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Amplified Bible

Job 32:6

Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite said, "I am young, and you are aged; For that reason I was anxious and dared not tell you what I think.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Barachel;   Children;   Humility;   Modesty;   Old Age;   Reverence;   Thompson Chain Reference - Honour;   Old Age;   Respect;   Reverence;   Social Duties;   Young People;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Children, Good;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Age, Old (the Aged);   Easton Bible Dictionary - Barachel;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Barethel;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Fear;   Job, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Barachel;   Ethics;   Job;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Barachel ;   Buzite;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elihu;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Bar'achel;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Barachel;   Job, Book of;   Opinion;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Age, Old;   Buz;   Poetry;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite replied:
Hebrew Names Version
Elihu the son of Barakh'el the Buzite answered, "I am young, and you are very old; Therefore I held back, and didn't dare show you my opinion.
King James Version
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.
English Standard Version
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said: "I am young in years, and you are aged; therefore I was timid and afraid to declare my opinion to you.
New Century Version
So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said this: "I am young, and you are old. That is why I was afraid to tell you what I know.
New English Translation
So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up: "I am young, but you are elderly; that is why I was fearful, and afraid to explain to you what I know.
New American Standard Bible
So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite spoke out and said, "I am young in years and you are old; Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you what I think.
World English Bible
Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered, "I am young, and you are very old; Therefore I held back, and didn't dare show you my opinion.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore Elihu the sonne of Barachel, the Buzite answered, & sayd, I am yong in yeres, and ye are ancient: therefore I doubted, and was afraide to shewe you mine opinion.
Legacy Standard Bible
So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said,"I am young in years and you are old;Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you my knowledge.
Berean Standard Bible
So 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.
Contemporary English Version
and he said to them: I am much younger than you, so I have shown respect by keeping silent.
Complete Jewish Bible
Elihu the son of Barakh'el the Buzi said: "I am young, and you are old, so I held back from telling you my opinion.
Darby Translation
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are aged; wherefore I was timid, and feared to shew you what I know.
Easy-to-Read Version
So here's what Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said: "I am only a young man, and you are all older. That is why I was afraid to tell you what I think.
George Lamsa Translation
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, Because I am younger than you in days and you are old, therefore I was afraid, and did not dare to show you my knowledge.
Good News Translation
and began to speak.

Elihu

I am young, and you are old, so I was afraid to tell you what I think.
Lexham English Bible
Then Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up and said, "I am young, but you are old; therefore I feared and became afraid of explaining my knowledge to you.
Literal Translation
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and you are very aged; so I held back and was afraid to make my knowledge known to you.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
so that he gaue answere himself, and sayde: Considerinve yt I am yonge, & ye be men of age, I was afrayed, & durst not shewe forth my mynde,
American Standard Version
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; Wherefore I held back, and durst not show you mine opinion.
Bible in Basic English
And Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, made answer and said, I am young, and you are very old, so I was in fear, and kept myself from putting my knowledge before you.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said: {N}wherefore I held back, and durst not declare you mine opinion.
King James Version (1611)
And Elihu the sonne of Barachel the Buzite answered and sayd: I am yong, and yee are very old, wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therfore Elihu the sonne of Barachel the Buzite aunswered, and sayde: [Considering that] I am young, and ye be men of age, I was afrayde, and durst not shewe foorth my mynde.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Elius the Buzite the son of Barachiel answered and said,
English Revised Version
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I held back, and durst not shew you mine opinion.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Helyu, the sone of Barachel Buzites, answeride, and seyde, Y am yongere in tyme, sotheli ye ben eldere; therfor with heed holdun doun Y dredde to schewe to you my sentence.
Update Bible Version
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and you are very old; Therefore I held back, and didn't dare show you my opinion.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I [am] young, and ye [are] very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not show you my opinion.
New King James Version
So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said: "I am young in years, and you are very old; Therefore I was afraid, And dared not declare my opinion to you.
New Living Translation
Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said, "I am young and you are old, so I held back from telling you what I think.
New Life Bible
So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite said, "I am young, and you are old. So I did not feel that I should speak. I was afraid to tell you what I think.
New Revised Standard
Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite answered: "I am young in years, and you are aged; therefore I was timid and afraid to declare my opinion to you.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So then Elihu, son of Barachel, the Buzite, responded and said: - Young, am I, whereas, ye, are aged, For this cause, I faltered, and feared - to shew my knowledge unto you:
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then Eliu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered, and said: I am younger in days, and you are more ancient, therefore hanging down my head, I was afraid to shew you my opinion.
Revised Standard Version
And Eli'hu the son of Bar'achel the Buzite answered: "I am young in years, and you are aged; therefore I was timid and afraid to declare my opinion to you.
Young's Literal Translation
And Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite answereth and saith: -- Young I [am] in days, and ye [are] age Therefore I have feared, And am afraid of shewing you my opinion.
THE MESSAGE
This is what Elihu, son of Barakel the Buzite, said: "I'm a young man, and you are all old and experienced. That's why I kept quiet and held back from joining the discussion. I kept thinking, ‘Experience will tell. The longer you live, the wiser you become.' But I see I was wrong—it's God's Spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty One, that makes wise human insight possible. The experts have no corner on wisdom; getting old doesn't guarantee good sense. So I've decided to speak up. Listen well! I'm going to tell you exactly what I think.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite spoke out and said, "I am young in years and you are old; Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you what I think.

