, Elihu, it’s you. He just got started talking and he won’t stop for half a dozen chapters, until Job 38.
Discussion Questions
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