Who was Elihu?

[MOC]

If one would to casually read through the book of Job, you would probably not even notice this mysterious man called Elihu. He is recorded in Job 32:2 as the "son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram." In the book of Job, Elihu gives a rather lengthy speech to Job concerning what he is going through. Elihu is not mentioned when Job's three friends arrive to comfort him, though he was probably one of many that witnessed Job's affliction. Since Elihu is a descendant of Buz, it would put him in the same lineage of Abraham, Abraham 22:20-21.

Job 33:32 "If thou has anything to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee." Elihu's intentions are not to condemn Job.

Job 32:1-5 Elihu had sat and waited, listening to the three men talk to Job. He was upset with these men because they couldn't answer Job's questions while at the same time condemning him. But also Elihu was concerned with Job being that "he was righteous in his own eyes." We could take this to mean that Job may have been too boastful about himself or that Elihu was simply tired of hearing of Job's complaints. The later maybe more plausible.

Job 32:6-10 Elihu speaks boldly. He explains that he has kept silent because of his youth, showing respect to the older men, but was inspired to speak. God gave him the inspiration to help them understand.

Job 37:19-24 These are Elihu's last words. He gives reverence to God, speaking to Job that man must fear God; acknowledging His awesome power, "men therefore fear him."

Elihu was correct about how we truly cannot understand how God punishes the unrighteous and righteous. There are times when God may punish the "good" people, while leaving the bad ones unpunished, which doesn't make sense to us. Elihu was also correct about how Job's three friends(Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) were wrong about God only punishes the wicked. The age of Elihu is not recorded, but many believe he was a young man that was very mature for his age. We see the maturity in his speeches and how he patiently waits to speak to Job, allowing the others to say what they needed too. He also had a strong desire to speak about the Lord in such a way the left Job speechless. Elihu could have been preparing Job for God's response to him later. God comes to Job in a whirlwind, which is interesting that when Elihu is speaking to him, he mentions clouds and winds. Its obvious that Elihu was led/inspired to speak to Job, maintaining the strong desire to defend God by talking about how great He is saying, "Stop and consider God's wonders."

 

[Magenta]

The name Elihu: Summary

Meaning - God is Yahu, My God Is He

Etymology From (1) the word אל ('el), God, and (2) either the divine name יהו (yahu),
or the third person independent personal pronoun: he. Related names• Via אל ('el):

The name Elihu in the Bible

Names that end with יה (yah) usually also exist with an ending of יהו (yahu), but
for some obscure reason these yahu-variants are commonly ignored in the English
speaking world (which is why we read of Zechariah and not Zechariahu, even when
the Hebrew text says so). But for some other obscure reason, English translations
have no problem with the name Elihu (אליהו), which is really the name Elijah (אליה)
but with the dreaded yahu-ending.

Perhaps this distinction exists because the name Elihu also exists with an additional
א (aleph), and this name may not be אל plus יהו, but rather אלי plus הוא, where הוא is a
personal pronoun. Whatever the reason, there are five men named Elihu
(spelled אליהו, unless otherwise mentioned) in the Bible:

• A son of Tohu and great-grandfather of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1). This Elihu is spelled אליהוא, and may be the same as Eliel son of Toah mentioned in 1 Chronicles 6:34.
• One of the Manassite defectors who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:20).
• One of the sons of Shemaiah, son of Obed-edom the gatekeeper (1 Chronicles 26:7).
• One of the brothers of king David, who was appointed leader over the tribe of Judah (1 Chronicles 27:18).
• A son of Barachel and the youngest of the four friends of Job. This name is written as אליהו in Job 32:4 and 35:1, but as אליהוא in Job 32:2-6, 34:1 and 36:1. Since the Book of Job is probably an ancient study that compared the five dominant theologies of the Levant during patriarchal times, Elihu, son of Barachel, may have represented the indigenous El-cult of Canaan.

Etymology of the name Elihu

The name Elihu consists of two elements. The first part of our name is אל, which
is probably El, the prominent Canaanite deity whose name became applied to
the God of Israel, or the common abbreviation of Elohim, the genus God. source

 

[Blackpowderduelist]

Job, is one of the most fascinating books of the Bible.
It posses so many questions.
Elihu, is the only one that God does not rebuke. So it bears that we have to read again what they all said to see what God is correcting, and the read again what Elihu says in contrast.

