“…Elihu had waited before speaking…” Job 32:4

The awkward silence filled the air… and those who had gathered around the verbal contest were faced with either leaving for their homes or hanging around to see if any further developments may occur. Well, those who waited weren’t disappointed. A young man named Elihu stepped forward to address those present.
He very likely descended from Abraham, because his father, Barakel was a Buzite. Genesis 20:20-21 describes Buz as a nephew of Abraham’s. Well, Elihu had waited for his opportunity to speak - in deference to Job and the older visitors (v.4).

The first obvious observation about Elihu is his anger. Though he had shown respect to Job and his friends, he is described as being angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God (v.2). He was also angry with Job’s three friends for their inability to refute Job while condemning him (v.3). The second thing we see in Elihu is his respect for those with greater life experience (v.4). Yet, his anger was all the more aroused when the visitors had nothing more to say (v.5).

God designed the human body with two ears and one mouth, so proportionately, we should listen at least twice as much as we dare to speak.  As I was reading the story, I jumped ahead in my mind conjecturing how badly it would end for Elihu. Usually, those who fly into an angry rage make a crash landing. I’m not going to give the story away, so we will see how it progresses through Elihu’s diatribe.

Chapters thirty-two through thirty-seven are the words of a highly skilled debater – one who is intimately familiar with both the scope and sequence of debate, while also a master in public speaking. We will see how he, like Job’s visitors, articulated commonly acceptable precepts, axioms, and metaphors to make his arguments against his elders. Will his anger get the best of him? Stick with me through the next six chapters and we will see.

Until then… be like Elihu and wait before speaking… holding one’s tongue can be just as hard as holding one’s breath.

Have a blessed day…