Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Job 32:19

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Job 32:19. My belly is as wine which hath no vent — New wine in a state of effervescence.

Like new bottles. — Bottles, or rather bags, made of goat-skins. The head and shanks being cut off, the animal is cased out of the skin. The skin is then properly dressed; the anus and four shank holes properly tied up; and an aperture left at the neck or in some other place for the liquor to be poured in, and drawn out. One of these now lies before me, well tanned, and beautifully ornamented, and capable of holding many gallons. They are used, not only to carry wine and water, but for butter, and also for various dry goods. I have mentioned this in another place. When the wine is in a state of fermentation, and the skin has no vent, these bottles or bags are ready to burst; and if they be old, the new wine destroys them, breaks the old stitching, or rends the old skin. Our Lord makes use of the same figure, Matthew 9:17; where see the note. Matthew 9:17.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

32:1-37:24

ELIHU’S ARGUMENTS

Reasons why Elihu must speak (32:1-22)

People came for various reasons to see Job. Many were merely curious, wanting to see the former leading judge, honoured citizen and respected wise man who was now decaying at the city garbage dump. Some came to mock, others to listen to the debate. Among this latter group was an intelligent young man named Elihu.
As the debate progressed, Elihu grew restless and angry. He was angry at Job for his self-righteous assertions, and angry at the three friends for their failure to prove Job wrong. He had remained silent while the more learned men spoke, but now that he sees they are either unable or unwilling to argue with Job further, he can keep quiet no longer (32:1-5).
Elihu begins by explaining that he has kept quiet out of respect for the three older men; but, he quickly adds, God gives wisdom to young men as well (6-10). He then rebukes the three friends. He has listened carefully to their speeches and has found that none has answered Job satisfactorily. He warns them against giving up the debate by thinking that further argument with Job is useless. If they think that only God can answer Job, then Elihu is the one through whom God will speak! But Elihu will answer Job with arguments different from theirs (11-14).
The friends may have been silenced, but Elihu feels that he must speak. He is like a wine bottle ready to burst (15-20). He will speak fairly and flatter no one (21-22).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

ELIHU EXPLAINS WHY HE WILL ANSWER JOB

"They are amazed, they answer no more: They have not a word to say. And shall I wait, because they speak not, Because they stand still, and answer no more? I also will answer my part, I also will show mine opinion. For I am full of words; The spirit within me constraineth me. Behold, my breast is as wine that hath no vent; Like new wine-skins it is ready to burst. I will speak, that I may be refreshed; I will open my lips and answer. Let me not, I pray you, respect any man's person; Neither will I give flattering titles to any man. For I know not to give flattering titles; Else would my Maker soon take me away."

"They answer no more… they speak not" This refers, of course, to the fact that Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, being utterly unable to refute Job's arguments, had at last, by their silence, acknowledged their defeat.

"I also will answer my part" A suggested meaning here is, "I will offer in reply the portion of knowledge that has fallen to me from God, and that portion will constitute a complete answer."International Critical Commentary, op. cit., p. 282. Elihu is convinced that he has the complete answer, but see Job 32:22, below.

"I am full of words" "None would dispute this."New Century Bible Commentary, p. 209. In fact, Rowley wrote, that, "However these six chapters may have come to be incorporated into Job, these six chapters are intended to make Elihu look somewhat ridiculous, because he is so wordy, so self-important, and so unoriginal."Ibid.

"My spirit within me constraineth me" In context, the term "constraineth" is used in the sense of "compelleth".

"My breast is… like new wine-skins which are ready to burst" We have used the alternative reading here from the margin of the American Standard Version. This passage also reveals the ignorance of Elihu and denies that he is, in any sense, `inspired of God.' The simile Elihu is using here compares his words to `wine' and his `belly' to new wine-skins that are ready to burst from the fermenting wine. However, it is not the new wine-skins that burst from fermenting wine, but old wine-skins, as Jesus Christ himself stated in (Matthew 9:17).

"Let me not… respect any man's person" In this, Elihu gives himself another certificate, this time, for impartiality."New Century Bible Commentary, p. 210. In the next verse he also claims that he does not flatter people with titles.

