`If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: let thistles

grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended' (Job 31:39,40).

The three friends of Job also seem to have no more to say:

`So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes' (32:1).

Human experience (the arguments of Eliphaz); human tradition (the arguments of Bildad); and human merit (the

arguments of Zophar) when met by Job's consciousness of integrity, and the ignorance of all four men of the words

of the Lord, and of Satan, revealed in the opening chapter, have produced a deadlock. It is here when human

wisdom and human righteousness fail to solve the enigma of Job's calamities, that the words of Elihu are interposed:

`Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his

wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned

Job' (Job 32:2,3).

It is evident that in Elihu we have a man of very clear insight and very great wisdom. It will be well to give

good heed to all his words.

First, let us acquaint ourselves with his person. Elihu's name has been variously translated `God is Jehovah',

`My God is He', `God Himself'. In any case it is a name made up of the words that give us `God' and `Jehovah'.

He evidently is intended to represent God not only as Creator but as Redeemer. Barachel, means `Blessed of God'

or `One whom God hath blessed'. Elihu is said to have been a `Buzite'. Jeremiah links together Dedan and Tema

with Buz, and the kings of Arabia and of the mingled people that dwell in the desert (Jer. 25:23,24); Uz is mentioned

by Jeremiah in verse 20. Buz was a son of Nahor, the brother of Abraham, and Kemuel, his brother, the father of

Aram (Gen. 22:21). Elihu was of the kindred of `Ram', but whether `Ram' can be taken as a variant of `Aram' is

now beyond possibility of proof. The importance and nature of the place that Elihu occupies in the book can be seen

by noting the main lines of the structure as given in The Companion Bible.

A 1:1-5.

Introduction. Historical.

B 1:6 to 2:10.

Satan's assault. Job stripped of all.

C 2:11-13.

The Three Friends.

`None spake a word unto him'.

D 3:1 to 31:40.

Job and his Friends.

E 32:1 to 37:24.

THE MINISTRY OF ELIHU:

THE MEDIATOR.

D 38:1 to 42:6.

Job and Jehovah.

The Three Friends.

`Ye have not spoken of Me ... right'.

Satan's defeat. Job blessed with double.

Conclusion. Historical.

In deference to the great age of the three friends, Elihu listened to all they had to say expecting some great

wisdom, but finding none and feeling the constraining of the spirit upon him, he at last breaks silence:

`But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not

always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment' (Job 32:8,9).

Elihu then proceeds to say how he had given the utmost attention to the three friends, while they searched out what

to say, but:

`Behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words' (Job 32:12).