Ver. 5.-Wheu Elihu 1aw that there was 10mething of propbetio stre.in." " One no anawer in the mouth of these three men, ought to give attention," so.ye Aristotle " to then his wrath wu kindled (oomp. ver. 8 the mare unproved assertions of wis.; and ond the oomment). e.ged men, as much a.a to the act-c"al demon- stra.tionR of others" (' Eth. Nie.,' vi. 11, ad Vera. 6-22.-The speech of Elihu now fin. Oomp. e.Jso eh. x. 12; xv. 10; Prov. begins. In the present chapter, after a xvi. 81). short npologetio exordium, excusing his Ver. 8.-But there is a spirit in man. youth (vers. 6-9), he addresses himself ex• But, after e.ll, it is not mere e.ge and ex- olusively to Job's friends. Be bas listened perience the.t make men wise a.ml able to attentively to them, and weighed their tea.eh others. "There is e. spirit in man" (see Gen. ii. 7); and it is according as this words (vers. 11, 12), but hns found nothing spirit is or ls not enlightened from on high in them that confuted Job. They had not that men speak words of wisdom or the con- "'found wisdom "-they had not "van- trary. The inspiration of the Almighty- quished Job"-Bt the Ja.at they had been this it is, which-giveth them understand- ing. Ancl such inspiration it is in the " amazed, and had not had e. word more to power of God to bestow, a.a he pleases, on say" (vel's. 18-16). Elihu, therefore, will the old or on the young, on the great of supply their deficiency; he he.a kept silence the earth, or on those of sme.11 reputation. with difficulty, a.nd is full of thoughts, to Bence Elihn's conclusion- which he would fain give utterance (vers. Ver. 9.-Great men are not always wise: 17-20). In a.11 that he se.ys he will show neither do the aged (alwe.ys) understand judgment. Elibn Je.ys down the universal no favouritism-he will "accept no me.n's le.w, before e.pplying it to the particular person," "give no fla.ttering titles," but ex- instance. True wisdom is from God, not press sincerely what he believes (vers. 21, from observation and experience. There- 22). fore many aged men are not wise ; many experienced men, greo.t in position, versed VM. 6.-And Elihu the son of :Barachel in affairs, do not possess understanding. It the :Bu.zite answered a.nd said, I e.m yoUJlg', is e. trite remark, "With how little wi.;dom and ye are very old. We can only guess the world is governed 1" at the exe.ct ages of Job e.nd his friends. Ver. 10.-Therefore I said, Hearken to From the fact that God e.t the last "ge.ve me. Elihu evidently claims, not eXll.ctly Job twice as much as he had before" (eh. whe.t is ordinarily understood by inspira- xlii. 10), and the further fact that he lived, tion, bnt tho.t his spirit is divinely en- after he had recovered his prosperity, a. lightened, e.nd that therefore he is more hundred and forty years ( eh. xiii. 16), it competent to ta.ke part in the controversy has been conjectured the.t he was seventy that bas been re.ised than many of the aged. yea.re of age at the time of bis conference I also will show mine opinion. "I also," or with his friends, a.nd the.t he died a.t the "even I" -i.e. I, young as I am," will show age of two hundred and ten. But this my opinion," or " utter what I know on the clearly is quite uncerte.in. He may not subject." Elihu does not speak of his con- have been much more than fifty when bis victions as mere "opinions," but claims to calamities fell upon him. If this were so, be in possession of actulll "knowleJge." the a.ge of bis friends need not have ex- Ver. 11.-Behold, I waited for yolll: words ; ceeded from sixty to seventy. Perbnps i.e. "I was full of expecte.tion; I waited Elihu we.s himself not more than thirty. impe.tiently to hear wha.t you would say." Wherefore I was afraid, and durst not show Then, while you spoke, I gave ear to your you mine opinion; rather, 1 held back, and reasons-or, your reasonings; I did my best toas afraid to utter what I knew in your pre- to apprehend your meaning-whilst ye aence. Elihu would have been thought searched out what to say. Professor Lee unduly pushing and presumptuous if he translates, "whilst ye examined Job's con- had ventured to coma forward until his clusions ; " but the Authorized Version is seniors hnd ended their colloquy. probably correct. Elihu means that he Ver. 7.-I said; i.e. "I kept saying to listened carefully while the friends hunted myself, when the desire to interrupt came out all the arguments they could think of upon me." Days should speak. Age should in or<ler to confute Job. give wisdom, 11nd the speech of the old Ver. 12.-Yea, I attended unto you-or, should be moe.t worthy of being attended lent you my attention-and, behold, there to. Elihu had been brought up in this wos none of you that convinced 1ob; rather, con viotion, and therefore refrained himself. that convicted (or, oonfutea) Job. Or that And multitude of years should teaoh wis- answered hia words. In Elihu's opinion, jom. " Ohl experienoe should attain to the argumeutative value of all the long 620 THE BOOI OF JOB. [olt, XXXII, 1-22,
lac,i,ro11 V. OB. xxxn.-:o::nn. HABA1'GUB o• ELtmr.