Role of elihu in the book of job

It is common to view the narrative frame as the original core of the book, enlarged later by the poetic dialogues and discourses, and sections of the book such as the elihu speeches and the wisdom poem of chapter 28 as late insertions, but recent trends have tended. In this respect he joined them against job, but instead of job answering him, the almighty intervened, ignoring what elihu had said altogether job. Interpretations of elihu in job biblical hermeneutics stack. Not only do they incur the indignation of job and his other friend elihu, but god himself rebukes them, saying to eliphaz, i am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant job has. At this point, a young bystander named elihu enters the discussion. The easiest explanation for this silence is that job agreed with him.

Elihu concluded that the friends had condemned job without finding an answer for him and elihu was angered against job for justifying himself rather than god job 32. With large parts of job being the arguments of his friends which are afterwards being repudiated by god himself, and job repen. Oct 23, 2014 elihu, the forgotten prophet of job the book of job is one of the most important of the entire bible, and is a prerequisite to all discussions of christian theology, particularly theodicy. Then the wrath of elihu, the son of barachel the buzite, of the family of ram, was aroused against job. Interesting, too, that in all these debates about the evil that befell job, none of the men, job included, discussed the role of the devilthe direct and immediate cause of all of jobs ills. Dialogue with elihu job 3237 bible commentary theology. Jun 14, 2017 a2a what is the role of elihu in the book of job. The section of the book where the character of elihu who does not appear to be one of the friends of job 32. Because elihus speech, which appears in the book of job chapters 3237, differs in style from the rest of the work and because he is not mentioned elsewhere in itas the other three comforters. God originally allowed job s sufferings to commence in order to show satan and the armies of heaven that job cherished the worth of god more than his possessions and his family. First, the name elihu is a variant spelling of the name elijah, and elihu s actions in the book of job suggest a strong connection to the great prophet. Also waterss discussion of elihus four speeches shows that critics are wrong in suggesting elihus view of suffering was no different from that of jobs three companions. It is our hope that elihu books will continue to publish what is true about the biblical god jah, his son jesus of nazareth, and those who bear witness to them for good reasons. Essays on ancient palestinian life and literature in honor of.

Many of the standard commentaries treat him dismissively. First, the name elihu is a variant spelling of the name elijah, and elihus actions in the book of job suggest a strong connection to the great prophet. The rest are poetic discourses from job, his friends, a young bystander, and god himself. Elihu was one of jobs friendsnot one of the three who had come to comfort job at the beginning of the book, but one who arrives. This is the first mention of elihu in the book of job. Its the point of job the book of job that theres a whole lot we dont understand.

He is said to have descended from guz who may be from the line of abraham genesis 22. And so, its irrational for us to think that we can explain the i said all i said to make this point. This study contends that elihu and his speeches are an original part of the text of the book of job and do play a significant interpretive, explanatory and theological role. Not only do they incur the indignation of job and his other friend elihu, but god himself rebukes them, saying to eliphaz, i am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my. As clever and enticing as the conjunction of elihu and job may sound, and i did seriously consider that elihu could be job, the theory falls in pieces when elihu savagely distorts the context of one of jobs statements to brutalize him 34. He is said to have descended from buz who may be from the line of abraham genesis 22. Job meets elihu kindle edition by borden, eli, borden. Waters has made an outstanding contribution to the study of the book of job and the subject of undeserved suffering. Elihu, also spelled eliu, in the hebrew bible, a comforter of job, the biblical prototype of undeserved suffering. The most famous of these is elihu the son of barachel the buzite of the family of ram, from the book of job 32. Elihu in hebrew means god of him strong, h453, which could be a birth name. Defense of elihus speeches by elihu though im younger, i have wisdom.

Elihu refuted the claims of compensation theology by eliphaz, bildad, and zophar that presumed that a relationship between god and man was a fixed business contract defining predictable and precise responses from god in reply to a persons conformity or nonconformity to the stipulations of that contract p. According to elihu, the new element is that he is inspired to speak the wisdom jobs friends lacked. Elihu is the spokesman of god, for 6 chapters, leading up to the summit of the book, which begins in 38. Some scholars see elihus role as an advocate for the position taken by the adversary in the prologue, while others see him as a spokesman for the lord, and his speech as a kind of prelude to the lords own speech. Oct 11, 2017 i mentioned, just briefly, the book of job, and this prophet elihu. His speeches produced a true selfrealization within job, rather than compounding his agony, as the words of the friends did. So these three men ceased answering job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. The book of job young elihu speaks 3237 objectives in studying this section 1 to examine elihus perspective in the debate regarding jobs suffering 2 to notice how elihu appears to prepare job for what the lord will have to say summary we are now introduced to a new voice in this discussion. Job job he is described as the son of baerachel the buzite. He speaks with a stronger aramaic influence evident in his language.