 

[Corban]

Could it be that Elihu was Jesus Christ. What think ye all of Job 33:1-6?

1 "Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.
2 Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.
4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.
6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay."

1. Verse 1. I think that there is enough evidence to speculate, but not enough to be dogmatic. In Deuteronomy 18:18 God commands that Israel was to listen only to Jesus when He came, and to leave listening to Moses. This is confirmed on the mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17.
2. Verse 3 makes him Truth and a Master Teacher
3. Verse 4 alludes to the incarnation - the once-only case of it ever
4. Verse 6. Elihu is God's Mediator and Representative, but still a MAN (1st Tim.2:5)

 

[stepbystep]

Majentas Information was correct. Elihu is simply another spelling of Elijah. A simple "search" will provide numerous Articles describing the truth of this.

He was not Jesus or God or the Holy Spirit. He was Elijah the Prophet.

 

[JaumeJ]

El means mighty one. This appellation was used by most of the nations for a god or a great man.
It is used in Hebrew as a reference to Yahweh, Who will Be what He will be.

Eli means my God.

Elohanu is our God.

and so it goes.

 

[Nehemiah6]

Elihu was correct about how we truly cannot understand how God punishes the unrighteous and righteous.

God may chastise the righteous, but He does not punish them (as He would the unrighteous). But Elihu was as wrong as the rest of Job's friends in assuming that Job was being punished for unrigteousness.

 

[Corban]

God may chastise the righteous, but He does not punish them (as He would the unrighteous). But Elihu was as wrong as the rest of Job's friends in assuming that Job was being punished for unrigteousness.

Hi brother. Could you give the passage that you used to establish that. Thanks.

 

[posthuman]

Could it be that Elihu was Jesus Christ. What think ye all of Job 33:1-6?

1 "Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.
2 Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.
4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.
6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay."

1. Verse 1. I think that there is enough evidence to speculate, but not enough to be dogmatic. In Deuteronomy 18:18 God commands that Israel was to listen only to Jesus when He came, and to leave listening to Moses. This is confirmed on the mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17.
2. Verse 3 makes him Truth and a Master Teacher
3. Verse 4 alludes to the incarnation - the once-only case of it ever
4. Verse 6. Elihu is God's Mediator and Representative, but still a MAN (1st Tim.2:5)

in some ways a type, also typifying John the Baptist, in the spirit of Elijah --- but Christ in this account is the One who speaks to Job out of the whirlwind

 

[posthuman]

Majentas Information was correct. Elihu is simply another spelling of Elijah. A simple "search" will provide numerous Articles describing the truth of this.

He was not Jesus or God or the Holy Spirit. He was Elijah the Prophet.

a figure like Elijah, like John, in that his intent is to prepare the way for God and to turn their hearts toward Him --- but the Bible isn't a book of reincarnation.

 

[posthuman]

God may chastise the righteous, but He does not punish them (as He would the unrighteous). But Elihu was as wrong as the rest of Job's friends in assuming that Job was being punished for unrigteousness.

Hi brother. Could you give the passage that you used to establish that. Thanks.

as far as i can tell, Elihu does not say that Job is being punished for unrighteousness.

Elihu says that Job is unrighteous in saying that God has counted Job as His enemy ((Job 33:8-13)), which is something Job did in fact say ((Job 19:11)). in what follows in Elihu's speech in ch. 33, he says that God uses various means to teach people, including chastening ((33:14-22)) -- and then admonishes that neither Job nor anyone else should presume to judge God, and that instead, Job ought to be humble before Him and seek from God that He show him what he doesn't know ((34:31-33)). remember that Elihu's discourse is introduced by informing us that he is angry that Job "justified himself rather than God" ((32:2)) -- this is his major premise throughout the 6 chapters ((quite a lot!)) that he goes on, that God is just in all He does, that whether we understand what God is doing or not, it isn't out place to 'speak without knowledge' against Him.

