Job 32 · Verse 6

Job 32:6

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.
Job 32:6, King James Version

Job 32:6 in other translations

BSBSo 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.
WEBElihu 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.
ASVAnd 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.
YLTAnd 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.
DARBYAnd 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.
BBEAnd 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.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Job 32:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 32:1-6

Job 32:1-37:24. Speech of Elihu. 1-6. Prose (poetry begins with "I am young"). because, &c.--and because they could not prove to him that he was unrighteous.

Read the full comment on Job 32:1-6 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 32:6-14
Elihu professes to speak by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and corrects both parties. He allowed that those who had the longest experience should speak first. But God gives wisdom as he pleases; this encouraged him to state his opinion. By attention to the word of God, and dependence upon the Holy Spirit, young men may become wiser than the aged; but this wisdom will render them swift to hear, slow to speak, and disposed to give others a patient hearing.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Job 32:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּ֤עַן\׀vai.Ya.'anand he answeredH6030
אֱלִיה֖וּא'e.li.Hu'ElihuH453
בֶן\־ven-[the] son ofH1121
בַּֽרַכְאֵ֥לba.rakh.'ElBarakelH1292
הַבּוּזִ֗יha.bu.Zithe BuziteH940
וַיֹּ֫אמַ֥רvai.Yo.Marand he saidH559
צָ֘עִ֤ירtza.'Ir[am] youngH6810
אֲנִ֣י'a.NiIH589
לְ֭יָמִיםLe.ya.mimto daysH3117
וְאַתֶּ֣םve.'a.Temand youH859
יְשִׁישִׁ֑יםye.shi.Shim[are] agedH3453
עַל\־'al-there-H5921
כֵּ֖ןken-foreH3651
זָחַ֥לְתִּיza.Chal.tiI was anxiousH2119
וָֽאִירָ֓א\׀va.'i.Ra'and I was afraidH3372
מֵחַוֹּ֖תme.cha.Votfrom tellingH2331
דֵּעִ֣יde.'Iknowledge myH1843
אֶתְכֶֽם\׃'et.Khem<obj.> youH853

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 32:6

  • Job 15:10

    With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.

  • 1 Timothy 5:1

    Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

  • 1 Peter 5:5

    Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

  • Titus 2:6

    Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

  • 1 Samuel 17:28-30

    And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.

  • Leviticus 19:32

    Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.

  • Job 15:7

    Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?

  • Romans 13:7

    Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I am.
Le 19:32; Ro 13:7; 1Ti 5:1; Tit 2:6; 1Pe 5:5
young. Heb. few of days. ye are.
15:10
durst not. Heb. feared.
15:7; 1Sa 17:28-30

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 32:5

    When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.

  • Job 32:6

    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.

  • Job 32:7

    I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

Read all of Job 32

Job 32:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y respondió Eliú hijo de Barachêl, Bucita, y dijo: Yo soy menor de días, y vosotros viejos; he tenido por tanto miedo, y temido declararos mi opinión.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Élihu, fils de Barakeël, le Buzite, répondit et dit: Moi, je suis jeune, et vous êtes des vieillards; c’est pourquoi je redoutais et je craignais de vous faire connaître ce que je sais.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und Elihu, der Sohn Barakeels, der Busiter, hob an und sprach: Ich bin jung an Jahren, und ihr seid Greise; darum habe ich mich gescheut und gefürchtet, euch mein Wissen kundzutun.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Respondensque Eliu filius Barachel Buzites, dixit: Junior sum tempore, vos autem antiquiores: idcirco, demisso capite, veritus sum vobis indicare meam sententiam.