Contextual Overview

6Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite said, "I am young, and you are aged; For that reason I was anxious and dared not tell you what I think.7"I thought age should speak, And a multitude of years should teach wisdom. 8"But there is [a vital force and] a spirit [of intelligence] in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding. 9"Those [who are] abundant in years may not [always] be wise, Nor may the elders [always] understand justice. 10"Therefore I say, 'Listen to me; I also will give you my opinion [about Job's situation] and tell you plainly what I think.' 11"You see, I waited for your words, I listened to your [wise] reasons, While you pondered and searched out what to say. 12"I even paid close attention to [what] you [said], Indeed, not one of you convinced Job [nor could you refute him], Not one of you supplied [satisfactory] answers to his words. 13"Beware if you say, 'We have found wisdom; God thrusts Job down [justly], not man [for God alone is dealing with him].' 14"Now Job has not directed his words against me [therefore I have no reason to be offended], Nor will I answer him with arguments like yours. [I speak for truth, not for revenge.]

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I am: Leviticus 19:32, Romans 13:7, 1 Timothy 5:1, Titus 2:6, 1 Peter 5:5

young: Heb. few of days

ye are: Job 15:10

durst not: Heb. feared, Job 15:7, 1 Samuel 17:28-30

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 3:7 - a little Job 8:8 - inquire Job 12:13 - him Psalms 37:25 - I have Proverbs 16:31 - hoary Galatians 2:6 - it maketh

Cross-References

Genesis 32:8
and he said, "If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the other camp which is left will escape."
Genesis 32:11
"Save me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.
Genesis 33:1
Then Jacob looked up, and saw Esau coming with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids.
Amos 5:19
It is as if a man runs from a lion [escaping one danger] And a bear meets him [so he dies anyway], Or goes home, and leans with his hand against the wall And a snake bites him.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said,.... Since there was no answer in them, he takes upon him to give one himself; but first makes an apology on account of his youth:

I [am] young, and ye [are] very old; or "few of days"; a few days, comparatively speaking, had he lived in the world; or "small", or "little as two days" m; he had been but a little time in it, and so could be thought to have but little knowledge and experience; whereas they were old, even very old; with them were the aged and the grayheaded, Job 15:10; in whom it might have been expected was much wisdom and knowledge:

wherefore I was afraid, and durst not show mine opinion; declare what knowledge he had of the things in dispute, lest it should appear mean, small, and contemptible; or give his sentiments concerning them, lest he should speak wrongly, and not only give offence, but do more harm than good: the first of these words, in the Arabic language n, as Aben Ezra observes, signifies to go back; it is used of worms, which, through fear, withdraw themselves from men; so mean an opinion had he of himself, and such a sense of his own weakness, that it not only kept him back, but even caused him to draw back, and keep out of the dispute, and at a distance from it, instead of being forward to engage in it: one Jewish commentator o paraphrases it

"I humbled myself as one that goes on his belly;''

referring to worms that go low and creep upon their belly, or to the prostrate posture of men that humble themselves to their superiors.

m צעיר אני לימים "minimus ego diebus", Montanus; "parvus diebus sum", Mercerus. n "recessit suo loco", Castel. col. 1036. o Sephorno.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And Elihu - “said, I am young” Margin, few of days. The Hebrew is, “I am small (צעיר tsâ‛ı̂yr) of days;” that is, I am inexperienced. We have no means of ascertaining his exact age, though it is evident that there was a considerable disparity between them and him.

And ye are very old - ישׁישׁים yâshı̂yshiym. The word used here is probably derived from the obsolete root שוש, “to be white, hoary”; and hence, to be hoary-headed, or aged; compare 2 Chronicles 36:17. The whole of the discourses of the friends of Job seem to imply that they were aged men. They laid claim to great experience, and professed to have had opportunities of long observation, and it is probable that they were regarded as sages, who, by the long observation of events, had acquired the reputation of great wisdom.

Wherefore I was afraid - He was timid, bashful, diffident.

And durst not show you mine opinion - Margin, feared. He had that diffidence to which modesty prompts in the presence of the aged. He had formed his opinion as the argument proceeded, but he did not deem it proper that one so young should interfere, even when he thought he perceived that others were wrong.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 32:6. I am young — How young he was, or how old they were, we cannot tell; but there was no doubt a great disparity in their ages; and among the Asiatics the youth never spoke in the presence of the elders, especially on any subject of controversy.


 
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