Job 32:21-22 | KingComments | STEP | Job did not speak to Elihu, nor did he challenge him as he did his three friends ( ). Elihu does not respond from personal agitation, as the friends did. Job cannot accuse him of partiality. Elihu will speak to Job in a different way, not with unfounded, vehement accusations, but with the words of God. The friends look “dismayed” ( ). They look like people who marvel at the despicable rejection of their so well-intentioned advice. Their mouths fall open with amazement, and they can no longer utter a word. They are defeated. They also know nothing more to say. Their words have failed them, because they can’t think of any more. Fervently, they had begun to express their opinions. They were going to convince Job. But gradually the fire disappeared from their speeches until they finally came to a complete standstill. Elihu waited for a reaction, but they didn’t make themselves heard anymore ( ). Shrouded in silence they stand there. They stopped speaking. They can no longer sit down, but neither can they leave. They look like statues, without strength to move, paralyzed as it were by the awareness of their defeat. Elihu has clearly shown that the friends have failed in their approach to Job. This clears the way for him to respond to Job in turn and tell his feelings, his opinion, about him ( ). Elihu says this not in pride and with contempt for their failure. He does not speak before his turn and only speaks when the others really cannot say anything anymore. It is more that now, because the others, the elders, are completely out of words, he has the opportunity to put his thoughts into words. The conversation is completely deadlocked and the participants find themselves in a stalemate. His performance is not premature and inappropriate, but courteous and with a proper sense of the status of the conversation or even more of the status of silence. He does not speak because he wants to assert himself, but out of zeal for God. Elihu sees the silence that arises as an indication from God that it is his turn to tell what is on his heart ( ). And that is no small thing, for he is “full of words”. This is another indication that he has waited in self-control until it was his turn to speak. But when it is his turn, he can no longer hold back, he has to speak, so much so that the spirit in his innermost being constrains him. He feels like someone who has held back his breath for so long that his lungs burst. Just as Jeremiah and Paul could not keep silent in certain situations, he cannot keep silent now either; he feels the need to speak as something imposed upon him ( ; ; ; ). It is also important for us to be “full of words” to speak them at the right time and at the right opportunity. This will be so when “the word of Christ” richly dwells within us ( ). Elihu says that his belly, which means his inner feelings, is about to burst, so great is the pressure he feels ( ). He compares the feeling he has with new leather wineskins. When the wine is fermenting, the pressure on the wineskin can become so great that it bursts. Elihu experiences this pressure in his inner being. Therefore he has to speak ( ). Then the inner pressure will disappear and he will get relief. By opening his lips he can answer Job. The opening of his lips refers to the opening of the new wineskins to prevent them from bursting. This way opening his lips prevents him from being torn inside. What Elihu says in , he does not say to anyone in particular, but is more a loudly expressed sigh. He does not want to take sides with anyone, and he does not intend to do so. Nor does he want to speak to anyone in order to win that person’s favor. He does not want to speak flattering words, but he wants to speak without regard for the person. Thus he acts the same as God and as Paul ( ; ; ; ). He is also unable to flatter anyone at all, because he lives in fellowship with God and is filled with respect for his Maker ( ). That determines his speaking. Because God is his Maker, he must fulfill God’s purpose with him. God made him with the purpose of representing Him. If he does not, he knows, God will take him away immediately. Then He will no longer use him. Elihu fears God more than men. That’s why he has so much more wisdom than his friends to answer Job wisely.

‏ Job 32:21-22

Why He Must Speak

Job did not speak to Elihu, nor did he challenge him as he did his three friends (Job 32:14). Elihu does not respond from personal agitation, as the friends did. Job cannot accuse him of partiality. Elihu will speak to Job in a different way, not with unfounded, vehement accusations, but with the words of God.

The friends look “dismayed” (Job 32:15). They look like people who marvel at the despicable rejection of their so well-intentioned advice. Their mouths fall open with amazement, and they can no longer utter a word. They are defeated. They also know nothing more to say. Their words have failed them, because they can’t think of any more. Fervently, they had begun to express their opinions. They were going to convince Job. But gradually the fire disappeared from their speeches until they finally came to a complete standstill.

Elihu waited for a reaction, but they didn’t make themselves heard anymore (Job 32:16). Shrouded in silence they stand there. They stopped speaking. They can no longer sit down, but neither can they leave. They look like statues, without strength to move, paralyzed as it were by the awareness of their defeat.

Elihu has clearly shown that the friends have failed in their approach to Job. This clears the way for him to respond to Job in turn and tell his feelings, his opinion, about him (Job 32:17). Elihu says this not in pride and with contempt for their failure. He does not speak before his turn and only speaks when the others really cannot say anything anymore.

It is more that now, because the others, the elders, are completely out of words, he has the opportunity to put his thoughts into words. The conversation is completely deadlocked and the participants find themselves in a stalemate. His performance is not premature and inappropriate, but courteous and with a proper sense of the status of the conversation or even more of the status of silence. He does not speak because he wants to assert himself, but out of zeal for God.

Elihu sees the silence that arises as an indication from God that it is his turn to tell what is on his heart (Job 32:18). And that is no small thing, for he is “full of words”. This is another indication that he has waited in self-control until it was his turn to speak. But when it is his turn, he can no longer hold back, he has to speak, so much so that the spirit in his innermost being constrains him. He feels like someone who has held back his breath for so long that his lungs burst.

Just as Jeremiah and Paul could not keep silent in certain situations, he cannot keep silent now either; he feels the need to speak as something imposed upon him (Jer 4:19 ; Jer 20:9; 1Cor 9:16; Psa 39:2-3; 2Cor 5:14). It is also important for us to be “full of words” to speak them at the right time and at the right opportunity. This will be so when “the word of Christ” richly dwells within us (Col 3:16).

Elihu says that his belly, which means his inner feelings, is about to burst, so great is the pressure he feels (Job 32:19). He compares the feeling he has with new leather wineskins. When the wine is fermenting, the pressure on the wineskin can become so great that it bursts. Elihu experiences this pressure in his inner being. Therefore he has to speak (Job 32:20). Then the inner pressure will disappear and he will get relief. By opening his lips he can answer Job. The opening of his lips refers to the opening of the new wineskins to prevent them from bursting. This way opening his lips prevents him from being torn inside.

What Elihu says in Job 32:21, he does not say to anyone in particular, but is more a loudly expressed sigh. He does not want to take sides with anyone, and he does not intend to do so. Nor does he want to speak to anyone in order to win that person’s favor. He does not want to speak flattering words, but he wants to speak without regard for the person. Thus he acts the same as God and as Paul (Gal 1:10 ; Gal 2:6; Deu 1:17 ; Deu 10:17 ; Deu 16:19; 2Chr 19:7; 1Tim 5:21).

He is also unable to flatter anyone at all, because he lives in fellowship with God and is filled with respect for his Maker (Job 32:22). That determines his speaking. Because God is his Maker, he must fulfill God’s purpose with him. God made him with the purpose of representing Him. If he does not, he knows, God will take him away immediately. Then He will no longer use him. Elihu fears God more than men. That’s why he has so much more wisdom than his friends to answer Job wisely.