Tyndale Open Study NotesJob 32

After three rounds of speeches between Job and his friends, a new voice speaks. Elihu, a young man, has listened to everything the others said.

Job's three friends did not succeed in comforting him (see 2:11; 6:14–30; 13:4; 16:2; 19:21; 42:10).

• The Buzite: Buz had ties with Aram and Arabia, similar to Uz (Genesis 22:21; Jeremiah 25:23; Job 1:1).

• Elihu often said he was angry. He probably considered his anger as righteous "zeal" (Psalm 69:9).

Elihu respected elders, following a common principle (see also 12:12; 15:10; Leviticus 19:32; 1 Timothy 5:1; 1 Peter 5:5).

The spirit in a man might not be God's Spirit of prophecy that Elihu later mentions, as Eliphaz had done (33:14–15; 4:12–17; compare 32:18–20). This spirit might simply exist because of creation (33:4; Genesis 2:7; Acts 17:25).

Some translations read, "you are silent, now that you stand and no longer reply." Thus, Elihu addresses Job's friends. The Berean Standard Bible translates they are silent, now that they stand and no longer reply. This interprets Elihu talking to Job about his friends.

• The length of Elihu’s speech shows he had many words to share (32:1–37:24).

• Elihu probably believed the spirit (Hebrew ruakh) within him urged him to speak (32:8, 19–20; Psalm 39:3). But the reader might regard him as just full of wind (an alternate meaning of the Hebrew ruakh; see study note on Job 15:2–3).

• Like Zophar, Elihu needed to speak to find relief (compare 20:2).