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Bible Encyclopedias
Elihu
Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
or Eli´hu (Jehovah is God). One of Job's friends, described as 'the son of Barachel, a Buzite, of the kindred of Ram' (). This is usually understood to imply that he was descended from Buz, the son of Abraham's brother Nahor, from whose family the city called Buz () also took its name. Elihu's name does not appear among those of the friends who came in the first instance to condole with Job, nor is his presence indicated till the debate between the afflicted man and his three friends had been brought to a conclusion. Then, finding there was no answer to Job's last speech, he comes forward with considerable modesty, which he loses as he proceeds, to remark on the debate, and to deliver his own opinion on the points at issue. The character and scope of his orations are described elsewhere [JOB, BOOK OF]. It appears, from the manner in which Elihu introduces himself, that he was by much the youngest of the party; and it is evident that he had been present from the commencement of the discussion, to which he had paid very close attention. This would suggest that the debate between Job and his friends was carried on in the presence of a deeply-interested auditory, among which was this Elihu, who could not forbear from interfering when the controversy appeared to have reached an unsatisfactory conclusion.
Public Domain.
Kitto, John, ed. Entry for 'Elihu'. "Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature". https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/kbe/e/elihu.html.