First, elihu finds both job and his friends wanting in the debate. It is common to view the narrative frame as the original core of the book, enlarged later by the poetic dialogues and discourses, and sections of the book such as the elihu speeches and the wisdom poem of chapter 28 as late insertions, but recent trends have tended to concentrate on the. Evidence that elihu prepared job for god the bible meditator. I have my own opinion regarding what function elihus character serves in the overall narrative, but before i reveal my point of view on elihu, i would like to hear from you. I mentioned, just briefly, the book of job, and this prophet elihu. Elihu is identified only as the son of barakel the buzite, of the family of ram job 32. I have my own opinion regarding what function elihu s character serves in the overall narrative, but before i reveal my point of view on elihu, i would like to hear from you. Questions about elihu in the book of job scripture zealot blog. When we concluded our readings on the book of job in the bible meditator, we wondered about the messages of elihu, the young man who listened to the debate between job and his friends.

The elihu speeches1 their place and sense in the book of job ragnar andersen ragnar. Book of job sermon 9, elihu young punk or man of god duration. It is the spirit or character of elihu, as expressed and recorded in the book of job, that in many ways parallels the aims and the efforts of elihu books. The book of job consists of a prose prologue and epilogue narrative framing poetic dialogues and monologues. Perhaps it best to say that elihu serves as a transition between jobs friends and the lord himself, presenting thoughts that will make it easier for job to consider what the lord himself will actually say. He had been successful in silencing eliphaz, bildad, and zophar, but he does not say one word against elihu even though elihu challenged him in 33. Vcs wisdom lit questions and answers about elihus speech in job. Dec 03, 2010 the third and best understanding of elihu s role in the book of job is that he helps to prepare job for gods appearance in the whirlwind. Elihu is not mentioned in the prologue or the epilogue of job where the visiting friends are mentioned. Elihu is the only character in the story named after god and he is the son of a man named god blesses. With much space given to elihu, surely there is some importance to it. It is elihu and the prophets isaiah and malachi who tell us the sins of job. At a recent pastors conference on the book of job, a leader asked the attendees whether the speeches of elihu job 3237 should be trusted.

In the book of job, it becomes clear that the first three of job s friends eliphaz, blidad, and zophar speak wrongly. He is the young guy who offers job advice near the end of the book. Elihu, in the hebrew bible, a comforter of job, the biblical prototype of undeserved suffering. Pdf elihus contribution to the thought of the book of job robert. Elihu is also never rebuked by job, like his three friends were. In the article, elihua witness in defense of jah, in medio 1. The role and character of elihu in the book of job the doc file. In the book of job, it becomes clear that the first three of jobs friends eliphaz, blidad, and zophar speak wrongly. Despite its challenges, i find the book of job fascinating and. After all, he basically comes in, says his bit, and then heads out, leaving it up to us to interpret his words.

The book of job is, perhaps, one of the most difficult books of the bible for most christians to read. Elihu, the fifth wheel, the young upstart, the babblerhe has been caricatured as all of these. God originally allowed jobs sufferings to commence in order to show satan and the armies of heaven that job cherished the worth of god more than his possessions and his family. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts isaiah. Feb 07, 2017 3 six chapters are given to elihu in the book of job. Elihu also stood up as a witness for the biblical god jah, when others would not. Dec 03, 2010 the second basic viewpoint of elihus role in the book of job is that he is primarily intended to be an ironic character whose selfperception differs greatly from the way in which the author of job portrays him. Finally, god appears to job to heal him and take him to heaven in a divine chariot. Because elihus speech, which appears in the book of job. As clever and enticing as the conjunction of elihu and job may sound, and i did seriously consider that elihu could be job, the theory falls in pieces when elihu savagely distorts the context of one of job s statements to brutalize him 34.

