job 32 and 33

Read Job 32 and 33 at Bible Gateway.

Job 32:1-33:33 paragraph divisions:

The Hebrew paragraph divisions for each man’s speech are like the divisions in the Psalms that we studied in 2014. There is an understood {s} division at the end of each numbered line, with an {n} marking where a new line begins within a numbered line, except when otherwise noted:

Job 32:1a, So these three men ceased answering Job, {n}
Job 32:1b, Because he was righteous in his own eyes. {p}
Job 32:2a, Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, {n}
Job 32:2b, Against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God. {s}
Job 32:3a, Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, {n}
Job 32:3b, Because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. {s}
Job 32:4 Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job. {s}
Job 32:5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused. {p}

Job 32:6a So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said: {n}
Job 32:6b “I am young in years, and you are very old; {n}
Job 32:6c Therefore I was afraid, and dared not declare my opinion to you. {s}

Job 32:7-33:33 {s} {s} Division at the end of each numbered line; with these {n} divisions within lines:

Job 33:26a He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, {n}
Job 33:26b For He restores to man his righteousness. {s}

Job 32 and 33 structure:

Elihu’s speech appears to be divided into two parts: an introduction, to explain why he is speaking, followed by his argument.

In Job 32:1-33:7, Elihu explains why he has entered the discussion:

Job 32:1-5, He is angry at both Job and the three friends;
Job 32:6-14, Wisdom is not only found with the aged;
Job 32:15-20, He feels compelled;
Job 32:21-22, He will not be partial to either Job or the friends;
Job 33:1-7, His insight is pure, therefore consider his words.

The introduction forms a mini structure:

1a) Job 32:1-14, Elihu enters the discussion because they have lacked wisdom;

1) Job 32:1-5, He is angry at Job + friends since their arguments have lacked wisdom;
2) Job 32:6-14, Wisdom is not only found with the aged;

central axis) Job 32:15-20, Elihu feels compelled;

2a) Job 32:21-33:7, Elihu enters the discussion because he can provide wisdom;

1) Job 32:21-22, His wisdom will not be partial to either Job or the friends;
2) Job 33:1-7, His insight is pure, therefore consider his words.

But look at this section of Elihu’s speech in chapter 33:

33:6 Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay.

33:22 Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners.
33:23 “If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To vouch for a man’s uprightness,
33:24 Then He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom’;
33:25 His flesh shall be young like a child’s, He shall return to the days of his youth.
33:26a He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, {n}
33:26b For He restores to man his righteousness.
33:27 Then he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.’
33:28 He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light.

Elihu is speaking unintentionally perhaps, a prophecy of Messiah, for he recognizes Job’s need for an intermediary who is as Job is, formed out of clay (vs. 6) — who is Messiah Yeshua, who also has come in the flesh. And then when our lives were drawing near to the Pit, Messiah Yeshua was our Mediator, who vouched for our righteousness before God, so that God instead extends grace to us (vs. 24) because He has found a ransom for us. God restores man’s right standing (vs. 26b) that has been vouched to Him by the Mediator (vs. 23). Elihu did not realize it, but the righteousness that our Mediator vouches for us, is His own righteousness which has been imputed to us! ♥ I am seeing lots of chiastic structures so far in Elihu’s speech, which tells me he is indeed speaking by the Spirit of God.