With us [are] both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
With us are both the grayheaded {H7867} and very aged {H3453} men, much {H3524} elder {H3117} than thy father {H1}.
With us are gray-haired men, old men, men much older than your father.
Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side— men much older than your father.
With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, Much elder than thy father.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.
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Job 32:6
¶ And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I [am] young, and ye [are] very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion. -
Job 32:7
I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. -
Deuteronomy 32:7
¶ Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. -
Job 8:8
¶ For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers: -
Job 8:10
Shall not they teach thee, [and] tell thee, and utter words out of their heart? -
Job 12:12
¶ With the ancient [is] wisdom; and in length of days understanding. -
Proverbs 16:31
¶ The hoary head [is] a crown of glory, [if] it be found in the way of righteousness.
Context
This verse is part of the second cycle of speeches between Job and his three friends. Here, Eliphaz the Temanite is speaking, responding to Job's lament and self-justification. The friends operate under the traditional belief that suffering is a direct result of sin, and they are attempting to persuade Job to confess a hidden sin. In this passage (Job 15:1-16), Eliphaz accuses Job of speaking rashly and dismissing the wisdom of the elders. Verse 10 specifically highlights the basis of Eliphaz's claim to authority and wisdom: the presence of very old men among them, whose experience and age, they believe, lend weight to their arguments against Job.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew words used for "grayheaded" (שיב, siyb) and "aged" (יָשִׁישׁ, yashish) emphasize physical signs of advanced age and the status often associated with it. The phrase "much elder than thy father" (כַּבִּיר מֵאָבִיךָ, kabbir me'aviyka) is a strong assertion, meaning "greater in number/rank/age than your father," underscoring the significant age and presumed wisdom of the individuals Eliphaz refers to. This linguistic emphasis highlights the cultural context where age was a primary source of perceived wisdom and authority.
Related Scriptures
While respect for elders and the wisdom of age is a theme found elsewhere in scripture, the book of Job itself challenges the idea that wisdom is solely tied to age or tradition. Job later states that great men are not always wise, nor do the aged always understand justice. However, passages like Proverbs 16:31 speak of gray hair as a crown of glory when found in the way of righteousness, indicating a general biblical principle of respecting the wisdom gained through a long life lived righteously.
Reflection and Application
This verse reminds us of the historical and cultural value placed on age and experience as sources of wisdom. While it is wise to seek counsel from those who have lived longer and experienced more (the beauty of old men is the gray head), the book of Job ultimately teaches that true wisdom comes from God (the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom). Eliphaz and his friends, despite their age and tradition, were ultimately corrected by God. This prompts us to value the counsel of the aged but always weigh it against the timeless truth of God's Word and seek wisdom from the ultimate source.