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

2Then Elihu, son of Barachel, a descendant of Buz from the family of Ram, became very angry with Job because Job thought he was more righteous than God. 3Elihu was also very angry with Job’s three friends because they had found no answer. They made it look as if God were wrong. Elihu waited as they spoke to Job because they were older than he was. 5When Elihu saw that the three men had no further responses, he became very angry. 6So Elihu, son of Barachel, the descendant of Buz, replied ⌞to Job⌟, “I am young, and you are old. That’s why I refrained from speaking and was afraid to tell you what I know.

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 32:11I waited for you to speak. I listened for you to share your understanding until you could find the right words.
• Proverbs 18:13Whoever gives an answer before he listens is stupid and shameful.

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