@Nehemiah6 i don't think how you have described Elihu is tractable. Elihu specifically distances himself from Job's 3 friends, angry with them because their answer had been to condemn Job ((32:3)). God reprimands those 3 but does not include Elihu among them.
i agree with @Corban; if you could please show us how you justify the view you've given? i'm not seeing it.

 

[Corban]

in some ways a type, also typifying John the Baptist, in the spirit of Elijah --- but Christ in this account is the One who speaks to Job out of the whirlwind

You could probably build a case for that, but 38:1 says it was Yahweh. And in Isaiah 53:6 and 10 it is Yahweh that inflicts on Jesus. This makes Yahweh the Father. I know that nobody took much note of my posting, but in Chapter 33,

In verse 4, "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life" indicates a beginning, and that he didn't have life before. This indicates a Man

In verse 6, "Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay", he pointedly says He is "in God's stead", making Him a Mediator. Whiel there have been many mediators, there is only ONE between God and man - the Man (out of clay) Jesus.

But, I think that the passage could be obscure for some, and if the Trinity is brought in, who can argue that our Lord Jesus was not the Creator? It is not clear, like, who was Melchisedec, and who else is of his "order"? The word "order" indicates a company, not one.

Job has its mysteries too. I think the point that has not been emphasized is why Job suffered so much. The answer I believe, lies in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve, once they had sinned, had a problem with each other and with God - nakedness. In Parable, "nakedness" means works that are not up to standard (Ex.32:25), or downright sinful. So they made garments of Fig Leaves. A "Garment" in Parable is ones works too (Rev.19:8). So Adam and Eve covered their sin-nature with works of Law (for Judah keeping the letter of the Law is a Fig Tree). The end of the matter of Adam and Eve's garments is that they satisfied each other. But when God appeared, Adam, though he wore the garment of Fig Leaves, declares before God that he is naked.

Job's works were righteous and God declares them so before an unrighteous creature - the Devil. But Job needed to see what was under his Fig Leaves. That is, a man with Adam's nature. Before other creatures, Job was righteous. But in the presence of a Holy God, Job was revealed as a fallen man. "All have sinned and FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD". Job had to learn that while he was righteous before his fellows, before God he was a rotten Tree. It was not his fault. He inherited it by being of Adam, and he had it under commendable discipline and repression. His sufferings where to reveal in him that which God saw and not himself. Israel too must pass through forty years of Wilderness to learn about THEMSELVES (Deut.8:1-8). A man who seldom uses foul language just needs his finger caught in the door to find out his true language.

And, sooner or later, every one of us Christians must face trials to find out what God already knows - that we are irretrievably corrupt. From day to day we don't commit any really heinous sins. We love our wives and raise our children properly. We keep the speed limits and pay our taxes. And complacency sets in. Are we not righteous??? And then God must send a trial, sometime big and sometimes small, not to destroy us, but to lay us naked so that WE can see what God has seen already - our Adamic nature. It is only after an alchoholic admits his plight that he can be helped. And it is only when we have had our true lack laid bare, that we can, like Job, abhor ourselves and plead for mercy before a God so perfect that we cannot look upon Him till we are resurrected.

 

[posthuman]

You could probably build a case for that, but 38:1 says it was Yahweh. And in Isaiah 53:6 and 10 it is Yahweh that inflicts on Jesus. This makes Yahweh the Father. I know that nobody took much note of my posting, but in Chapter 33,

my position is that Christ is YHWH, that the Father is YHWH, that the Spirit is YHWH, and that God is One
see evidences collected here:
'Christ is God' compendium thread



not that i'd dare say i comprehend the nature of God, but that, saying it is Yah doesn't mean it isn't Christ.

 

[posthuman]

You could probably build a case for that, but 38:1 says it was Yahweh. And in Isaiah 53:6 and 10 it is Yahweh that inflicts on Jesus. This makes Yahweh the Father. I know that nobody took much note of my posting, but in Chapter 33,

In verse 4, "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life" indicates a beginning, and that he didn't have life before. This indicates a Man

In verse 6, "Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay", he pointedly says He is "in God's stead", making Him a Mediator. Whiel there have been many mediators, there is only ONE between God and man - the Man (out of clay) Jesus.

