▼ The verse begins with וַיִּחַר אַף (vayyikhar ’af, “and the anger became hot”), meaning Elihu became very angry.

▼ The second comment about Elihu’s anger comes right before the statement of its cause. Now the perfect verb is used: “he was angry.”

▼ The explanation is the causal clause עַל־צַדְּקוֹ נַפְשׁוֹ (’al-tsadd^eqo nafsho, “because he justified himself”). It is the preposition with the Piel infinitive construct with a suffixed subjective genitive.

▼ The LXX and Latin versions soften the expression slightly by saying “before God.”