The Words of Young Elihu, Part 1

Job 32-34

            Job’s friends have run out of things to say, so Elihu, who has been unnamed until now, steps in. He pleads his youth as the reason for his prior silence, but now he is brimming with things to be said. Indeed, his four speeches will occupy six chapters of the book! Elihu’s method is a little different than the other friends. Having listened carefully, his approach is to quote Job himself and show how his arguments don’t add up.

            In 33:8-11, Elihu objects to Job’s claims of innocence. True, Job has not claimed perfection; he has only claimed innocence from the brazen sins that 1) his friends have laid at his feet and that 2) would warrant his suffering. In 33:12 and following, Elihu objects to Job’s arguments that God is silent. By the end of the chapter, he puts them together: suffering brings us to repentance and its relief brings glory to God.

            As Elihu’s second speech opens, he addresses himself to all the so-called wise men. Everyone has come terribly close to misrepresenting the Lord: Job has all but accusing the Lord of wrongdoing, and his friends have made Him vengeful. Elihu reminds them that the Lord’s grace is seen in the way He sustains life. Next, Elihu extols the omniscience of God and applies this to Job: “Surely, the Lord knows better than you,” he suggests. “Would a little humility before Him kill you?”