Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Behold, I waited for your words, and I listened for your reasoning, while you searched out what to say.
- BSB Indeed, I waited while you spoke; I listened to your reasoning; as you searched for words,
- NKJV Indeed I waited for your words, I listened to your reasonings, while you searched out what to say.
- NASB ¶“Behold, I waited for your words, I listened to your skillful speech, While you pondered what to say.
- NLT “I have waited all this time, listening very carefully to your arguments, listening to you grope for words.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Elihu reminds them he patiently waited and listened to their reasoning while they searched for words. He establishes that he gave the elders a fair hearing.
Overview
Elihu notes that he attentively waited through their speeches and listened to their arguments as they tried to find what to say. This emphasizes his patience and the fairness of his coming critique. His careful listening models a virtue, yet his confidence that he can now resolve what they could not foreshadows the need for God's own answer, which alone humbles every speaker and points to the true Counselor, Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Job 32:4Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.
- Job 29:21Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
- Prov 18:17He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
- Job 29:23And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
- Prov 28:11The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
- Job 5:27Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.
- Eccl 12:9–10And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 32:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.