Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 1. These three men ceased to answer Job ] They supposed that it was of no use to attempt to reason any longer with a man who justified himself before God. The truth is, they failed to convince Job of any point, because they argued from false principles; and, as we have seen, Job had the continual advantage of them. There were points on which he might have been successfully assailed; but they did not know them. Elihu, better acquainted both with human nature and the nature of the Divine law, and of God's moral government of the world, steps in, and makes the proper discriminations; acquits Job on the ground of their accusations, but condemns him for his too great self-confidence, and his trusting too much in his external righteousness; and, without duly considering his frailty and imperfections, his incautiously arraigning the providence of God of unkindness in its dealings with him. This was the point on which Job was particularly vulnerable, and which Elihu very properly clears up.
Because he was righteous tn his own eyes ] The Septuagint, Syriac, Arabic, and Chaldee, all read, "Because he was righteous in THEIR eyes;" intimating, that they were now convinced that he was a holy man, and that they had charged him foolishly. The reading of these ancient versions is supported by a MS. of the thirteenth century, in Dr. Kennicott's collections; which, instead of wyny[b beeinaiv, in HIS eyes, has µhyny[b beeineyhem, in THEIR eyes. This is a reading of considerable importance, but it is not noticed by Deuteronomy Rossi. Symmachus translates nearly in the same way: dia ton auton dikaion fainesqai epÆ autwn; Because he appeared more righteous than themselves.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Job's friends were silenced, but not convinced. Others had bee present. Elihu was justly displeased with Job, as more anxious to clea his own character than the justice and goodness of God. Elihu wa displeased with Job's friends because they had not been candid to Job Seldom is a quarrel begun, more seldom is a quarrel carried on, in which there are not faults on both sides. Those that seek for truth must not reject what is true and good on either side, nor approve of defend what is wrong.
Original Hebrew וישׁבתו7673 שׁלשׁת7969 האנשׁים582 האלה428 מענות6030 את853 איוב347 כי3588 הוא1931 צדיק6662 בעיניו׃5869
