Elihu
“He is my God, or my God is Jehovah”
Summary
Most notably, the young man who intervened in the debate between Job and his three friends, offering a more nuanced understanding of suffering as divine discipline; also the name of several other men.
☩Elihu in the Book of Job
Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram, is the young man who spoke after Job's three friends had fallen silent. He was much younger than the others and had listened carefully to the entire debate before speaking. His anger was kindled against Job for justifying himself rather than God, and against the three friends for condemning Job without understanding his case. Unlike the older friends, Elihu's reasoning is not condemned by God at the end of the book—only the three friends are required to offer sacrifice and have Job intercede for them. Elihu's argument presents suffering as God's gracious discipline to deliver man from evil and break down pride, rather than simply as punishment for sin.
☩Other Men Named Elihu
A Levite named Elihu was an ancestor of Samuel the prophet, also called Eliel and Eliab in parallel passages. David's eldest brother Eliab is called Elihu in one passage where he appears as ruler of the tribe of Judah. A captain of the thousands of Manasseh named Elihu joined David at Ziklag after David left the Philistine army. A Korhite Levite named Elihu served as a doorkeeper in David's time.
Related Verses14 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Elihu," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. III (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Elihu," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.George Morrish, "Elihu," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).