Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 32:11
Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.
11. I gave ear to your reasons ] Or, I listened for your reasons, until ye should search out what to say. The meaning seems to be that Elihu looked for further and different arguments from the three friends.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
11 14. Elihu, directly addressing the three friends, states more clearly his reasons for taking upon him to speak: he had hoped to hear them confute Job, and was disappointed in their arguments; Job may be shewn to be in the wrong, though with different arguments from those they had employed. In Elihu’s opinion the cause of the three friends was much better than their advocacy of it.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I gave ear to your reasons – Margin, understandings. The meaning is, that he had given the most respectful attention to the views which they had expressed, implying that he had been all along present, and had listened to the debate.
Whilst ye searched out what to say – Margin, as in Hebrew, words. It is implied here that they had bestowed much attention on what they had said. They had carefully sought out all the arguments at their command to confute Job, and still had been unsuccessful.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons] Instead of tebunotheychem, your reasons, techunotheychem, your arguments, is the reading of nine of Kennicott’s and De Rossi’s MSS. The sense, however, is nearly the same.
Whilst ye searched out what to say.] ad tachkerun millin; “Whilst ye were searching up and down for words.” A fine irony, which they must have felt.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I waited with silence, and patience, and diligent attention; which therefore I now expect from you.
Your reasons; or, reasonings, Heb. understandings; or minds; the depth and strength of your discourses, your most intelligent and forcible arguments against Job; I searched and examined them to the bottom.
Whilst ye searched out what to say; whilst you put your inventions upon the rack, and studied to find out all that could be said against him, and to furnish yourselves with the most convincing words and reasons.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. Therefore Elihu was presentfrom the first.
reasonsliterally,”understandings,” that is, the meaning intended by words.
whilstI waited untilyou should discover a suitable reply to Job.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Behold, I waited for your words,…. With great desire, with great eagerness and earnestness, in hope of meeting with arguments fully satisfying and convincing; he waited for them, as for the rain, and the latter rain, to be revived, refreshed, and edified therewith; and he patiently waited until they had done speaking:
I gave ear to your reasons, or “understandings” r; endeavoured to get into the sense and meaning of their words; not only attended to what they did say, but to what he thought they meant to say: some are not so happy in their expressions; and yet, by what they do say, with close attention it may be understood what they aim at, what is their drift and design; this Elihu was careful to attain unto, not barely to hear their words, but penetrate, if possible, into their meaning:
whilst ye searched out what to say; for they did not make their replies to Job immediately, and say what came uppermost at once, but they took time to think of things, and to search out for the most forcible arguments to refute Job, and strengthen their cause; it is very probable they made a pause at the end of every speech of Job’s, and considered what was proper to be said in reply, and, perhaps, consulted each other.
r “usque ad intellignetias vestras”, Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Schultens; “usque ad sensa vestra”, Beza, Junius & Tremellius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
11 Behold, I waited upon your words,
Hearkened to your perceptions,
While ye searched out replies.
12 And I attended closely to you,
Yet behold: there was no one who refuted Job,
Who answered his sentences, from you.
13 Lest ye should say: “We found wisdom,
God is able to smite him, not man!”
14 Now he hath not arranged his words against me,
And with your sentences I will not reply to him.
