Job 32:4

Job 32:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.
• New International Version (NIV)Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job.

Context of Job 32:4

2Another man was also there. His name was Elihu, Barakel's son. Barakel was a descendant of Buz. He belonged to Ram's clan. Elihu became very angry with Job. He was angry because Job continued to say that he was not guilty. Job said that God was wrong to punish him. 3Elihu was also angry with Job's three friends. They had not been able to find an answer to Job's problem. But they still said that Job was guilty. Elihu had waited for Job's three friends to speak before he spoke to Job himself. He waited because he was younger than them. 5But he became angry when Job's three friends had nothing more to say. So he finally decided to speak. 6Barakel's son, Elihu, said this: ‘I am young and you are old. So I was afraid to tell you what I was thinking.

Job 32:4 word by word

וֶֽאֱלִיה֗וּ חִכָּ֣ה אֶת־אִ֭יּוֹב בִּדְבָרִ֑ים כִּ֤י זְֽקֵנִים־הֵ֖מָּה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ לְיָמִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now Elihuאֱלִיהוּ'ĕlîyhû 'ĕlîyhû' · ElihuH453
• had waitedחָכָהchâkâh · to waitH2442
• till Jobאִיּוֹב'îyôb · JobH347
• had spokenדָּבָרdâbâr · word: speakingH1697
• elderיוֹםyôm · day: oldH3117
• elderזָקֵןzâqên · oldH2205

Cross-references for Job 32:4

• Job 32:11Yes, I waited for you all to speak. I listened to your wise thoughts, as you tried to find the right words to say.
• Proverbs 18:13Listen carefully before you answer. If you answer too quickly, you will be ashamed like a fool.

Commentaries on Job 32:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Now Elihu had waited - Margin, as in Hebrew, expected Job in words. The meaning is plain, that he had waited until all who were older than himself had spoken. Because they were elder than he - Margin, as in Hebrew, older for days. It appears that they were all older than he was. We have no means of determining their respective ages, though it would seem probable that Eliphaz was the oldest of the three friends, as he uniformly spoke first.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-7Elihu respected elders, following a common principle (see also 12:12; 15:10; Leviticus 19:32; 1 Timothy 5:1; 1 Peter 5:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-37Job 32:1-37:24. Speech of Elihu. 1-6. Prose (poetry begins with "I am young"). because, &c.--and because they could not prove to him that he was unrighteous.Read the comment

Topics related to Job 32:4

• Children
• Humility
• Modesty
• Old Age
• Reverence

In the dictionaries

• Job
• Age
• Constrain
• Elihu
• Understanding
• Job, Book of
• Age, Old

Commentaries on Job 32

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings