For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Job 32:1-9

1 So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. 3 He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him. 4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he. 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;
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.”
8 But it is the spirit in a person,
    the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.
9 It is not only the old who are wise,
    not only the aged who understand what is right.

A. Find Out

1. What stops and why? v.1
2. Who became angry and for what reason? v.2
3. With whom was he also angry and why? v.3
4. Why had he waited before speaking? v.4,6,7
5. Who, did he say, brings understanding? v.8
6. So what does that imply? v.9

B. Think:

1. Who does Elihu appear to come to defend?
2. And who therefore does he feel a need to attack?
3. What good characteristic does he exhibit?

C. Comment:

We now move into a completely new section. For the next six chapters Elihu is going to speak. He is a young man (v.6). His family and background are described although nothing is known about them. He comes into the picture, it seems, simply because the discussion / debate / argument between Job and his three friends has come to a grinding halt! Job has maintained his righteousness, and the three friends cannot budge him from that position (v.1).  Therefore, they have nothing further to say and Job has nothing more to add so now, and only now, Elihu speaks. Elihu is an angry young man.

He is first of all angry with Job (v.2) because he considers that Job has been justifying himself and therefore condemning God. But he is also angry with the three friends because (note the twofold reason) they had not had the wisdom to be able to refute Job’s argument AND they had condemned him (v.3). Is it possible that both God and Job are right? Well no, Job has only seen part of the picture and has jumped to some wrong conclusions as we’ve seen previously and so now he’s going to get some strong answers!

Elihu has held back (v.4) because he respected their age and wisdom (v.4,7) but that had failed to produce answers. Now he steps up pointing out that he has the same Spirit and therefore might have answers (v.8,9). Well, let’s see what comes.

D. Application:

1. God never makes mistakes; God never gets it wrong.
2. Study and pray for answers to life’s questions.

Passage: Job 32:10-22

10 ‘Therefore I say: listen to me;
    I too will tell you what I know.
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.
13 Do not say, “We have found wisdom;
    let God, not a man, refute him.”
14 But Job has not marshalled his words against me,
    and I will not answer him with your arguments.

15 ‘They are dismayed and have no more to say;
    words have failed them.
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.
18 For I am full of words,
    and the spirit within me compels me;
19 inside I am like bottled-up wine,
    like new wineskins ready to burst.
20 I must speak and find relief;
    I must open my lips and reply.
21 I will show no partiality,
    nor will I flatter anyone;
22 for if I were skilled in flattery,
    my Maker would soon take me away.

A. Find Out

1. What does Elihu ask them to do? v.10,17
2. What has he done? v.11,12a
3. Of what does he charge them? v.12b,13,15,16
4. What approach will he not take? v.14
5. What is he feeling? v.18-20
6. On what basis will he speak and why? v.21,22

B. Think:

1. What has Elihu done?
2. How has that frustrated him?
3. Why does he feel he’s just got to speak now?

C. Comment:

Elihu expresses his frustration in these verses. He now wants to join in (v.10). He has waited and he has listened (v.11); in fact he listened very carefully but none of the three friends was able to show Job wrong (v.12), none of them was able to give an adequate reply to all he said. They cannot claim to speak for God (v.13). They haven’t shown they speak for Him (implied).

No, says Elihu, I’m going to approach this differently (v.14) because I am not feeling defensive because Job hasn’t spoken against me, and I’m certainly not going to use your powerless arguments. Almost as an aside he speaks to himself – they’ve run out of words (v.15) so must I just sit around waiting in the silence? (v.16). No! I’m going to speak up now (v.17). Actually I’ve got so much I want to say bubbling up within me (v.18,19) I’m just going to have to speak it out (v.20). I’m not going to speak as they have (implied) for I’m going to speak impartially (v.21), not taking sides or feeling defensive, I’m not going to try to flatter anyone because if I did I would be veering from the truth and the Lord would soon stop me (v.22).

In this early part of Elihu’s speech we see something of the reasoning for him speaking, for him joining in. It is essentially twofold: first the others have failed and second, he’s bursting with answers!

D. Application:

1. Are we able to be discerning about the truth?  Does it concern us?
2. Are we able to be objective and impartial and non-partisan?