He has waited for their words, viz., that they might give utterance to such words as should tend to refute and silence Job. In what follows, still more emphatically than refers this aim to that to which Elihu had paid great attention: I hearkened to your understandings, i.e., explanations of the matter, that, or whether, they came forth, (I hearkened) to see if you searched or found out words, i.e., appropriate words. Such abbreviated forms as = (comp. = for , Pro 17:4, Ges. 68, rem. 1, if it does not signify nutriens , from ) we shall frequently meet with in this Elihu section. In Job 32:12, Job 32:12 evidently is related as an antecedent to what follows: and I paid attention to you ( contrary to the analogy of the cognate praep. instead of , moreover for , with the accompanying notion: intently, or, according to Aben-Duran: thoroughly, without allowing a word to escape me), and behold, intently as I paid attention: no one came forward to refute Job; there was no one from or among you who answered (met successfully) his assertions. Every unbiassed reader will have an impression of the remarkable expressions and constructions here, similar to that which one has in passing from the book of the Kings to the characteristic sections of the Chronicles. The three, Elihu goes on to say, shall not indeed think that in Job a wisdom has opposed them – a false wisdom, indeed – which only God and not any man can drive out of the field ( , Arab. ndf , discutere , dispellere , as the wind drives away chaff or dry leaves); while he has not, however ( followed directly by a v. fin. forming a subordinate clause, as Job 42:3; Psa 44:18, and freq., Ew. 341, a), arrayed ( in a military sense, Job 33:5; or forensic, Job 23:4; or even as Job 37:19, in the general sense of proponere ) words against him (Elihu), i.e., utterances before which he would be compelled to confess himself affected and overcome. He will not then also answer him with such opinions as those so frequently repeated by them, i.e., he will take a totally different course from theirs in order to refute him.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
TEXT 32:1122
11 Behold, I waited for your words,
I listened for your reasonings,
Whilst ye searched out what to say.
12 Yea, I attended onto you,
And, behold, there was none that convinced Job,
Or that answered his words, among you.
13 Beware lest ye say, We have found wisdom;
God may vanquish him, not man:
14 For he hath not directed his words against me;
Neither will I answer him with your speeches.
15 They are amazed, they answer no more:
They have not a word to say.
16 And shall I wait, because they speak not,
Because they stand still, and answer no more?
17 I also will answer my part,
I also will show mine opinion.
18 For I am full of words;
The spirit within me constraineth me.
19 Behold, my breast is as wine which hath no vent;
Like new wine-skins it is ready to burst.
20 I will speak, that I may be refreshed;
I will open my lips and answer.
21 Let me not, I pray you, respect any mans person;
Neither will I give flattering titles unto any man.
22 For I know not to give flattering titles;
Else would my Maker soon take me away.
COMMENT 32:1122
Job. 32:11Elihu now turns to the three friends. He merely repeats in more pompous words what he already has declared.[330] He has listened for their most effective arguments against Job, but he was disappointed. If Job is to be condemned, there must be more cogent reasons than he has heard. I listened until you had finished (Heb. tblytkmyour completioninstead of tbwntykmyour arguments) your supposed wise words. Though they had searched out, by laborious efforts, some comforting words, they have been less than effective. In other words, they tried hard, but that was not enough.
[330] See Dhorme, Job, pp. 477478, for analysis of the many complexities of this verse.
Job. 32:12He had followed the debate with utmost care, but he failed to find any forceful words which actually convicted Job. Their calloused compassionless consolation lacked enough cogency to convict him of his crime against God.
Job. 32:13This verse is made complex by its ambiguity. Perhaps Elihu says Job does not have invincible wisdom. He could be warning the three friends against excusing themselves for not answering Job. He could be suggesting that ultimately there is no human solution to Jobs problem, but that does not justify their dropping the argument. Line one might mean that they have found a wisdom that only God can refute. This seems to best fit the structure of the entire book, especially the location of the Yahweh speeches, chapters 38ff. Yet, Elihu is equal to even that occasion; though the line resounds with humility, God will answer him, not man.
Job. 32:14Elihu is saying that when I get finished with him, he will not need God to respond. But these are idle words filled with foolish promises, as his arguments do not go beyond the words of Jobs friends, in spite of his claim that he will not answerlit. with your words or arguments.
Job. 32:15In his soliloquy, Elihu first sets forth his claim of impartiality. His state of mind is also described. Most of his energy is utilized on rage, rather than effectively responding to Job. Yet, he is actually somewhat ridiculous, wordy, and unoriginal.
Job. 32:16Once more Elihu piously emphasizes his patience.[331]
[331] For this theme respecting Job, see J. L. Ginsberg, Job the Patient and Job the Impatient, Conservative Judaism, 1967, pp. 1228; J. K. Zink, Impatient Job: An Interpretation of Job. 19:25 ff, J.B.L., 1965, pp. 147152.
