Thy Strong Word — Job 32: Elihu Breaks His Silence

Have you ever held your tongue, waiting for the right moment to speak—only to finally explode because you just couldn’t take it anymore?” That’s Elihu. For 31 chapters, he’s been silent, sitting there, listening to Job and his friends argue back and forth. He’s younger, so he waited. Let the older men talk first. Let wisdom speak. But now? He’s furious. He’s watched Job justify himself rather than God. He’s heard Job’s friends fail to give an answer. Frankly, he’s pretty upset with all parties involved. And finally, he can’t take it anymore. So, he speaks. But is Elihu wise, or is he just another misguided voice? Is he correcting Job—or condemning him?

The Rev. Sean Willman, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hillsdale, MI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 32.

Why do the righteous suffer? That’s the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job’s story isn’t just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it’s about wrestling with God’s will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God’s grace rather than human understanding. As Job’s friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God’s response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God’s mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone.

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Thy Strong Word is graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Through the mission gifts of people like you, LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces books that are Bible-based, Christ-centered and Reformation-driven. Learn more at lhfmissions.org.

Job 32

Elihu Rebukes Job’s Three Friends

32 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. ²Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. ³He burned with anger also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong. ⁴Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. ⁵And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.

⁶And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:

“I am young in years,
    and you are aged;
therefore I was timid and afraid
    to declare my opinion to you.
⁷I said, ‘Let days speak,
    and many years teach wisdom.’
⁸But it is the spirit in man,
    the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.
⁹It is not the old^[a] who are wise,
    nor the aged who understand what is right.
¹⁰Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
    let me also declare my opinion.’

¹¹“Behold, I waited for your words,
    I listened for your wise sayings,
    while you searched out what to say.
¹²I gave you my attention,
    and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job
    or who answered his words.
¹³Beware lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom;
    God may vanquish him, not a man.’
¹⁴He has not directed his words against me,
    and I will not answer him with your speeches.

¹⁵“They are dismayed; they answer no more;
    they have not a word to say.
¹⁶And shall I wait, because they do not speak,
    because they stand there, and answer no more?
¹⁷I also will answer with my share;
    I also will declare my opinion.
¹⁸For I am full of words;
    the spirit within me constrains me.
¹⁹Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent;
    like new wineskins ready to burst.
²⁰I must speak, that I may find relief;
    I must open my lips and answer.
²¹I will not show partiality to any man
    or use flattery toward any person.
²²For I do not know how to flatter,
    else my Maker would soon take me away.

Footnotes

Job 32:9 Hebrew many [in years]

Rev. Dr. Phil Booe

Native North Carolinian Rev. Dr. Phil Booe serves pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, and host of Thy Strong Word on KFUO Radio. His parishioners probably think he can’t teach Bible study without a mug of coffee in his hand, and he’ll always be happy to eat a plate of sushi. When he’s not shepherding his flock or teaching on the radio, you might find him watching bad movies from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and especially binging RiffTrax and MST3K episodes. Some day he’d love to travel to the Lutheran homeland in Germany, but for now he spends time in Minnesota with his wife, son, daughter, and cat, and looks forward to Holy Week every year.