10' The Elihu Speeches

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10. The Elihu Speeches

• Job 32-37

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1. Textual Problems

• 1.1 This is the only section that Elihu appears
  in Job
• 1.1.1 Excluded from Pro Epilogue
• 1.1.2 Not mentioned in prior dialogue
• 1.1.3 "In terms of the over-all design of the
  book, Elihu comes in abruptly and, when he has
  finished speaking, is never heard of again. He
  claims to have been present during the preceding
  dialogue, but no-one has noticed him or appealed
  for his opinion. He claims to have the true
  solution to the problem but when God speaks the
  final word in chapter 42, He commends Job,

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1. Textual Problems

• condemns his three friends and ignores Elihu. So
  it seems as if Elihu is never really part of the
  story, which is quite complete without him. These
  arguments from structure are not compelling. They
  misunderstand the role of Elihu as a protagonist,
  rather than as an adjudicator. He is the first of
  two who record their impressions of what has been
  said in chapters 3-31. Elihu gives the human
  estimate Yahweh gives the divine appraisal.
  There is no need for the Lord to comment also on
  Elihu's summing up His silence on this point is
  no more a problem than the absence of any final
  show-down with the Satan at the end." Andersen,
  50-1

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1. Textual Problems

• 1.2 Job has once again asked for a hearing with
  God 31.35ff., therefore some have suggested that
  chapters 38ff. should be right after chapter 31.
• 1.2.1 But Job's prior requests in chapters 9 / 13
  were not fulfilled, so one would not expect this
  one to be necessarily any different.
• 1.3 The language and style is different
• 1.3.1 An extremely tight poetic structure gt so
  tight that it becomes almost unintelligible at
  times.

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1. Textual Problems

• 1.3.1 An extremely tight poetic structure gt so
  tight that it becomes almost unintelligible at
  times.
• 1.3.2 Elihu's dialogues have no answers or
  interactions.
• 1.3.3 Many quotes from chapters 3-31.
• 1.3.4 The word frequency changes gt tends toward
  the use of Aramaic terms.
• 1.4 Theological differences
• 1.4.1 He introduces a relatively new idea, i.e.,
  suffering may be for pedagogical reasons without
  prior sin. Therefore God is teaching one to avoid
  sin.

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1. Textual Problems

• 1.4.1 Moves toward the idea of the majesty of God
  gt context of God's answer out of the whirlwind.

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2. Who is Elihu?

• 2.1 Name Elihu
• 2.1.1 He is my God which is parallel to Elijah
• 2.1.1.1 1 Kgs 17-21 Defender of God
• 2.1.1.2 Mal 4.5b The Forerunner of the Lord
• 2.2 Barchel God is blessed
• 2.3 Buzite Nephew of Abraham (Gen 22.20, 21)
• 2.4 Ram exalted and a Hebrew name

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3. Structure of the Elihu Speeches

• Four Speeches
• Job 32.6-33.33
• Job 34.1-37
• Job 35.1-16
• Job 36.1-37.24

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3. Structure of the Elihu Speeches

• Job 32 Introduction
• Job 33 An Initial Summary in Interaction with
  Job
• Job 33.8-9 Job is Innocent (33.9 contra 7.21
  13.26 see also 9.21 10.7 16.17 23.7 19ff.
  27.4ff. 31.)

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3. Structure of the Elihu Speeches

• Job 33.10-11 Gods Persecution Act of wanton
  power and injustice (33.10 10.13ff. 19.6ff.
  33.10b 13.24 33.11 13.27)
• Job 33.12-13 God ignored Jobs suffering by
  refusing to answer
• Job 33.14-37.33
• Job 33.14-18, 19-28 How God Appears to Humankind
  (contra Jobs claim that God does not answer)

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3. Structure of the Elihu Speeches

• Answer by Dreams Visions 33.15
• Answer by Pain 33.19
• Answer by Angels/Mediators 33.23
• Job 34-35 Gods life giving goodness and
  justice
• Justice 34.11ff. 34.16ff.
• Life Giving 34.14-15
• God is so highly exalted that the good or ill of
  humans does not affect God 35.2-8.

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3. Structure of the Elihu Speeches

• No person can twist God's arm to intervene by
  prayer or arrogant expostulation 35.9-14
• Chapters 36-37
• Although Job claims innocence to establish this
  claim he turns to evil 36.17-23, especially
  36.21.
• God's greatness gt the sign of a coming storm via
  a cloud 36.24-33 37.1-13.
• Questions Prelude to the answer of God in the
  whirlwind 37.14-20

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3. Structure of the Elihu Speeches

• Perdue Language of Doxology in 36.22-25
  (Exhortation) 36.26-31 (Strophe 1) 37.1-13
  (Strophe 2) 37.14-25 (Strophe 3)

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4. The Sources of Elihu Speeches

• 4.1 Ruach Job 32.8 33.4 (Divine Inspiration)
  See also 32.8, 18 33.4 32.19-20 like Jer
  20.9
• Job 32.8
• "In formulating a rather unique theory of
  inspiration, Elihu draws on the tradition of the
  creation of humanity that presents God as the
  artisan who shapes the clay into human form and
  breathes into the nostrils the 'breath" (hmvn) of
  life (Gen 2.7 7.22 and Job 27.3 33.4 34.14).
  The parallel term, 'spirit' (xwr), also includes
  among its meanings the 'animating breath' of God
  (Gen 6.17 7.15, 22 Isa 42.5 Zech 12.1 Ezek
  37.5, 6, 8, 10, 14 Qoh 3.19). Yet it is this
  vital principle of life originating with God and
  existing in all humans that Elihu considers the
  source of inspiration. He takes this general
  'vital principle',

