Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 32:14

Now he hath not directed [his] words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches.

Now, he hath not directed his words against me – Margin, ordered. The meaning of this expression is, I can approach this subject in a wholly dispassionate and unprejudiced manner. I have had none of the provocations which you have felt; his harsh and severe remarks have not fallen on me as they have on you, and I can come to the subject with the utmost coolness. The object is to show that he was not irritated, and that he would be under no temptation to use words from the influence of passion or any other than those which conveyed the simple truth. He seems disposed to admit that Job had given some occasion for severe remarks, by the manner in which be had treated his friends.

Neither will I answer him with your speeches – They also had been wrong. They had given way to passion, and had indulged in severity of language, rather than pursued a simple and calm course of argument. From all this, Eliha says he was free, and could approach the subject in the most calm and dispassionate manner. He had had no temptation to indulge in severity of language like theirs, and he would not do it.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. He hath not directed] I am no party in this controversy; I have no party feeling in it: he has not spoken a word against me, therefore I have no cause of irritation. I shall speak for truth; not for conquest or revenge. Neither will I answer him with your speeches; your passions have been inflamed by contradiction, and you have spoken foolishly with your lips.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

I am not engaged in this discourse by any provoking words of Job, as you have been, which hath drawn forth your passions and biassed your judgments; but merely from zeal for the vindication of Gods honour, and love to truth and justice, and a sincere desire to administer to Job matter both of conviction and of comfort. With your words, i.e. with such words or arguments as yours, either weak and impertinent, or fierce and opprobrious.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

14. I am altogetherunprejudiced. For it is not I, whom he addressed. “Yourspeeches” have been influenced by irritation.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Now he hath not directed [his] words against me,…. That is, Job had not directed his speech to him, or levelled his arguments against him; he had not set himself and his words in battle array against him, as the word signifies; he had not lashed and irritated him as he had them; and therefore he came into the dispute calm and unprovoked, having nothing in view but truth, the glory of God, and the good of Job; and therefore hoped for better success than they had had:

neither will I answer him with your speeches; he proposed to take a new and different method from them, as he did; for he never charges Job with any sin or sins, or a course of living in a sinful manner, before those afflictions came upon him, and as the cause of them; he only takes notice of what was amiss in him since his afflictions, and what dropped from him in the heat of this controversy, rash and unbecoming speeches, which reflected upon the honour and justice of God; and if he made use of any words and arguments similar to theirs, yet to another purpose, and in a milder and gentler manner.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

14. He Job.

Directed Better, arrayed. is a military word used in a forensic sense, Job 13:18. With your speeches Elihu will not argue in their offensive and passionate manner, as he has no hard blows dealt by Job to resent. He proposes to “limit his censure to Job’s answer in this dispute.” Elihu can enter the debate free from prejudice and animosity.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 32:14 Now he hath not directed [his] words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches.

Ver. 14. Now he hath not directed his speech against me ] And so I have no particular edge or grudge against him, he hath no reason to think that I come prejudicated or exasperated. This Elihu speaketh purposely, to get within Job; that he might the better persuade with him. We must endeavour to preserve in the party with whom we would prevail an opinion of our love and good affection to him; for else we shall lose all our sweet words, since man is a cross and crabbed creature; duci vult, trahi non vult, lead him you may, drag him you must not.

Neither will I answer him with your speeches ] But with better; he shall have from me soft words and hard arguments; I will come over him in a milder manner, and to better purpose; while, moved merely by a zeal for God’s glory, I shall show him his miscarriages, not in mine own words, but in God’s. That is a true saying of learned Junius, Personatae reprehensiones frigent; plurimumque interest ex animo omnia, ut conscientia fert animusque, facias; an de industria.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)