"I know not to give flattering titles; else would my Maker soon take me away" In this Elihu reveals that his theological position on sin and suffering is exactly that of the three friends who have been silenced. He believes that if he should sin in flattering people God would immediately (soon), in this present life, punish him by taking him away from the earth. This is exactly the same error that caused Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar to brand Job as a gross sinner.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent - Margin, as in Hebrew, “is not opened” - לאיפתח lo' yipâthach. The repherence is to a bottle, in which there is no opening, or no vent phor the phermenting wine to work itselph ophph. It is usual to leave a small hole in barrels and casks when wine, cider, or beer is phermenting. This is necessary in order to prevent the cask phrom bursting. Elihu compares himselph to a bottle in which new wine bad been put, and where there was no vent phor it, and when in consequence it was ready to burst. That new wine is here intended is apparent phrom the connection, and has been so understood by the ancient versions. So Jerome renders it, Mustum, must, or new wine. The Septuagint, ἀσκὸς γλεύκους ζέων δεδέυενος askos gleukous zeōn dedemenos - “a bottle filled with sweet wine, fermenting, bound;” that is, which has no vent.

It is ready to burst like new bottles - The Septuagint renders this, “As the torn (ἐῤῥηγώς errēgōs) bellows of a smith.” Why this version was adopted. it is not easy to say. The comparison would be pertinent, but the version could not be made from the present Hebrew text. It is possible that the copy of the Hebrew text which the Septuagint had may have read: הרשים - “artificers,” instead of: הדשים - new, and then the meaning would be, “as the bottles, or skins of artificers;” that is, as their bellows, which were doubtless at first merely the skins of animals. The reference of Elihu, however, is undoubtedly to skins that were used as bottles, and new skins are mentioned here as ready to burst, not because they were more likely to burst than old ones - for that was by no means the case - but because new and unfermented wine would naturally be placed in them, thus endangering them. Bottles in the east, it is well known, are usually made of the skins of goats; see the notes at Matthew 9:17.

The process of manufacturing them at present is this: The skins of the goats are striped off whole except at the neck. The holes at the feet and tail are sewed up. They are first stuffed out full, and strained by driving in small billets and chips of oak wood; and then are filled with a strong infusion of oak bark for a certain time, until the hair becomes fixed, and the skin sufficiently tanned. They are sold at different prices, from fifteen up to fifty piastres. Robinson’s Bibli. Research. ii. 440. Elihu, perhaps, could not have found a more striking illustration of his meaning. lie could no longer restrain himself, and he gave utterance, therefore, to the views which he deemed so important. The word “belly” in this verse (בטן beṭen) is rendered by Umbreit and Noyes, bosom. It not improbably has this meaning and the reference is to the fact that in the East the words are uttered forth much more ab imo pectore, or are much more guttural than with us. The voice seems to come from the lower part of the throat, or from the bosom, in a manner which the people of Western nations find it difficult to imitate.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 32

So sitting nearby was a young man whose name was Elihu.

So these three men [Bildad, Zophar, and Eliphaz] cease to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu against Job and his wrath was kindled, because he justified himself rather than God ( Job 32:1-2 ).

Now Job, in all of his complaints, was saying, "I am just in this. I am innocent." And he was justifying himself rather than God. Now, we oftentimes do this. It is important, though, that we justify God. I know that God is good. I know that God is righteous. I know that God is fair. I don't understand why God is doing this. You see, Job did not justify God in the issues by declaring, "Well, God is fair." He was actually saying, "God is unfair. He is unfair to me because I haven't done anything to deserve all of this." So Elihu, standing by, really became angry with Job because he sought to justify himself rather than to justify God. And he was also angry with Job's friends because they could not answer Job. They couldn't really pin anything on him, and yet, they were condemning him without being able to pin anything directly on him.

So he waited until Job had spoken, because they were older than he was. And when he saw that they were not answering, his wrath was kindled. And he said, I am young, and you're very old; wherefore I was afraid, and I dared not to show you my own opinion. I said, Days should speak, and the multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding. And great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment ( Job 32:4-9 ).

So far you're batting a thousand, Elihu. He's made some interesting observations. There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding. He could see the anointing of God upon a man to give to the man wisdom and understanding. But great men are not always wise. Now you don't have to go very far to illustrate that truth. "And neither do the aged always understand judgment."

Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I'm going to show you my opinion ( Job 32:10 ).

And he spends a lot of time just telling us what he's going to say. He doesn't really say too much, but he spends a lot of time telling you what he's going to say.

"Hearken to my opinion."

Behold, I waited for your words; to give ear to your reasons, while you searched out what to say. Yes, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words: Lest you should say, We have found out wisdom: God thrust him down, not man. Now he hath not directed his words against me: and neither will I answer him with your speeches. They were amazed, and they answered no more: they left off speaking. When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more,) I said, I will answer also my part; I will show you my opinion. For I am full of the matter, the spirit within me is forcing me. Behold, my belly is as wine which has no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles. I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer. Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person; neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my Maker would soon take me away ( Job 32:11-22 ).

