Job 32 Chapter Introduction

Structure and Formatting

This chapter introduces a younger man named Elihu, who has been listening to the conversation between Job and his three friends. Elihu explains that he waited for the friends to speak first, out of respect for their age. But since they have not been able to answer Job effectively, he would now like to speak himself. Elihu continues to speak through chapter 37.

The ULT sets the lines 32:6–22 farther to the right on the page than the rest of the text because those verses are poetry.

Translation Issues in This Chapter

Reference of “you” and “your”

In verses 6 and 11–14, Elihu says “you” and “your” in order to refer to Job’s three friends, so use the plural form in your translation if your language marks that distinction.

“words” meaning speaking or what a person says

Several times in verses 11–18, Elihu uses the term “words” to mean speaking or what a person says by using words. The narrator also uses the term in that sense in verse 4. Notes suggest ways to translate the term “words” in these various individual contexts.