Job

Job 32:4–9

⁴Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the others were older than he. ⁵But when he saw that the three men had no further reply, his anger was kindled. ⁶So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite declared:

“I am young in years,

while you are old;

that is why I was timid and afraid

to tell you what I know.

⁷I thought that age should speak,

and many years should teach wisdom.

⁸But there is a spirit^a in a man,

the breath of the Almighty,

that gives him understanding.

⁹It is not only the old^b who are wise,

or the elderly who understand justice.

Footnotes

a 32:8 Or the Spirit; similarly in verse 18
b 32:9 Or many or great

Read all of Job 32

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Job 32:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now Elihu	וֶֽאֱלִיה֗וּ	we·’ĕ·lî·hū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H453 Elihu
had waited	חִכָּ֣ה	ḥik·kāh	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2442 wait, await
to speak	בִּדְבָרִ֑ים	biḏ·ḇā·rîm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural	H1697 speech, word
to Job	אִ֭יּוֹב	’î·yō·wḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H347 Job
because	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the others	הֵ֖מָּה	hêm·māh	Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
were older	זְֽקֵנִים־	zə·qê·nîm-	Adjective - masculine plural	H2205 old
than he	מִמֶּ֣נּוּ	mim·men·nū	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

Job 32:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But when he	אֱלִיה֗וּא	’ĕ·lî·hū	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H453 Elihu
saw	וַיַּ֤רְא	way·yar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
that	כִּ֘י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the three	שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת	šə·lō·šeṯ	Number - masculine singular construct	H7969 a three, triad
men	הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים	hā·’ă·nā·šîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H582 man, mankind
had no	אֵ֤ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
further reply	מַעֲנֶ֗ה	ma·‘ă·neh	Noun - masculine singular	H4617 answer, response
his anger	אַפּֽוֹ׃פ	’ap·pōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger
was kindled	וַיִּ֥חַר	way·yi·ḥar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2734 burn, be kindled

Job 32:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So Elihu	אֱלִיה֖וּא	’ĕ·lî·hū	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H453 Elihu
son	בֶן־	ḇen-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son
of Barachel	בַּֽרַכְאֵ֥ל	ba·raḵ·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1292 Barakel
the Buzite	הַבּוּזִ֗י	hab·bū·zî	Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H940 Buzite
declared	וַיַּ֤עַן׀	way·ya·‘an	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6030 answer, respond
I	אֲנִ֣י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
am young	צָ֘עִ֤יר	ṣā·‘îr	Adjective - masculine singular	H6810 little, insignificant, young
in years	לְ֭יָמִים	lə·yā·mîm	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H3117 day
while you	וְאַתֶּ֣ם	wə·’at·tem	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
are old	יְשִׁישִׁ֑ים	yə·šî·šîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H3453 aged
that is why	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
I was timid	זָחַ֥לְתִּי	zā·ḥal·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H2119 shrink back, crawl away
and afraid	וָֽאִירָ֓א׀	wå̄·ʾī·rå̄	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H3372 fear
to tell you	מֵחַוֺּ֖ת	mê·ḥaw·wōṯ	Preposition-m; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H2331 tell, declare
what I know	דֵּעִ֣י	dê·‘î	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1843 knowledge, opinion

Job 32:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I thought	אָ֭מַרְתִּי	’ā·mar·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H559 utter, say
that age	יָמִ֣ים	yā·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3117 day
should speak	יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ	yə·ḏab·bê·rū	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1696 speak
and many	וְרֹ֥ב	wə·rōḇ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7230 multitude, abundance, greatness
years	שָׁ֝נִ֗ים	šā·nîm	Noun - feminine plural	H8141 year
should teach	יֹדִ֥יעוּ	yō·ḏî·‘ū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3045 know
wisdom	חָכְמָֽה׃	ḥāḵ·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom

Job 32:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But	אָ֭כֵן	’ā·ḵên	Adverb	H403 surely, truly
a spirit	רֽוּחַ־	rū·aḥ-	Noun - common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
in a man	בֶאֱנ֑וֹשׁ	ḇe·’ĕ·nō·wōš	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H582 man, mankind
the breath	וְנִשְׁמַ֖ת	wə·niš·maṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H5397 breath
of the Almighty	שַׁדַּ֣י	šad·day	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7706 Almighty
that gives him understanding	תְּבִינֵֽם׃	tə·ḇî·nêm	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular; third person masculine plural	H995 discern

Job 32:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
It is not only	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
the old	רַבִּ֥ים	rab·bîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H7227 much, many, great
who are wise	יֶחְכָּ֑מוּ	yeḥ·kā·mū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H2449 be wise
or the elderly	וּ֝זְקֵנִ֗ים	ū·zə·qê·nîm	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine plural	H2205 old
who understand	יָבִ֥ינוּ	yā·ḇî·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H995 discern
justice	מִשְׁפָּֽט׃	miš·pāṭ	Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment