Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
Ver. 2. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu] Or, Then burnt the nose of Elihu; a periphrasis of anger, which appeareth in the nose, eyes, and other parts of the body. Quis enim celaverit ignem? Who can hide fire? The Rabbis have a saying, that a man shows what he is becos, bechis, becagnas, by his purse, his cups, and his anger; which, if it be rash and unadvised, is a mortal sin, and not venial (as the Papists falsely infer from Mat 5:22), dispossessing a man of his wit and reason, and disfiguring his body with fieriness of the face, swelling of the veins, stammering of the tongue, gnashing of the teeth, and many other impotent and unmanly behaviours. Hence angry men were counselled, in the heat of their fit, to look themselves in a glass, where they may see themselves swollen like a toad, glowing like a devil, &c. But Elihu's anger was not of this kind. A fire it was, but the flame of God, as holy zeal is called, Song of Solomon 8:6, a most vehement flame (as it is there rendered) kindled upon the hearth of his heart by the spirit of judgment and of burning, Isaiah 4:4, and such as many waters could not quench, for the zeal is the extreme heat of all the affections; and the coals thereof are coals of fire, Song of Solomon 8:6, only we must see that it burns clear and quick, without all smoke of sin; wherein, though Elihu somewhat faulted, yet, because he was right for the main, all was well taken. We are apt to mingle sin with our best actions, and so to plough with an ox and an ass. But God considers whereof we are made, and graciously lays the finger of mercy on the scars of our sins, as that painter in the story.
Of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite] Descended he was of good parents (Fortes creantur fortibus, et bonis) who gave him a good name, signifying, He is my God, or, My God is Jehovah; to remind him of his duty, whereunto we have need of all helps that may be. His father's name, Barachel, signifieth, One whom God hath blessed; he hath blessed him indeed in so good a son, as could not but make him a glad father, Proverbs 10:1. The Buzite he is called, either from his progenitor Buz, the son of Nahor, who was the brother of Abraham, and had by Milcah, Huz, his firstborn (of whom some think Job came), and Buz, his brother, Genesis 22:21; or else from his country, the city of Buz, a city of Idumea, Jeremiah 25:23. Jerome will have this Elihu to be the same with Balaam, who, while young, was a prophet of God, and dealt thus divinely with Job, but afterwards, being corrupted by Balak, he became the devil's boggyman. This I look upon as a Jewish tradition, not much to be credited. His pedigree is here more fully described, Ut certitudo historiae ostenderetur, saith Mercer, that we might not doubt the truth and certainty of the history so circumstanced; as also, because Elihu did better than the rest of Job's friends, who proved no better than Satan's instruments. How he came to make one among them we know not. It is conceived, that hearing about the going of the other three by consent to visit Job, he also went to hear their conferences, not doubting that he should thereby derive much benefit to his understanding. But failing in his expectation, and finding both parties incorrect in their discourses, he steps forth, and takes the boldness to interpose as an arbiter, or moderator, blaming both sides, and beginning, in the six following Chapter s, that determination of the difference between them, which God himself will afterwards finish. Meanwhile it is well observed by the learned Beza, that Elihu in blaming Job (as there was cause), doth for the most part interpret Job's words far otherwise than he meant them; and moreover, that even in finding fault with those things that were justly to be found fault withal he kept not always that moderation that was meet; which is evident to godly men, and especially such as are of a more earnest nature and disposition; so hard a thing is it, even when we do well, not to offend on the one side or on the other. But if we consider how far Job, being thereto driven by the importunity of his accusers, and his most intolerable calamity, did range out of the right way, and how we are all given, even to the uttermost, to defend and maintain our credit and estimation, especially when we are therein touched by those men who ought, least of all others, to have done the same; we shall confess that it was very requisite and necessary for Job rather to be censured in this sharp manner, as he was, than after any milder sort; to the end he might the better acknowledge and humble himself before God; as always he had done, till, through the slanderous speeches of his friends, be was drawn into these altercations.
Of the kindred of Ram] E familia Syra, so Tremellius; as if Ram were put for Aram. The Chaldee saith, it is put for Abraham, who was first called Ram, secondly Abram, thirdly Abraham. But Elihu was of the family of Nahor rather than of Abraham; and Ram seemeth to have been some famous man of that family.
Because he justified himself rather than God] This he did not directly, et totidem verbis; but by consequence; and Elihu was kindled at it. It is a blessed thing to have a stomach for God, and to be blown up in his cause, as was Moses, Exodus 32:19,20, Elijah with his Zelando zelavi, Phinehas, David, Christ, John 3:17, the angel of Ephesus, Revelation 2:2; to be all on a light fire with love to God, and indignation against all that do him any dishonour by word or deed. Job had uttered some discontented speeches against God; which reflected upon his justice and goodness; he had also despaired of a restoration, and most earnestly wished for death, &c., and thereby seemed to justify himself rather than God; this good Elihu could not brook.