Elihu ben Barachel and his Speeches

Parsha Halacha | June 27, 2025

Was Jewish

The verse describes Elihu as אֱלִיהוּא בֶן בַּרַּכְאֵל הַּבוּזִי מִמִשְפַּחַּת רָם – Elihu, son of Barachel, the Buzite, from the family of Ram. The Talmud says that Elihu was Jewish. Rashi bases it on the fact that the verse gives his father’s name and his family name (as opposed to Job and his friends whose fathers’ and family names aren’t mentioned). In addition, the name of his family is Ram which can be referring to Avraham. Some say that the Talmud concludes this from the fact that the names Elihu (“He is my G-d”) and Barachel (“bless G-d”) are uniquely Jewish names not used by gentiles.

Despite all of the above descriptions, Elihu’s identity is not proven. The difficulty in identifying him is compounded by the fact that it isn’t clear as to when the story of Job took place.

I have found five opinions in the Talmud and commentaries as to his identity:

1) Yitzchak Avinu

One opinion in the Jerusalem Talmud is that Elihu was our patriarch Yitzchak, the son of Avraham, since, as mentioned above, he was from the family of Ram, i.e., Avraham. This fits in with the opinion that Job lived in the time of Avraham (see footnote 5), especially since Elihu describes himself as much younger than the friends of Job. (“And Elihu, the son of Barachel, the Buzite, answered and said, ‘I am young, and you are very old; therefore, I was afraid, and didn’t declare my opinion to you.’”) He is called the son of Barachel because he was a person who was blessed by G-d (“son” can mean “a person”). He was called “the Buzite” because, through being bound on the Altar for G-d’s sake, he disgraced all of the places of idol worship in the world (by showing his devout love for the one G-d).

2) Bilam the Prophet

Another opinion in the Jerusalem Talmud is that Elihu was Bilam ben Be’or who later tried to curse the Jewish people. He was called “the son of Barachel” because, despite his efforts to curse the Jews, he instead bestowed G-d’s blessing upon them. (“Barachel” is understood to mean “gave the blessing of G-d.) He is called the Buzite because his prophecy was inferior (בזוי means “despicable”). “From the family of Ram” refers to the fact that he was from the country of Aram.

This fits in with the opinions that the story of Job took place while the Jewish people were in Egypt or soon afterwards, while they were in the desert (see footnote 5).

3) Grandson of Nachor

According to the Yavetz, when the Talmud (quoted above) says that Elihu was Jewish, it means that he came from the family of the Jewish people. Specifically, he was from the family of Buz (which is why he’s called the Buzite), who was the son of Nachor, the brother of Avraham. When it says that he was from the family of Ram, it is referring to the fact that he was related to Avraham. This can fit in with the opinion (see footnote 5) that Job lived in the time of Avraham (as he describes himself as younger than the others, see above) or in the time of Jacob.

4) Family of Ram, Father of Nachshon

The Ibn Ezra writes that Elihu was from the family of Ram, the father of Aminadav, father of Nachshon ben Aminadav. This possibly follows the opinion (see footnote 5) that the story of Job took place when the Jewish people were in Egypt or in the desert. (It’s not clear how a Jewish person could have traveled out of Egypt to participate in this dialogue although it’s possible that the story of Job took place in Egypt).

5) Descendant of Ezekiel, the Prophet

According to the Zohar, Elihu was a descendant of Ezekiel, the prophet, who was the son of Buzi, for which reason Elihu is described as “the Buzite.” This goes well with the opinions that the story of Job took place during the time of the Babylonians or during the second Temple era (see footnote 5).

Elihu’s Arguments

Elihu was upset that the friends of Job persisted in their opinion that Job must have sinned grievously to deserve his suffering as this seemed plainly to be untrue (as Job argued vehemently). By not presenting a better explanation for Job’s suffering, they were making it seem as if G-d was unjustly punishing Job. As such, Elihu put forth several explanations of his own to try to make sense of his friend’s suffering.

Here are some of those arguments. (To understand these points fully, please see the book of Job, chapters 32 – 37 as elucidated by Rabbi Shimon Schwab in his book, Rav Schwab on Iyov.)

