Job 32:2 Commentary and Bible Study

Elihu exhibits righteous indignation against Job, because when Job is in trouble he doubts his God; and against the friends, because, being bigots, they make up their own mind, and fail to help Job pastorally. Though they have wonderful words, yet they are just out to win their point.Who was Elihu? The old writers are divided. He is introduced more precisely than any of the others who have featured in the book. Some say he was descended from Abraham’s brother, Nahor (Genesis 22:21); others that he was a Gentile sage. He has been called the apostle Paul of the Book of Job. It now becomes clear that there were others present besides Job and the three friends. These events would have been of great interest, and many would have witnessed the words spoken Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. That is why they could not go on indefinitely saying the same things when their words were evidently without substance: they were put to shame. Elihu has been there all along, but in the culture of the day he waits till the older men have spoken.Some have regarded him as an unworthy character, who sheds no light on the situation and whose words do not instruct Job but only add further worthless advice to the counsel of the other three, but most regard him as a true believer in God who for the first time gives real help to Job in understanding why this trial has come. The Lord does not correct him but appears to Job immediately following what he has said as if he has offered Job true advice. While the three friends are criticised by the Lord, nothing is said against Elihu. Elihu does not condemn Job but treats him as a true believer unlike the three friends. He corrects Job but does so in a reasonable and kind way. Elihu does not speak from a privileged position as if he already knew about the dialogue between the Lord and Satan, but he offers helpful admonition because the principles of truth live within him unlike the three comforters. Job does not respond to him nor argue against him as he had done to the others. When Elihu finishes, the Lord speaks to Job and says nothing to correct Elihu.The first thing said about him is that he was angry, angry with Job because he had justified himself rather than God. Elihu has a zeal for God that cannot bear to see his justice questioned or criticised. He knows that this is always wrong and that no amount of suffering can justify our finding fault with God. God is always fair and just in his dealings with men, and this is a bedrock principle with Elihu from which he will not be moved. It is not simply a theoretical point with him, but a matter which he cares passionately about. He has zeal for the glory of God which he applies to himself first of all and which will even come down heavily on the best of God’s servants if they do not share it. Job had taken his own side rather than the Lord’s side, and this can never be right.