Oh, I like this. God help me not to give flattering titles unto man. I heard flattering titles for so many years; I'm absolutely sick of flattering titles. "Ladies and gentlemen, let me present unto you, God's man for the hour," you know. And all of these flattering things that we say concerning man. He said, "Hey, I respect you fellows' age, but I don't respect man as such as far as bowing and catering and giving flattering titles and buttering up people, trying to butter them up with flattering titles. If I'm guilty of this then God's going to take me away, take my place away." My heart has been sickened by the way we have sought to elevate men even in the Christian community by flattering titles, declaring the greatness of their works and all. God help us. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Elihu’s reasons for speaking 32:6-22

Elihu began by voicing his respect for Job’s three friends (Job 32:6-10). They were older than he, and for this reason, he said, he had refrained from speaking until now. However, he had become convinced that advancing age does not always bring wisdom with it. Rather, wisdom comes from God. "A spirit in man" and "the breath of the Almighty" (Job 32:8) evidently refer to the Spirit of God (cf. Genesis 41:38-39; Exodus 31:3; Numbers 27:18-21; Isaiah 11:2; Daniel 5:11-12). Elihu was saying that Job’s three friends were not wise. To get them to listen in spite of what he had just said, he asked ten times that they pay attention to his words (Job 32:10; Job 32:20; Job 33:1; Job 33:12; Job 33:31; Job 33:33; Job 34:2; Job 34:10; Job 34:16; Job 37:14). He set himself up as still another wise man, wiser than his elders.

"Almost all modern interpreters have found Elihu to be insufferably wordy. . . . This loquacious style to some degree makes all the speeches in chapter 3-41 difficult for the modern reader to appreciate." [Note: Smick, "Job," p. 1002.]

"His professed modesty is belied by his self-importance and pomposity." [Note: Rowley, p. 207.]

The ancients in the Near Eastern world esteemed rhetoric and elaborate wording.

Elihu proceeded to evaluate these three men further (Job 32:11-14). They had failed to refute Job. They believed they were right, and that since Job had failed to repent, God was the only Person who could convince him that he was a sinner (Job 32:13). However, Job had not refuted Elihu, who planned to use different arguments to persuade his hearers (Job 32:14). Finally, Elihu explained to Job why he wanted to speak (Job 32:15-22). Among other reasons, he was going to talk because his elders had fallen silent. The "spirit within" (Job 32:18) Elihu was probably his own human spirit, not the Holy Spirit, in view of what follows (Job 32:19-20).

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Behold, my belly [is] as wine, [which] hath no vent,.... Or, "is not opened" a, like a bottle of wine, as Ben Gersom, which is stopped close, and the wine in it new; which is most apt to ferment, and should have vent given it; so the Targum,

"as new wine, which is not opened:''

in the same manner Jarchi and Bar Tzemach interpret it; in these words Elihu illustrates, by a metaphor taken from new wine put into bottles and tightly stopped, what he had before more literally and properly expressed, and so in the following clause:

it is ready to burst like new bottles; or perhaps it may be better rendered, "like bottles of new wine" b; for new bottles are not so apt to burst as old ones, and especially when they have new wine in them; the bottles of the ancients, and in the eastern countries, being made of skin, which better agrees with what our Lord says, Matthew 9:17; by his belly he means his mind, which was full of matter, and that matter he compares to new wine in bottles, tightly stopped, which need vent, and are in danger of bursting: the doctrine of the Gospel is like to wine, Song of Solomon 7:9; to wine neat and clean, being free from all human mixtures; to wine of a good flavour and pleasant taste, as the Gospel is to those whose taste is changed; to generous wine, which revives, and refreshes, and comforts; all which effects the doctrines of the Gospel have, when attended with a divine influence: and it may be compared to new wine; not that it is a new and upstart doctrine, it is the everlasting Gospel, made known immediately on the fall of Adam, and was ordained before the world for our glory; but because it is newly, or of late, under the Gospel dispensation, more clearly revealed: ministers of the word are like vessels, into which it is put; they are but vessels, even earthly vessels, and have nothing but what is put into them; and they are like vessels stopped up, when they are straitened in themselves, or shut up by the Lord, that they cannot come forth freely in their ministry, and when any outward restraint is laid upon them by persecuting magistrates, and when there is no open door for them in Providence; which gives them great pain and uneasiness, and, let the consequence be what it will, they are weary of forbearing, and cannot stay, but must speak the things they see and know; see

Jeremiah 20:9.

a לא יפתה "quod non est apertum", Pagninus, Michaelis, Schultens. b כאבות חדשים "sicut utres vino nova repleti", Piscator.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      15 They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.   16 When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;)   17 I said, I will answer also my part, I also will show mine opinion.   18 For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.   19 Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles.   20 I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.   21 Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.   22 For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.

