Elihu Rebukes Job’s Friends 1 UST Then Job’ s three friends stopped replying to him, because Job was confident that he was innocent. BSB BSB: So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
2 UST Then a man named Elihu{, who had been listening as Job spoke with his friends,} became very angry with Job. Elihu was the son of Barakel. He was a Buzite and he belonged to the clan of Ram. He became angry because Job continued to claim that he was innocent and that God had been wrong to punish him. BSB BSB: This kindled the anger of Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram. He burned with anger against Job for justifying himself rather than God,
3 UST Elihu also became angry with Job’ s three friends. He became angry because they had insisted that Job must have done many things that were wrong, but they had not been able to prove any of their accusations. BSB BSB: and he burned with anger against Job’s three friends because they had failed to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.
4 UST Now Elihu was much younger than Job’ s three friends. That was why he had let them speak to Job first. BSB BSB: Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the others were older than he.
5 UST But when Elihu realized that the three men had nothing more to say to Job, he became very angry. BSB BSB: But when he saw that the three men had no further reply, his anger was kindled.
6 UST This is what Elihu said.(He was the son of Barakel. He was a Buzite.)“I am young, and you all are much older than I am. So I was hesitant. I was afraid to tell you what I was thinking. BSB BSB: So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite declared: “I am young in years, while you are old; that is why I was timid and afraid to tell you what I know.
7 UST I said to myself,‘I should let the people who are older speak. Older people should be able to explain how to understand things wisely.’ BSB BSB: I thought that age should speak, and many years should teach wisdom.
8 UST However, even as I was saying that, I felt the Spirit of God stirring within me. Yes, I felt Shaddai inspiring me so that I could understand. BSB BSB: But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.
9 UST Humble people can also be wise. Younger people can also recognize the right thing to do. BSB BSB: It is not only the old who are wise, or the elderly who understand justice.
10 UST So now I want to ask you,‘Please listen to me. Let me too say what I have been thinking.’ BSB BSB: Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me; I too will declare what I know.’
11 UST Now I let the three of you speak first. I waited while you thought carefully about what you should say, and I listened to your arguments. BSB BSB: Indeed, I waited while you spoke; I listened to your reasoning; as you searched for words,
12 UST I paid careful attention to what you were saying. But in the end, none of you was able to prove that what Job said was wrong. None of you could respond to his arguments. BSB BSB: I paid you full attention. But no one proved Job wrong; not one of you rebutted his arguments.
13 UST So do not tell yourselves,‘We have discovered what is wise!’ It is God who must show Job that he is wrong. Someone relying on human thinking will not be able to do that. BSB BSB: So do not claim, ‘We have found wisdom; let God, not man, refute him.’
14 UST You were angry with Job, and so you have not answered him well. But Job has said nothing to make me angry, so I will not answer him the way you have. BSB BSB: But Job has not directed his words against me, and I will not answer him with your arguments.
15 UST The three of you are just sitting there in a daze, not saying anything more, because you cannot think of what to say to Job. BSB BSB: Job’s friends are dismayed, with no more to say; words have escaped them.
16 UST And since you are not speaking, since you have stopped answering Job, I do not feel that I need to wait any longer before speaking to Job myself. BSB BSB: Must I wait, now that they are silent, now that they stand and no longer reply?
17 UST So now I too will respond to Job. I will share my view of his situation. BSB BSB: I too will answer; yes, I will declare what I know.
18 UST I must speak, because I have plenty to say, and something inside me is forcing me to say it. BSB BSB: For I am full of words, and my spirit within me compels me.
19 UST I feel as if I am a container of wine that is stretching more and more and that will soon burst because of the fermentation. BSB BSB: Behold, my belly is like unvented wine; it is about to burst like a new wineskin.
20 UST I must speak, and then I will be able to rest from the effort of restraining myself from speaking. So I will now say something in reply to all of you. BSB BSB: I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond.
21 UST I will not favor either Job or you his friends. I will not try to flatter anyone. BSB BSB: I will be partial to no one, nor will I flatter any man.
22 UST Indeed, I have not gotten into the habit of flattering people, because I believe that if I did that, God would quickly destroy me. BSB BSB: For I do not know how to flatter, or my Maker would remove me in an instant.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.