The last voice in the earthly controversy is now heard. It is a new voice, and opportunity never comes to Job to answer. Moreover, God in the final movements takes no notice other than that of interruption, and in the epilogue Elihu has no place.
Nevertheless, the long speech of this man is full of interest, and moves as to insight on a higher plane than that of the men who had spoken. In the first five verses Elihu is introduced by the author of the Book. His three friends were silent, because unable to bring conviction of guilt to Job. In the presence of their inability, Elihu, who evidently had heard the whole argument, was moved to anger. This anger was against Job because he had justified himself rather than God. It was against Job's friends because they had been unequal to the task to which they set themselves. In the opening of his speech Elihu made his apology. He had been silent because of his youth. While he had been listening he had come to the conclusion that age is not always wisdom. Addressing himself to the friends, he declared that he had waited, and they had failed, and indicated his intention to adopt a new method. The apology ended with a soliloquy in which he considered the failure of the other men, and spoke of his own consciousness of conviction and readiness to speak.