(1) В¶ Furthermore Elihu answered and said, (2) Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. (3) For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. (4) Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good. (5) For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment. (6) Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression. (7) What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? (8) Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men. (9) For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God. (10) В¶ Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. (11) For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways. (12) Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
It is beautiful to trace the order and plan of Elihu's reasoning. He setteth out with laying it down as a truth perfectly incontrovertible, that the LORD of Heaven and Earth can never do wrong. Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right? And, in addition to this, Elihu contendeth further, that, in all his righteous dispensations, he is everlastingly pursuing the welfare of his people: and that, whatever outward providences may seem to say, yet his love is always the same. Far be it from GOD, saith he, that he should do wickedness. And hence the conclusion is obvious. Job's impatience under suffering was unsuitable and unbecoming. Here indeed seems to be the great difference between Job's arguments and Elihu's. Job was anxious to justify his own integrity, more than the glory of GOD; but Elihu, in his judgment, evidently thought with the Apostle: Let God be true, but every man a liar. Romans 3:4.