Job. 32:17Repetition in order to build up expectation concerning his forthcoming momentous outburst of wisdomJob. 32:10 b.
Job. 32:18It would not require Gods wisdom to refute Elihus claim that he is full of words. His conceit is insufferable. He claims God as authorizer of his position when he declares that the spirit of my belly is the source of his speechJob. 15:2; Pro. 18:8.
Job. 32:19He is as a bursting wineskinMat. 9:17; Jer. 20:9. He must speak in order to vent the wineskin, else it will split. The image is much more than a Taste of New Wine. What is bubbling inside him is like the force of fermentation which must find an outlet.
Job. 32:20The image continues. Relief can come to his troubled spirit only if he finds release. He is so full, all that he needs to do is open his mouth.
Job. 32:21His sincerity is bettered only by his candidness. Hypocrisy shall not lead him astray by deference to anyones title or rankIsa. 44:5; Isa. 45:4. He takes himself too seriously by his proposed impartial vigour (A. V. respect any manlit. lift up the fareJob. 13:8; flattering titleverb, kny means to give an honorific title).
Job. 32:22He would not dare to flatter anyone. If he were so tempted, he would immediately be visited by Gods vengeance.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Job 32:11 Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.
Ver. 11. Behold, I waited for your words ] While you had anything to say I was silent, and no way troublesome or obstreperous. This he speaketh to Job’s friends, who had free liberty to speak while they would without interruption; and should, therefore, now be content to hear (though perhaps what they would not) if God thereby might be glorified, and Job better convinced.
I gave ear to your reasons
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Job 32:11-14
Job 32:11-14
“Behold, I waited for your words,
I listened to your reasonings,
Whilst ye searched out what to say.
Yea, I attended unto you,
And, behold, there was none that convinced Job,
Or that answered his words among you.
Beware lest ye say, We have found wisdom;
God may vanquish him, not man:
For he hath not directed his words against me;
Neither will I answer him with your speeches.”
“God may vanquish him, not man” (Job 32:13). Contrary to what Elihu seems to imply here, “Job’s friends did not come to a conclusion that Job had a wisdom that only God could handle.”
This verse is disputed, as regards its exact meaning; but Elihu apparently is saying here that, “God (speaking through Elihu) will drive him away, not man”; and again we have a suggestion that Elihu thought
“Neither will I answer him with your speeches” (Job 32:14). “The irony of this is that Elihu’s position was much the same as that of the three friends.”
E.M. Zerr:
Job 32:11. Elihu claimed that he had been an attentive listener to the speeches of the three friends who professed to be answering Job’s speeches.
Job 32:12. Regardless of whether Job’s position was correct, Elihu observed that the friends had not answered his arguments.
Job 32:13, The friends may try to ex plain their failure to answer Job by saying Gcd helped him form his speeches; that they were not his own thoughts.
Job 32:14. The idea of this verse is that Elihu proposed to speak on his own; not get his arguments from anyone.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
I waited for: Job 32:4, Job 29:21, Job 29:23
reasons: Heb. understandings, Instead of tevoonotheychem, nine manuscripts read techoonotheychem, “your arguments;” but the sense is nearly the same.
whilst: Ad tachkeroon millin, “whilst ye were searching for words;” a fine irony, which they must have felt. Job 5:27, Pro 18:17, Pro 28:11, Ecc 12:9, Ecc 12:10
what to say: Heb. words
Reciprocal: Job 6:24 – Teach me Job 26:3 – counselled Job 33:31 – General 1Co 14:30 – let
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 32:11. Behold, I waited for your words With silence, patience, and diligent attention, which therefore I now expect from you. I gave ear to your reasons Or, reasonings; Hebrew, , tebunotheichem, your understandings, or minds; the depth and strength of your discourses; your most intelligent and forcible arguments against Job. While you searched out what to say While you put your inventions upon the rack, and studied to find out all that could be said against him, and to furnish yourselves with the most convincing words and reasons.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
32:11 Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out {g} what to say.
(g) To prove that Job’s affliction came for his sins.