Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the others were older than he.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job, because they were elder than he.
- KJV Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.
- NKJV Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job.
- NASB Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he.
- NLT Elihu had waited for the others to speak to Job because they were older than he.
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 had waited to speak because the others were older than he. He respected the seniority of his elders before voicing his opinion.
Overview
The narrator explains that Elihu held his peace out of deference to the greater age of Job and the three friends. This restraint reflects the ancient honor due to elders and Elihu's awareness of his youth. His initial humility is commendable, though he will soon argue that wisdom comes from God's Spirit rather than age alone, a truth that points beyond human seniority to the wisdom of God revealed in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Prov 18:13He who answers a matter before he hears it—this is folly and disgrace to him.
- Job 32:11–12Indeed, I waited while you spoke; I listened to your reasoning; as you searched for words,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 32:4 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
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