But, I think that the passage could be obscure for some, and if the Trinity is brought in, who can argue that our Lord Jesus was not the Creator? It is not clear, like, who was Melchisedec, and who else is of his "order"? The word "order" indicates a company, not one.

Job has its mysteries too. I think the point that has not been emphasized is why Job suffered so much. The answer I believe, lies in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve, once they had sinned, had a problem with each other and with God - nakedness. In Parable, "nakedness" means works that are not up to standard (Ex.32:25), or downright sinful. So they made garments of Fig Leaves. A "Garment" in Parable is ones works too (Rev.19:8). So Adam and Eve covered their sin-nature with works of Law (for Judah keeping the letter of the Law is a Fig Tree). The end of the matter of Adam and Eve's garments is that they satisfied each other. But when God appeared, Adam, though he wore the garment of Fig Leaves, declares before God that he is naked.

Job's works were righteous and God declares them so before an unrighteous creature - the Devil. But Job needed to see what was under his Fig Leaves. That is, a man with Adam's nature. Before other creatures, Job was righteous. But in the presence of a Holy God, Job was revealed as a fallen man. "All have sinned and FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD". Job had to learn that while he was righteous before his fellows, before God he was a rotten Tree. It was not his fault. He inherited it by being of Adam, and he had it under commendable discipline and repression. His sufferings where to reveal in him that which God saw and not himself. Israel too must pass through forty years of Wilderness to learn about THEMSELVES (Deut.8:1-8). A man who seldom uses foul language just needs his finger caught in the door to find out his true language.

And, sooner or later, every one of us Christians must face trials to find out what God already knows - that we are irretrievably corrupt. From day to day we don't commit any really heinous sins. We love our wives and raise our children properly. We keep the speed limits and pay our taxes. And complacency sets in. Are we not righteous??? And then God must send a trial, sometime big and sometimes small, not to destroy us, but to lay us naked so that WE can see what God has seen already - our Adamic nature. It is only after an alchoholic admits his plight that he can be helped. And it is only when we have had our true lack laid bare, that we can, like Job, abhor ourselves and plead for mercy before a God so perfect that we cannot look upon Him till we are resurrected.

my thinking about these things is a lot like yours, really -- i just wouldn't say, Elihu is Christ. just that in many ways he is a picture of Him, testifying of Him. in 33:32 he says, he seeks to justify Job -- and we know Who it is that is our justification.
Job too, pictures Christ, because this whole account is Job being afflicted not because Job is being judged, but for the sake of revealing righteousness to someone else, in this case, the Devil, against whom Job stands as a testimony. all of this takes place in the sight of the angels in heaven; in a sense it is all a rebuke and instruction to Satan, witnessed by all the heavenly host. Christ, too, was afflicted, not because He was being judged, but in order to reveal the righteousness of God to us.

garments ((i.e. 'coverings')) are a big theme in scripture. we are instructed to 'put on Christ' and this isn't only linked to works, but to atonement, e.g. the blood that 'covers' the altar and the mercy seat. it has helped me to think that in the garden, they were, before they had sin, naked and unashamed -- nakedness being linked to shame. without sin, they had nothing for which to be ashamed, but having sinned, having death entered into them, their 'realizing they were naked' isn't really about them previously being so ignorant and stupid that they didn't even notice they weren't wearing any clothing, but the awareness that something had been added to them which needed to be covered. in this sense, realizing they were naked was realizing that they now needed atonement/covering/garments -- that sin existed in them, condemning them. making tunics of fig leaves and hiding was their reaction to the shame of sin, not the sudden awareness that they had no pants.

