Literal Commentary on Job (Expositio super Iob ad litteram)

But these three men ceased, etc. The disputation of Job and his three friends having ended, the disputation of Elihu against Job is appended, who indeed uses sharper arguments against Job than the former friends did, and comes closer to the truth, whence also Job does not answer him — although nevertheless he deviates from the truth in some respect and interprets Job's words unfavorably, as will be evident below. Now the cause is prefaced from which he was moved to speak, namely, from indignation against Job and against his friends.

He therefore prefaces the silence of the friends when he says, "But these three men" — namely, those who were spoken of above — "ceased to answer Job"; where it should be noted that he would not have named these men if this were not a thing that actually happened, but a fabricated parable. He shows the cause of their silence by adding, "because he seemed just to himself"; for Job had said many things pertaining to the demonstration of his own justice, which the aforesaid three men were not able to contradict.

And from both of these — namely, from the silence of the friends and from the fact that Job seemed just to himself — Elihu, who was standing by, was moved to anger; and therefore it is added, "and was angry," namely in heart, "and indignant," showing the signs of anger outwardly, "was Elihu" — in which he is described by name — "the son of Barachel" — in which he is described by origin — "the Buzite" — in which he is described by homeland — "of the kindred of Ram" — in which he is described by lineage. This whole description serves to show that it pertains to a thing that actually happened.

Then he explains the cause of the anger, and first indeed against Job, when he says, "he was angry against Job because he said that he was just before God," that is, according to the divine testimony — which can especially be taken from what he had said above, Job 23:10, "He knows my way," and afterward adds, "my foot has followed his steps." As for the friends, he adds, moreover, "he was indignant against his three friends because they had not found a reasonable answer" — namely, by which they might answer his words by which he asserted himself just — "but had only condemned Job," that is, saying that he was wicked.

He then shows the reason why Elihu had previously answered Job in nothing, when he adds, "therefore Elihu waited while Job was speaking" — contradicting his words in nothing — "because they who were speaking were older," deferring to them as to men wiser, which the age of old age required. But because it did not seem to him that he ought to show reverence to anyone to the prejudice of the truth, being angry against the three elders, he, though younger, began to answer; whence it is said, "but when he had seen that the three had not been able to answer" — namely, Job's arguments — "he was vehemently angry," as though judging that through their sluggishness the truth was perishing; and therefore in their place he wished, as he believed, to defend the truth, and this is what is added, "and Elihu, the son of Barachel, the Buzite, answered" — namely, Job's words and arguments.

In this answer of his, he first excuses his former silence, both from his own age, whence it follows, "he said: I am younger in time," and also from their antiquity, whence he adds, "but you are more ancient"; and since the young ought to show reverence to their elders, whence it follows, "therefore, with head bowed down" — namely as a sign of reverence and humility — "I feared to declare to you my opinion," lest, namely, I should seem presumptuous in impeding, by my words, the speech of wiser men.

Now it seems probable that old men speak more wisely for two reasons: first, indeed, because young men, out of fervor of spirit, frequently propose many things and in a disordered way, whereas old men, on account of the gravity of their age, speak more maturely, whence he adds, "for I hoped that greater age would speak," namely, more gravely and effectively; second, because old men, through the experience of a long time, have been able to know many things and consequently to speak more wisely, whence it follows, "and that a multitude of years" — on account of which, namely, experience can be acquired — "would teach wisdom," namely, wisdom received from experience.

Consequently he excuses himself as to why he now begins to speak, namely because he has found by experience that age is not a sufficient cause of wisdom, but rather divine inspiration is; whence he adds, "but as I see" — that is, I consider through its effect — "the spirit" — namely, of God — "is in men," inasmuch, namely, as he operates in them, and this is what he adds, "and the inspiration of the Almighty" — by which, namely, he inspires in men the Holy Spirit, who is the spirit of wisdom and understanding — "gives understanding," namely, of the truth which is the principle of wisdom, to those in whom it is inspired.

That this inspiration is the chief cause of wisdom he shows by the fact that age does not perfectly cause wisdom, whence he adds, "the aged are not wise" — namely, as regards the knowledge of divine truth — "nor do old men understand judgment" — namely, as regards the ordering of human acts; and because, although he was not an old man, he nevertheless trusted that he was inspired by God, he therefore dared to speak, whence he adds, "therefore I will say."

In this speech of his he first induces them to listen, from the authority of God by whose inspiration he was speaking, whence he says, "hear me," namely, that they should not interrupt his discourse. To those listening he promises the teachings of knowledge, whence he adds, "and I also will show you" — namely, although I am young — "my knowledge," from which, namely, I will answer Job's arguments.

