Elihu Rebukes Job’s Friends 1 And these three men ceased from answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 These three men ceased to answer Job, because he seemed just in his own eyes. In the expression, because he seemed to be just in his own eyes, the author of this sacred history intended to refer to the opinion of Job's friends, and did not himself accuse him of being puffed up with pride.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 After the dispute between Job and his friends had ended, the argument of Eliud against Job is introduced. He uses more penetrating arguments against Job than the prior speeches and approaches nearer the truth. So Job does not answer him, although he still deviates a little from the truth and interprets the words of Job in the wrong sense, as we shall clearly see.
2 And the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was kindled — against Job his anger was kindled, because he declared himself righteous rather than God.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Elihu is inflamed not because [Job] declared himself to be righteous but because he did that before the Lord, as he invoked him as his witness; or because he thought that [Job] brought an action against God.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 And Eliu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram, was wroth and indignant. The names either of himself, or of his parent, of his home, or kindred, furnish a mark of his own conduct. For Eliu being interpreted means, 'That my God,' or, 'God the Lord.' By whom, as we said to you, is designated the sound faith of proud men placed within the Church.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 For both of these reasons, the silence of his friends and the fact that Job seemed to them to be righteous, Eliud, who stood by was agitated to anger.
3 And against his three friends his anger was kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 As to his friends, the text continues, "Further, he was indignant against his three friends because they had not found a reasonable answer," with which they might respond to his words in which he asserted that he was righteous, "but they merely condemned Job," saying that he was evil.
4 And Elihu had waited for Job with words, because they were older than he in days.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Elihu therefore waited while Job was speaking, because they who were speaking were his elders. But when he had seen that the three were not able to answer, he was very wroth.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The text shows the reason why Eliud had previously not answered Job in anyway when it says, "Therefore Eliud waited for Job to speak," without contradicting his speeches, "because those who spoke were his elders," deferring to them as though to wiser men, and because their old age required it.
5 And Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, and his anger was kindled.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 But since it did not seem to him that reverence for someone should prejudice the truth, he, though younger, began to answer angrily the three elders, and so the text continues, "Since he had seen that the three could not answer," the arguments of Job, "he was violently angry," because he thought that the truth would perish by their laziness.
6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said: I am young in days, and you are aged; therefore I held back, and was afraid to declare my knowledge to you.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Why is it not said, But then, why did you not fight from the start together with us in order to defend God? He answers, I withdrew into my age, while I expected, he says, to hear you pronounce a beautiful and wonderful speech.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 And Eliu the son of Barachel, the Buzite, answered and said, I am younger in age, but ye are more ancient. I therefore held down my head, and feared to shew you my opinion. For I was hoping that greater age would speak, and that a multitude of years would teach wisdom.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The text therefore continues, "and Eliud, the son of Barachiel, the Buzite, answered," to the discourses and arguments of Job.
7 I said, “Let days speak, and let many years make wisdom known.”
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 It seems probable that old men speak more wisely for two reasons. First, because young men from the fervor of the soul frequently propose many things without any order, whereas old men because of the gravity of age speak more maturely. So he says, "For I was hoping that a greater length of years would speak," with more seriousness and with greater effect.
8 But it is a spirit in a mortal, and the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 But, as I see, there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding. He would be right in saying this, did he not arrogate to himself this same wisdom above all others.
Ishodad of Merv · AD 850 The words "but truly it is the spirit in mortals," [indicate] a rational soul. The words "the breath of the Almighty that makes them intelligent," [indicate] that if we need to find a superior wisdom in human beings, we will recognize it in those who have received the virtue from God.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 As a consequence he excuses the fact that he is now going to begin to speak because he has experienced the fact that age is not the sufficient cause of wisdom, but rather divine inspiration, and so he says, "But as I see," that is, I consider, the effect, "the spirit," of God, "is in men," in as much as he operates in them.
9 It is not the many who are wise, nor the aged who understand judgment.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 He shows that this inspiration is the special cause of wisdom on the basis of the fact that age does not perfectly cause wisdom. So he says, "It is not the old that are wise," as to the knowledge of divine truth, "nor the aged that understand what is right," as to the ordering of human acts.
10 Therefore I say: Listen to me; I also will declare my knowledge.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Because although he was not aged, he nevertheless was confident that he was inspired by God. Therefore, he dared to speak, and so he says, "Therefore, I will speak." In his speech, he first induces them to listen on the authority of God, by whose inspiration he was speaking, and so he says, "Listen to me," so that they would not interrupt his discourse.
11 Look, I waited for your words; I listened for your insights, while you searched out what to say.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Old men are not wise, neither do the aged understand judgment. Therefore I will say, Hearken to me, I will shew you my wisdom. For I waited for your words, I heard your wisdom, whilst ye were disputing in words: and as long as I thought that ye said something, I considered.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 It was just that they listen to him because he had listened to them, and so he continues, "For I have waited," for a long time, "for your discourses," which you pronounced against Job.
12 And I gave heed to you — and look, there was no one who reproved Job, none of you answering his sayings.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 But, as I see, there is no one of you who can convince Job, and reply to his words. Lest ye should perchance say, We have found out wisdom; God hath cast him down, not man.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 He determines the end of his waiting by two things. First, from their decision, and so he says, "as long as you debated in your arguments," as long as it pleased you to argue against Job. Second, he determines the limit from the hope that he had in their wise teaching.