      Three things here apologize for Elihu's interposing as he does in this controversy which had already been canvassed by such acute and learned disputants:--

      1. That the stage was clear, and he did not break in upon any of the managers on either side: They were amazed (Job 32:15; Job 32:15); they stood still, and answered no more,Job 32:16; Job 32:16. They not only left off speaking themselves, but they stood still, to hear if any of the company would speak their minds, so that (as we say) he had room and fair play given him. They seemed not fully satisfied themselves with what they had said, else they would have adjourned the court, and not have stood still, expecting what might further be offered. And therefore I said (Job 32:17; Job 32:17), "I will answer also my part. I cannot pretend to give a definitive sentence; no, the judgment is the Lord's, and by him it must be determined who is in the right and who is in the wrong; but, since you have each of you shown your opinion, I also will show mine, and let it take its fate with the rest." When what is offered, even by the meanest, is offered thus modestly, it is a pity but it should be fairly heard and considered. I see no inconvenience in supposing that Elihu here discovers himself to be the penman of this book, and that he here writes as an historian, relating the matter of fact, that, after he had bespoken their attention in the foregoing verses, they were amazed, they left off whispering among themselves, did not gainsay the liberty of speech he desired, but stood still to hear what he would say, being much surprised at the admirable mixture of boldness and modesty that appeared in his preface.

      2. That he was uneasy, and even in pain, to be delivered of his thoughts upon this matter. They must give him leave to speak, for he cannot forbear; while he is musing the fire burns (Psalms 39:3), shut up in his bones, as the prophet speaks, Jeremiah 20:9. Never did nurse, when her breasts were gorged, so long to have them drawn as Elihu did to deliver his mind concerning Job's case, Job 32:18-20; Job 32:18-20. If any of the disputants had hit that which he thought was the right joint, he would contentedly have been silent; but, when he thought they all missed it, he was eager to be trying his hand at it. He pleads, (1.) That he had a great deal to say: "I am full of matter, having carefully attended to all that has hitherto been said, and made my own reflections upon it." When aged men are drawn dry, and have spent their stock, in discoursing of the divine Providence, God can raise up others, even young men, and fill them with matter for the edifying of his church; for it is a subject that can never be exhausted, though those that speak upon it may. (2.) That he was under a necessity of saying it: "The spirit within me not only instructs me what to say, but puts me on to say it; so that if I have not vent (such a ferment are my thoughts in) I shall burst like bottles of new wine when it is working," Job 32:19; Job 32:19. See what a great grief it is to a good minister to be silenced and thrust into a corner; he is full of matter, full of Christ, full of heaven, and would speak of these things for the good of others, but he may not. (3.) That it would be an ease and satisfaction to himself to deliver his mind (Job 32:20; Job 32:20): I will speak, that I may be refreshed, not only that I may be eased of the pain of stifling my thoughts, but that I may have the pleasure of endeavouring, according to my place and capacity, to do good. It is a great refreshment to a good man to have liberty to speak for the glory of God and the edification of others.

      3. That he was resolved to speak, with all possible freedom and sincerity, what he thought was true, not what he thought would please (Job 32:21; Job 32:22): "Let me not accept any man's person, as partial judges do, that aim to enrich themselves, not to do justice. I am resolved to flatter no man." He would not speak otherwise than he thought, either, (1.) In compassion to Job, because he was poor and in affliction, would not make his case better than he really took it to be, for fear of increasing his grief; "but, let him bear it as he can, he shall be told the truth." Those that are in affliction must not be flattered, but dealt faithfully with. When trouble is upon any it is foolish pity to suffer sin upon them too (Leviticus 19:17), for that is the worst addition that can be to their trouble. Thou shalt not countenance, any more than discountenance, a poor man in his cause (Exodus 23:3), nor regard a sad look any more than a big look, so as, for the sake of it, to pervert justice, for that is accepting persons. Or, (2.) In compliment to Job's friends, because they were in prosperity and reputation. Let them not expect that he should say as they said, any further than he was convinced that they say right, nor applaud their dictates for the sake of their dignities. No, though Elihu is a young man, and upon his preferment, he will not dissemble truth to court the favour of great men. It is a good resolution he has taken up--"I know not to give flattering titles to men; I never used myself to flattering language;" and it is a good reason he gives for that resolution--in so doing my Maker would soon take my away. It is good to keep ourselves in awe with a holy fear of God's judgments. He that made us will take us away in his wrath is we do not conduct ourselves as we should. He hates all dissimulation and flattery, and will soon put lying lips to silence and cut off flattering lips,Psalms 12:3. The more closely we eye the majesty of God as our Maker, and the more we dread his wrath and justice, the less danger shall we be in of a sinful fearing or flattering of men.