G-d Only Explains Himself Once or Twice
Elihu said כִי בְאַּחַּת יְדַּבֶר א -ֵל וּבִשְתַּיִם לֹא יְשוּרֶנָה׃ – “Surely G-d speaks once, but a second time, man may not see it.” And ל פַּעֲמַּיִם שָלוֹש עִם גָבֶר-הֶן כׇּל אֵלֶה יִפְעַּל אֵ – “Lo, G-d does all these things twice or three times with a man.” This means that G-d in His kindness, shows His providence and caring to man from time to time, perhaps once, twice or even three times. But He doesn’t explain His ways to us all the time. He has reasons for everything He does, and although we may not understand them, we should accept His will as being correct and true. The instances in which we experienced His providence should give us the strength to bear the suffering, knowing that this too is part of His grand plan.
It’s Hard to Understand It While Suffering
Elihu describes a man who nearly died from an illness but was then healed. After this experience, Elihu says that the man “should then assemble a row of men, and say, ‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not.’” This means that while the person was suffering, he was unable to recognize G-d’s justice as he was in too much pain to do so. But after he turns the corner and is no longer in pain, he can look back in a more detached way and recognize that, in fact, he deserved the suffering and that it helped him recognize and correct his wrongdoings.
G-d Doesn’t Have to Explain Himself
כִי לֹא עַּל אִיש יָשִים עוֹד לַּהֲלֹךְ אֶל אֵל בַּמִשְפָט׃ – “For He will not lay upon man anything more, that he should enter into judgment with G-d.” G-d never punishes a person for anything more than he deserves. It is futile to argue and “enter into a judgment” with G-d because the reasons He has for what He does are beyond our comprehension.
Take a Long Look
Elihu says אֶשָא דֵעִי לְמֵרָחוֹק וּלְפֹעֲלִי אֶֶֽתֵֶֽן צֶדֶק׃ – “I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.” Although G-d’s ways are beyond comprehension, sometimes we merit to understand them. But this often doesn’t happen right away. Instead, it can take years, decades, or even centuries for us to grasp His plan. We see this from many of the stories in Tanach and in our history. For example, the sale of Joseph, which 22 years later, saved his family from famine. Or Joseph being thrown into the dungeon for 12 years which led to his becoming the prime minister. This is why one who wishes to understand must “lift their knowledge to a distance” and see the bigger picture.

Famous Lines of Elihu

Here are some other lines of Elihu which have become famous through their use in the Talmud, Midrash, and later works.

יָמִים יְדַּבֵרוּ וְרֹב שָנִים יֹדִיעוּ חׇּכְמָה – “Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.”
אַּעֲנֶה אַּף אֲנִי חֶלְקִי – “I also will answer my part.”
אֲדַּבְרָה וְיִֶֽרְוַּח לִי – “I will speak, that I may find relief.”
לווְדַּעַּת שְפָתַּי בָרוּר מִלֵ ּ – “And my lips shall utter knowledge in purity.”
אִם יֵש עָלָיו מַּלְאָךְ מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִי אָלֶף לְהַּגִיד לְאָדָם יׇּשְרוֹ׃ וַּיְחֻנֶנוּ וַּיֹאמֶר פְדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שָחַּת מָצָאתִי כֹפֶר – “If there be an angel over him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to declare to man what is right. Then He is gracious to him, and says, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.”
אֲאַּלֶפְךָ חׇּכְמָה – “I shall teach you wisdom.”
אִם יָשִים אֵלָיו לִבוֹ רוּחוֹ וְנִשְמָתוֹ אֵלָיו יֶאֱסֹף – “If he set his heart upon man, if he gather to himself his spirit and his breath.”
אִיוֹב לֹא בְדַּעַּת יְדַּבֵר – “Job has spoken without knowledge.”
אִם חָטָאתָ מַּה תִפְעׇּל בוֹ וְרַּבוּ פְשָעֶיךָ מַּה תַּעֲשֶה לוֹ׃ אִם צָדַּקְתָ מַּה תִתֶן לוֹ אוֹ מַּה מִיָדְךָ יִקָח – “If you have sinned, what did you do against Him? Or if your transgressions are multiplied, what did you do to Him? If you are righteous, what have you given to Him? Or what does He receive from your hand?”
וְלֹא אָמַּר אַּיֵה אֱלוֹהַּ עֹשָי נֹתֵן זְמִרוֹת בַּלָיְלָה – “But none says, Where is G-d, my Maker, who gives songs in the night.”
כַּתַּר לִי זְעֵיר – “Suffer me a little.”
ל כַּבִיר וְלֹא יִמְאָס -הֶן אֵ – “Behold, G-d is mighty, and He does not reject.”
לֹא יִגְרַּע מִצַּדִיק עֵינָיו – “He withdraws not His eyes from the righteous.”
וַּיִגֶל אׇּזְנָם לַּמוּסָר – “He opens their ear to discipline.”
הֲיַּעֲרֹךְ שוּעֲךָ לֹא בְצָר – “ Would you have cried out to G-d if you were not suffering?”
הֶן אֵ -ל יַּשְגִיב בְכֹחוֹ מִי כָמֹהוּ מוֹרֶה – “Behold, G-d is exalted by His power: who teaches like Him?”

May G-d save us from all suffering with the coming of Moshiach now!