So an interesting study that well be looking at today. It is possible that job is the oldest of any book of the bible written approximately 21001800 b. His dialogue with job parallels the discourse between job and his friends in chapters 427. Many interpreters understand elihu as no better than eliphaz, bildad, or zophar. Even when job is given opportunity to speak, elihu does not hear a cross word from him job 33. Key personalities of this book include job, eliphaz the temanite, bildad the shuhite, zophar the naamathite, and elihu the buzite. Before the character and role of elihu in the book of job can be considered, the question regarding. So as job doubts god, the writers of the story are beginning to doubt tradition. Although the book of job is best known for its story, only three of the 42 chapters are narrative. Yet even if god speaks to us through a little child, or perhaps a donkey, he always gives us enough evidence to discern his voice. Because elihus speech, which appears in the book of job chapters 3237, differs in style from the rest of the work and because he is not mentioned elsewhere in itas the other three comforters arescholars consider his section to be a later interpolation.

The book of job is widely regarded as one of the great written masterpieces of history, equally impressive for the depth of the issues it wrestles with and the great literary quality it displays. In the book of job of the bible why is elihu not guilty. It also opens up the text to new theoretical possibilities. In addition, job repents of the very mistake both elihu and god had brought to his attentionspeaking words without knowledge job 42. And then he takes it upon himself to spend about five chaptersan eighth of the entire bookspouting off his thoughts.

The role and character of elihu in the book of job the. We have spoken much about the vital place of elihu in understanding the message of job. Mar 04, 2014 vcs wisdom lit questions and answers about elihu s speech in job. He isnt mentioned as one of jobs friends, but apparently he was there listening in on their conversation, because he knows all about it when he chimes in. Elihus role in the book of job has been debated over the centuries and opinions vary widely.

The book of job young elihu speaks 3237 objectives in studying this section 1 to examine elihu s perspective in the debate regarding job s suffering 2 to notice how elihu appears to prepare job for what the lord will have to say summary we are now introduced to a new voice in this discussion. He is said to have descended from guz who may be from the line of abraham. And yet, despite their own confidence about how right they were, especially elihu see job 36. But the writer of the book of job is not satisfied to live that way. Elihu s point of view is that job is a righteous man, though not perfect, and that he is loved by god.

The third and best understanding of elihus role in the book of job is that he helps to prepare job for gods appearance in the whirlwind. As typical of christ, he was the resolution to all jobs problems. Elihu was one of jobs friendsnot one of the three who had come to comfort job at the beginning of the book, but one who arrives later and offers the last and longest single speech to job. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Elihu and satan could not have been more different. Its author is unknown yet it is possible that job himself wrote it. Think about the differences and complexities of each figures trust in god. Elihu, the son of barachel the buzite, of the family of ram. God is not treating him as his enemy but as his child and friend. As typical of christ, he was the resolution to all job s problems. However the character of elihu is a clear window into the character of job. The gospel of jesus in the story of job escape to reality.

Habel, the role of elihu in the design of the book of job, in in the shelter of elyon. The wrath of elihu sabbath school lesson 10, 4th qtr 2016. Elihus brief appearance does more than just help tweedsporting scholars make estimations about dates. Elihus picture of god is definitely different from the three friends. The authenticity of the elihu speeches in job 3237 29 allotted to elihu in comparison to the four chapters assigned to eliphaz, the three to bildad, and the two to zophar, b the placement of the elihu speeches in the book, and c the reaction the speeches have drawn from critical circles on the question of authenticity.

One who is perfect in knowledge is with you, he announces job 36. Unfortunately, two erroneous interpretations of jobs theses are by far the most popular. Youve got job and his three friends and elihu all trying to explain god, but in the bottom line, elihu says, hes past finding out. Job is the first old testament book of poetry the others are psalms, proverbs, ecclesiastes, song of solomon, and lamentations. Elihu, the forgotten prophet of job the book of job is one of the most important of the entire bible, and is a prerequisite to all discussions of christian theology, particularly theodicy. This book shows the confusion surrounding the role of satan in the first centuries. Interpretations of elihu in job biblical hermeneutics. We also know without a doubt by what is said in the last chapter of the book of job. Some account of elihu, and his sentiments concerning the dispute between job and his friends, ver.