Job 32:7
I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
Original Language Analysis
יָמִ֣ים
Days
H3117
יָמִ֣ים
Days
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
2 of 7
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ
should speak
H1696
יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ
should speak
Strong's:
H1696
Word #:
3 of 7
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern cultures venerated age as the primary source of wisdom, reflected in councils of elders governing communities. The wisdom literature (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes) consistently explores whether experience alone produces understanding or whether divine revelation is necessary. Elihu represents a transitional figure: respecting age while insisting that God's Spirit, not mere longevity, imparts true wisdom.
Questions for Reflection
- In what ways does your culture honor or dishonor the wisdom that can come with age and experience?
- How can we balance respect for elders with recognition that the Holy Spirit can grant wisdom to the young?
- What is the difference between wisdom gained through experience and wisdom that comes from divine revelation?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom (אָמַרְתִּי יָמִים יְדַבֵּרוּ וְרֹב שָׁנִים יֹדִיעוּ חָכְמָה, 'amarti yamim yedabberu verov shanim yodi'u chokhmah)—yamim (days) metonymically represents advanced age; rov means abundance or multitude; shanah is year; chokhmah is wisdom, skill, or insight. The verb dabar (speak) suggests that age itself should proclaim truth.
Elihu articulates a cultural assumption: age brings wisdom through accumulated experience and reflection. Proverbs 16:31 says 'the hoary head is a crown of glory,' and Leviticus 19:32 commands standing before the aged. Yet Elihu's next verse (32:8) qualifies this: 'there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.' True wisdom comes not from years but from God's Spirit. Paul instructs Timothy, 'Let no man despise thy youth' (1 Timothy 4:12), and Jesus astonished elders with childhood wisdom (Luke 2:46-47). The Bible honors age but recognizes that spiritual wisdom transcends chronology.