But there is a spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them, that makes them intelligent.
Parallel translations
- WEB But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
- KJV But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
- BSB But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.
- NKJV But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.
- NASB “But it is a spirit that is in mankind, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
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 declares that it is the spirit in man and the breath of the Almighty that gives understanding. True wisdom comes from God, not merely from age.
Overview
Elihu states a key truth: genuine understanding is a gift of God's Spirit, the breath of the Almighty that enlightens the human heart. This explains why he, though young, may speak with insight. The teaching that wisdom comes from God anticipates the New Testament truth that the Spirit grants understanding, and it points to Christ, in whom the fullness of God's wisdom dwells and from whom the Spirit is given to his people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Job 33:4The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
- Job 38:36Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
- 2 Tim 3:16Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,
- Jas 1:5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
- Prov 2:6For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
- Eccl 2:26For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
- 1 Cor 2:10–12But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
- 1 Kgs 3:12behold, I have done according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart; so that there has been no one like you before you, and after you none will arise like you.
- Dan 2:21He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding;
- Job 35:11who teaches us more than the animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
- Job 33:16Then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction,
- Dan 1:17Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
- 1 Kgs 3:28All Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king; for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.
- 1 Kgs 4:29God gave Solomon abundant wisdom and understanding, and very great understanding, even as the sand that is on the seashore.
- Gen 41:39Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one so discreet and wise as you.
- Job 4:12–21“Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.
- 1 Cor 12:8For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit;
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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 32:8 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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