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Job 32

Job book home•Chapter 32 of 42•22 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Job 32 Overview

After Job and the three friends fall silent, Elihu son of Barachel speaks. He is angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God and with the friends for condemning Job without finding an answer. Because he is younger, he had waited, but he now argues that wisdom is not guaranteed by age alone.

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Before you read Job 32

Coming from

Job 31 ended his formal defense, and the three friends have no further answer.

In this chapter

Elihu enters as a new voice, explaining why he waited and why he believes both Job and the friends have failed.

Leads into

Chapter 33 begins Elihu’s direct argument to Job about God’s ways of speaking, correcting, and preserving people.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Elihu is different from the three friends and is not included in God’s explicit rebuke of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar in chapter 42. Yet God also does not explicitly endorse every Elihu statement. His speeches should therefore be weighed carefully rather than simply equated either with the friends or with God’s coming speech.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Age can bring experience, but wisdom ultimately comes from God rather than years alone.

Truth 2

The friends’ inability to answer Job does not justify their condemnation of him.

Truth 3

Zeal for God can still require careful, accurate speech.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

1 Timothy 4:12 shows that youth does not automatically disqualify someone from speaking truth.

Connection 2

Proverbs 18:13 warns against answering before hearing, and Elihu at least emphasizes that he has listened first.

Connection 3

James 1:19 commends being swift to hear and slow to speak.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not claim Elihu is simply the fourth condemned friend; Job 42 names the other three, not Elihu.

Keep this clear 2

Do not claim Elihu is infallible merely because he is not explicitly rebuked.

Keep this clear 3

His statement that Job justified himself rather than God identifies a real tension but must be read alongside God’s own later words.

Read Job 32 watching for…

Why Elihu is angry with both sides.

His reason for waiting to speak.

His claim that age alone does not guarantee wisdom.

His repeated insistence that he has listened.

How his entrance changes the debate before God speaks.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-5Job’s three friends stop answering, and Elihu becomes angry with Job and with them 6-10Elihu explains that although he is young, understanding comes from the Almighty 11-16Elihu says he listened carefully but the three friends failed to answer Job 17-22Elihu says he is compelled to speak and will not flatter any man

So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.

When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.

And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.

I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.

Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion.

Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.

Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words:

Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not man.

Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches.

They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.

When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;)

I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion.

For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.

Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles.

I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.

Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.

For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.

STUDY THIS VERSE

Job 32:13

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