The Meaning of Job 32:6 Explained

Job 32:6

KJV: 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.

YLT: And Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite answereth and saith: -- Young I am in days, and ye are age Therefore I have feared, And am afraid of shewing you my opinion.

Darby: And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are aged; wherefore I was timid, and feared to shew you what I know.

ASV: And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; Wherefore I held back, and durst not show you mine opinion.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Job 32:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 32:1-22 - Elihu Enters
The controversy between Job and his counselors is now at an end. They have failed in making out their case; but before God Himself takes up the argument there is another side of the case to be presented by the fervid life of a younger generation. The name Elihu means, "My God is He." He had preserved a respectful silence while his elders were speaking; but he was so conscious of the uprising of the divine that he could refrain no longer.
Elihu was greatly indignant, first with Job for not justifying God, Job 32:2; and then with his friends for their inability to cope with him, Job 32:5. But in addition to these criticisms, he has some positive contribution to make to the debate, and must needs make it. Silence is golden, but there is a time to speak. Be sure in inbreathe the Spirit of God as one long imprisoned in a close chamber inhales the breath of the salt sea. Do not speak, as John Woolman says, beyond the divine openings. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 32

1  Elihu is angry with Job and his three friends
6  Because wisdom comes not from age, he excuses the boldness of his youth
11  He reproves them for not satisfying Job
16  His zeal to speak

What do the individual words in Job 32:6 mean?

So answered Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite and said young I [am] in years and you [are] very old why therefore I was afraid and dared not declare my opinion to you
וַיַּ֤עַן ׀ אֱלִיה֖וּא בֶן־ בַּֽרַכְאֵ֥ל הַבּוּזִ֗י וַיֹּ֫אמַ֥ר צָ֘עִ֤יר אֲנִ֣י לְ֭יָמִים וְאַתֶּ֣ם יְשִׁישִׁ֑ים עַל־ כֵּ֖ן זָחַ֥לְתִּי וָֽאִירָ֓א ׀‪‬ מֵחַוֺּ֖ת דֵּעִ֣י אֶתְכֶֽם

וַיַּ֤עַן ׀  So  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
אֱלִיה֖וּא  Elihu 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱלִיהוּ 
Sense: the younger man who rebuked Job and his three friends.
בֶן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בַּֽרַכְאֵ֥ל  of  Barachel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּרַכְאֵל  
Sense: father of Elihu.
הַבּוּזִ֗י  the  Buzite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בּוּזִי  
Sense: one of the ancestors of Elihu.
וַיֹּ֫אמַ֥ר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
צָ֘עִ֤יר  young 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צָעִיר  
Sense: little, insignificant, young.
אֲנִ֣י  I  [am] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
לְ֭יָמִים  in  years 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וְאַתֶּ֣ם  and  you  [are] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
יְשִׁישִׁ֑ים  very  old 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: יָשִׁישׁ  
Sense: aged, old man, aged one.
עַל־  why 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
זָחַ֥לְתִּי  I  was  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: זָחַל 
Sense: to shrink back, crawl away.
וָֽאִירָ֓א ׀‪‬  and  dared  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
מֵחַוֺּ֖ת  declare 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: חָוָה 
Sense: (Piel) to tell, declare, show, make known.
דֵּעִ֣י  my  opinion 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: דֵּעַ  
Sense: knowledge, opinion.
אֶתְכֶֽם  to  you 
Parse: Direct object marker, second person masculine plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.