13 Lest you say, “We have found wisdom; God will drive him out, not man” —
Julian of Eclanum · AD 455 Since your speech has ceased, and you have not been able to reply to the words spoken to you, now you think you can be supported by this argument, so that you can say, what we tried to demonstrate with our points is confirmed by the judgment of God, that is, that he is guilty of a crime.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Their principal arguments against Job were founded on the adversities of Job which they attributed to divine judgment which is not able to err.
14 he has not set out words against me, and I will not answer him with your sayings.
Julian of Eclanum · AD 455 "He has not directed his words against me, and I will not answer him with your speeches." I was not involved, as you know, in his debate, nor did he provoke me to bitterness after assuming the intention to speak against me. Therefore, the words that I speak are not suggested by indignation but by reason.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 He spake nothing to me, and I will not reply to him according to your word. What is meant by his saying, He spake nothing to me? For does holy Church, when she detects haughty men within her, ever omit to instruct and reprove them by preachers of righteousness? She exercises these duties, and ceases not to exercise them daily.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 He intended to answer more efficaciously, and so he then says, "He has spoken nothing to me," for he wants to show that he does not speak because he has been provoked, "and I will not answer him according to your discourses," because I will not follow your ways in answering him, but I will find another more effective way to respond.
15 They are dismayed; they answer no more; words have moved away from them.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 They were afraid, they answered no more, they removed speech from themselves. The friends of Job are well said to have been afraid of the words of Eliu, since frequently proud defenders of the Church, though they do not observe due order in what they say, yet confound the adversaries by the very virtue of their words.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 He intends to excuse himself in the answer he will give, not only in their eyes, but also in the eyes of others, and therefore, he turns his discourse to others saying, "They have been terrified," to speak further lest they be more clearly convinced, "and they did not answer further," the arguments of Job.
16 And shall I wait, because they do not speak, because they stand and answer no more?
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Because therefore I have waited, and they have not spoken, they have stood, and have answered no more. Wise men are accustomed to make it the limit of their speaking, to speak so far as to silence their adversaries. For they wish not to display their own powers, but to put down the teachers of heresy.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Since, therefore, they had failed, he says that he wants to make up for their defect, and so he says, "Therefore, as I waited," for a long time in deferring to them, "and as they did not speak," in answer to the discourses of Job, "I will answer for my part," because the defense of the truth is everyone's task, and each one should devote to it what he can as though from his par…
17 I also will answer my portion; I also will declare my knowledge.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 I will also answer my part, and I will display my knowledge. For every proud man considers this to be his part, if he does not so much possess, as make a show of, knowledge. For all proud men are anxious not to possess knowledge, but to make a display of it: against whom Moses well says, Every vessel which hath not a cover nor binding over it shall be unclean.
18 For I am full of words; the spirit within me constrains me.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 He wants to show that he suffered for a long time and waited to speak and that he contained himself and could burst. Therefore, he needed a large amount of patience. To be able to control one's words is the greatest proof of wisdom, and [Elihu's] ardor for God has enabled him to bear such an interior fire.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 I am full of words, the spirit of my womb constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as new wine without a vent, which bursts in sunder new vessels. I will speak, and will take breath awhile; I will open my lips and answer.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 In fact, someone who desires vainglory wants to show off his excellence clearly if he has it and therefore he shows that he has the greatest ability to answer when he says, "For I am full of words," as if to say: Abundant answers occur to me.
19 Look, my belly is like wine that is not opened; like new wineskins, it is ready to burst.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 It is annoying to a man to not realize what he desires, and so he shows the anxiety which he suffered in silence by a comparison saying, "Behold my womb," my mind, "is like must," which ferments, and "without a vent breaks new casks." For unless the gas caused by fermenting new wine escapes in some opening, the gas is so increased inside that it sometimes breaks the casks.
20 Let me speak, and I will get relief; let me open my lips and answer.
Ephrem the Syrian · AD 373 "I must speak so that I may find relief," like a woman in labor, who, after bringing forth her offspring, is relieved from the pain of giving birth. And again, "my belly is in pain and does not open," that is, I was in pain and could not find any respite, because I strongly desired to speak, but I abstained from it. Now I will break my voice and will make a revelation.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 So he also compares himself to new wine because of his youth, and therefore, from his great desire to speak he thinks there is danger which threatens unless he can express himself, and so he says, "I will speak and I will breathe a little," as if to say: In speaking words I will evaporate the interior ferment so that I can calm the anxiety of my desire.
21 Let me not, please, lift up any man’s face, and let me not flatter any human.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 I will not accept the person of man, I will not equal God to man; for I know not how long I shall continue, or whether after a while my Maker may take me away. Most judiciously he does not make God equal to man, since he knows not how long he may continue, or when in the judgment of God be taken away.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 He shows the measure he should observe in answering when he says, "I will not show respect of persons to any man." For one shows partiality in answering someone when he abandons the truth to defer to the man.
22 For I do not know how to flatter; my Maker would soon carry me away.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 He shows the reason he fears to do this saying, "Truly I do not know for how long I will live," in this mortal life, to be able to promise myself a long periods of time to do penance, "and if my maker will take me away after a little while," if he will take me by death to judgment.