so God took away the garments they made for themselves ((vis a vis our own works)) and made garments for them Himself ((vis a vis 'the armor of light')) -- from the beginning teaching that the righteousness that saves is one not of ourselves. and o how interesting, ((coincidence? lol)) Jesus later curses a fig tree outside Jerusalem

in a similar way, we've got in Job a scene with him pretty much naked, scraping boils on his body in an ash heap with broken potsherds. Job is righteous here, tho all his wealth and even his health is taken away. he's not ashamed. his three friends, judging by appearance, find him there - and i'm going to say they are rich, as Job was rich, and they are sporting pretty nice robes. they are smug and believe themselves justified in all they say, but God, who sees the heart, corrects them later, telling them they are the ones who ought to be ashamed, that they must make burnt offerings and Job will pray for them ((vis a vis 'cover' and 'atone')) -- God will accept Job's prayer ((vis a vis 'garment')) and not deal with them according to their folly ((vis a vis 'nakedness/shame'))

 

[Corban]

my position is that Christ is YHWH, that the Father is YHWH, that the Spirit is YHWH, and that God is One
see evidences collected here:
'Christ is God' compendium thread



not that i'd dare say i comprehend the nature of God, but that, saying it is Yah doesn't mean it isn't Christ.

That is exactly what I had in mind when I wrote that you could probably make a case if you wanted to.

 

[Corban]

my thinking about these things is a lot like yours, really -- i just wouldn't say, Elihu is Christ. just that in many ways he is a picture of Him, testifying of Him. in 33:32 he says, he seeks to justify Job -- and we know Who it is that is our justification.
Job too, pictures Christ, because this whole account is Job being afflicted not because Job is being judged, but for the sake of revealing righteousness to someone else, in this case, the Devil, against whom Job stands as a testimony. all of this takes place in the sight of the angels in heaven; in a sense it is all a rebuke and instruction to Satan, witnessed by all the heavenly host. Christ, too, was afflicted, not because He was being judged, but in order to reveal the righteousness of God to us.

garments ((i.e. 'coverings')) are a big theme in scripture. we are instructed to 'put on Christ' and this isn't only linked to works, but to atonement, e.g. the blood that 'covers' the altar and the mercy seat. it has helped me to think that in the garden, they were, before they had sin, naked and unashamed -- nakedness being linked to shame. without sin, they had nothing for which to be ashamed, but having sinned, having death entered into them, their 'realizing they were naked' isn't really about them previously being so ignorant and stupid that they didn't even notice they weren't wearing any clothing, but the awareness that something had been added to them which needed to be covered. in this sense, realizing they were naked was realizing that they now needed atonement/covering/garments -- that sin existed in them, condemning them. making tunics of fig leaves and hiding was their reaction to the shame of sin, not the sudden awareness that they had no pants.

so God took away the garments they made for themselves ((vis a vis our own works)) and made garments for them Himself ((vis a vis 'the armor of light')) -- from the beginning teaching that the righteousness that saves is one not of ourselves. and o how interesting, ((coincidence? lol)) Jesus later curses a fig tree outside Jerusalem

in a similar way, we've got in Job a scene with him pretty much naked, scraping boils on his body in an ash heap with broken potsherds. Job is righteous here, tho all his wealth and even his health is taken away. he's not ashamed. his three friends, judging by appearance, find him there - and i'm going to say they are rich, as Job was rich, and they are sporting pretty nice robes. they are smug and believe themselves justified in all they say, but God, who sees the heart, corrects them later, telling them they are the ones who ought to be ashamed, that they must make burnt offerings and Job will pray for them ((vis a vis 'cover' and 'atone')) -- God will accept Job's prayer ((vis a vis 'garment')) and not deal with them according to their folly ((vis a vis 'nakedness/shame'))

We are close to full agreement. Go well bro.

 

[oyster67]

Who was Elihu?

Elihu who?

 

[oyster67]

The fourth friend, and probably the best (aside from God Himself).

 

[presidente]

If one would to casually read through the book of Job, you would probably not even notice this mysterious man called Elihu. He is recorded in Job 32:2 as the "son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram." In the book of Job, Elihu gives a rather lengthy speech to Job concerning what he is going through. Elihu is not mentioned when Job's three friends arrive to comfort him, though he was probably one of many that witnessed Job's affliction. Since Elihu is a descendant of Buz, it would put him in the same lineage of Abraham, Abraham 22:20-21.

Of Buz, but living in the land of Uz?

 

[oyster67]

Of Buz, but living in the land of Uz?

I have a feeling that we are not in Kansas anymore.