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4. The Sources of Elihu Speeches

• this 'breath of Shaddai', and makes it a
  prophetic charisma (cf. Num 11.26-30). Eliphaz
  had claimed a type of prophetic vision in
  attempting to legitimate his own teaching in Job
  4.12-17, a claim continued by Ben Sirah. The
  implication is that all humans, possessing the
  breath of God, are inspired.Thus, Elihu rejects
  the traditional affirmation that the ideal sage,
  whose head is hoary and back is bent, is the
  source of wisdom, not the young person who has
  yet to experience life fully and to study and
  learn. Wisdom is neither the special prerogative
  of the sages nor gained through study, but rather
  is the universal possess of humans in whom the
  spirit of God dwells. Elihu even sees the
  inability of Job and the friends to find a
  solution to the problem of divine justice and the
  suffering of the innocent as

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4. The Sources of Elihu Speeches

• evidence of the failure of traditional wisdom in
  the schools. Elihu's anthropology becomes both a
  radical rejection of sapiential tradition, and a
  claim that all humans posses the innate power to
  create mythic worlds through words. Using then
  this innate power, Elihu can no longer restrain
  himself, but must speak creative words of truth
  fashioning a new mythical reality." Leo G.
  Perdue, Wisdom in Revolt Metaphorical Theology
  in the Book of Job, 248-9
• Job 32.21-22
• In Job 32.21-22 Elihu combines this argument of
  inspiration with the recognition of the
  responsibility to his 'creator' speak words of
  truth uncorrupted by flattery. . . . Flattery and
  deference to persons because of social status are

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4. The Sources of Elihu Speeches

• two breaches of sapiential ethics which are
  grounded in creation theology. Flattery is one
  type of improper, deceptive, even chaotic
  language which destroys the order of
  'righteousness' permeating both creation and
  social constructions of reality. Showing
  deference, especially to the wealthy and
  powerful, not only violates Israelite law, but
  also the sapiential formulation of the
  anthropological tradition. Yet Elihu adds one
  further motivation to his self-directed
  admonition the doctrine of retribution. In a
  word-play on the Hebrew word 'lift up' (afn)
  Elihu will not 'show respect to person'
  (literally, 'lift up a person's face'), least the
  creator destroys him (literally, 'lift him up').
  As God shapes and breathes into a person a vital
  spirit which is the source of inspiration and
  authentic language, so

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4. The Sources of Elihu Speeches

• the creator destroys those who mis-speak in
  this case, those who distort truth and order with
  words of flattery." Leo G. Perdue, Wisdom in
  Revolt Metaphorical Theology in the Book of Job,
  249-50
• Job 33.4-6
• A third instance of creation theology in this
  initial speech which draws on the anthropological
  tradition occurs in 33.4-6. . . . This text
  continues the populist case for authentic wisdom.
  Elihu uses the creation of humanity tradition to
  emphasize that both Job and he are mortals,
  animated by the same breath of God, which is the
  true source of inspiration. Unlike God, whose
  presence so intimidates that human lips become
  frozen, and words cannot be uttered, Elihu
  confesses he is a

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4. The Sources of Elihu Speeches

• mere mortal who will speak words of truth to
  which Job should respond, if he can. Elihu
  concludes his case for universal inspiration in
  33.12-33 when he uses the argument of Eliphaz
  that God warns people of the destructive results
  of sin. In dreams and visions of the night,
  common prophetic imagery for inspiration, God
  warns the wicked of their misdeeds in order to
  keep them form death. Properly warned, they may
  seek out a heavenly mediator form the divine
  council who will intercede on their behalf when
  petition is made. In this fashion the sinner may
  gain divine forgiveness and redemption. Yet the
  strong populist claim for inspiration does not
  depend entirely on charismatic experiences and
  the indwelling of the divine spirit. In line with
  conventional wisdom, God also instructs through
  nature, if people will only listen and learn
  (34.10-11)." Perdue, 250

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4. The Sources of Elihu Speeches

• The Nature of Ruach
• Gives life Job 27.3 33.4 Gen 2.7
• Gives Wisdom or any special ability Gen 41.38
  Exod 31.3 Num 27.18 Isa 11.2
• Imparts Divine knowledge 32.6, 10, 17 36.3
  37.16
• 4.2 Wisdom is not equal to Old Age Job 32.9
  12.12 15.10
• 4.3 Piety is a Prerequisite for Wisdom Prov 1.7
  2.6 10.31 15.33

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5. Elihu, Job and his Friends

• Job 32.2, 4 33.1-7ff.
• N.B. the citations of Job in 33.8-11, 12-13
  34.5-6 35.2-3.
• Job's Friends 32.3, 5, 11-14.

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6. Function of Elihu Speeches

• Buffer to the interaction of Job in 31.35 and
  God's answer in Chapters 38ff.
• Elihu functions on purpose as a sort of
  forerunner of God. Compare with Elijah!

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7. General Conclusion

• "Elihu has no radically new philosophy his part
  is rather to reassert the basics of faith, that
  God is gracious, just, good, powerful and
  concerned, and to restore God to the center of
  our thinking as preparation for entry to his
  presence, whilst he himself fades from sight."
  J. W. Mckay, "Elihu A Proto-Charismatic?" The
  Expository Times 90 (1979) 170