Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions!
One-sentence summary: A fourth man named Elihu enters the conversation, claiming he has a message from God for Job, and chides Job's friends for not offering any real answers; he corrects Job for speaking so rashly to God.
Job's friends finally stop talking because they know they can't convince him out of being "righteous in his own eyes."
Then, a fourth man named Elihu, enters the conversation. He has been listening to Job's discourse with his "friends," and his anger is aroused against them because they condemned him without being able to give him any legitimate explanation or proof of their case that he sinned, yet acted as if they had real answers for him (he seems to be annoyed mostly by their pride and presumption.) He is also angry with Job that he tried to justify himself before God. He says he was afraid to speak because he is much younger than Job and wanted to let Job have his say, but concludes that age does not always make one wise and begs Job to hear him.
He seems to imply that what he speaks comes from deep revelation. He says he is compelled to speak and is deeply convinced that he has a message for Job in all this. He says he will be as Job's spokesperson before God, because Job does not have to be afraid of him as he does of God. He says Job is not righteous by saying that God has regarded him as an enemy although He supposedly found no iniquity in him, and he asks Job why he contends with God when God warns men in dreams "to keep their lives from the pit." Man is also chastised with physical sickness. If man repents and finds a mediator (interesting- what is meant by this?), then God will restore a man as in his youth to his joy and righteousness. Elihu tells Job he wants to justify him, but that if he has nothing to say to answer him, to let him continue speaking.
He addresses Job's friends, pointing out that Job "drinks scorn like water" and lives in the company of the wicked (by having had such calamity come upon him.) He chides Job for saying that it does not profit a man to delight in God, since God apparently punishes the wicked and good alike. He says God can commit no sin and could never pervert justice. Although it appears that Elihu is saying much the same things as Job's friends, he seems to be primarily addressing Job's sin in his speech of judging God- speaking in ignorance. He says God could take away His Spirit and breath from the earth, and all life would perish. He says that even if a man repents, God does not have repay that man on his own terms or give him what he thinks he deserves. He rebukes Job for speaking without knowledge and wisdom and for "answering like a wicked man and add[ing] rebellion to his sin by multiplying his words against God." He does not presume to know what sin Job has committed, but he definitely believes that Job has sinned in his speech by judging God Himself.
Thoughts/Questions:
Elihu rebukes Job's friends for speaking without seeming revelation. Have you ever done this, when you knew someone only needed to hear words from God? Why do we feel like we need to "help" God? When is it better to be silent and wait on God until we have an answer for someone?