Now it was just that they should hear him, because he too had heard them, whence he adds, "for I waited," namely, a long time, "for your words," which, namely, you brought forth against Job. And because he reckoned that he was able to discern what had been well said by them and what not well, he adds, "I have heard your prudence," as if to say: by listening I judged what in your words pertained to prudence.

Now he had waited not a little, but a long time; and he determines the term of his waiting from two things: first, indeed, from their will, whence he adds, "until you should debate in your speeches," that is, until it pleased you to debate against Job; second, from the hope which he had concerning their wise teaching, whence he adds, "and I waited so long as I thought you would say something."

Now one is not to be heard any further concerning whom it is not hoped that he is going to say anything useful; and he saw that their words, which they used against Job, were not effective — first, indeed, because they could not convince him by arguments, whence he adds, "but as I see, there is none who can convict Job," namely, by convincing him with arguments; second, because they could not meet his arguments, whence he adds, "and answer," namely, sufficiently, "from among you," that is, from your understanding — or, "there is none among you," that is, from your number — "his words," which, namely, he uses against you.

Now their chief arguments against Job were founded on this, that they attributed Job's adversities to the divine judgment, which cannot err; and he then shows that this answer is insufficient, saying, "lest perhaps you should say: we have found wisdom," that is, this suffices for a wise answer, "God has cast him down," namely, into adversities — he who cannot err — "and not man," who can be deceived and can deceive; but he himself intended to answer more effectively, whence he adds, "he has spoken nothing to me," by which, namely, he wishes to show that he is not speaking as one provoked, "and I will not answer him according to your words," that is, I will not follow your ways in answering, but I will find other, more effective ways of answering.

He intends, moreover, to excuse himself concerning his future answer, not only before them but also before others, and therefore he turns his speech to others, saying, "they were afraid," namely, to speak any further, lest they should be more manifestly convicted, "and answered no more," namely, to Job's arguments. And to show that this was on account of their sluggishness, not on account of the effectiveness of Job's arguments, he adds, "and they took speech away from themselves," namely, by negligently keeping silent; for when a man is convinced by an effective argument, it is not he himself who takes speech away from himself, but rather it is taken away from him by another.

Therefore, because they had failed, he says that he wishes to supply their deficiency, whence he adds, "since therefore I have waited" — namely, a long time, so as to defer to them — "and they have not spoken," namely, answering Job's words, "I also will answer my part," because, namely, the defense of truth pertains to all, and each one ought to contribute there, as it were for his own part, what he is able.

He was moved, however, not only by zeal for defending the truth but also by vain glory, whence he adds, "and I will show my knowledge"; for one desirous of vain glory seeks to make manifest whatever excellence is in himself; and therefore he next shows that the greatest capacity to answer is present in him, when he adds, "for I am full of words," as though abundantly there occurs to me what I should answer; and because capacity does not suffice for acting unless a man is incited by something, he therefore adds, "and the spirit of my belly constrains me"; the belly is the place of conception, whence by "belly" here is metaphorically signified the intellect, conceiving diverse intelligible things; the spirit of the belly, therefore, is the will impelling a man to make manifest the conceptions of the heart through speech.

Now it is troublesome for a man when he does not fulfill what he desires, and therefore he sets forth, by a comparison, the anxiety which he was suffering in keeping silent, adding, "behold, my belly" — that is, my mind — "is as new wine" — namely, which ferments — "without a vent, which bursts new flasks"; for unless the vapor of fermenting new wine evaporates from some part, the vapor is multiplied within, sometimes even to the bursting of the vessel; thus also he compares himself to new wine on account of his youth, and therefore, out of a great desire to speak, he reckons that danger threatens him unless he speaks, whence he adds, "I will speak and take breath a little," as if, namely, through words I will let out the inward ferment, so that I may find rest from the anxiety of desire.

What he wishes to say he shows by adding, "I will open my lips and will answer," namely, Job's words. What manner he ought to observe in answering he shows by adding, "I will not accept the person of a man"; for he accepts the person of a man in answering who abandons the truth in order to defer to a man. Why he himself is unwilling to do this he shows by adding, "and I will not make God equal to man"; for the present disputation seemed to him to be of such a kind that, if he deferred to a man, he would not preserve the reverence owed to the divine excellence.

Why indeed he fears to do this he shows by adding, "for I do not know how long I shall subsist," namely, in this mortal life, so that I could promise myself long stretches of time for repenting, "and whether after a little my Maker may take me," namely, take me by death to his judgment; from which it is clear that Elihu agreed with Job in this, that the retribution of sins would be after death — for otherwise it would seem to have been in vain for him to have feared to offend God on account of the nearness of death.