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Thursday, July 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

New Revised Standard

Job 32:11

"See, I waited for your words, I listened for your wise sayings, while you searched out what to say.

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- Holman Bible Dictionary - Ear;   Job, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ethics;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elihu;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Job, Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Look, I waited for your conclusions;I listened to your insightsas you sought for words.
Hebrew Names Version
"Behold, I waited for your words, And I listened for your reasoning, While you searched out what to say.
King James Version
Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.
English Standard Version
"Behold, I waited for your words, I listened for your wise sayings, while you searched out what to say.
New Century Version
I waited while you three spoke, and listened to your explanations. While you looked for words to use,
New English Translation
Look, I waited for you to speak; I listened closely to your wise thoughts, while you were searching for words.
Amplified Bible
"You see, I waited for your words, I listened to your [wise] reasons, While you pondered and searched out what to say.
New American Standard Bible
"Behold, I waited for your words, I listened to your skillful speech, While you pondered what to say.
World English Bible
"Behold, I waited for your words, And I listened for your reasoning, While you searched out what to say.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Behold, I did waite vpon your wordes, and hearkened vnto your knowledge, whiles you sought out reasons.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Behold, I waited for your words,I gave ear to your reasonings,While you searched out what to say.
Berean Standard Bible
Indeed, I waited while you spoke; I listened to your reasoning; as you searched for words,
Contemporary English Version
I eagerly listened to each of your arguments,
Complete Jewish Bible
"Here, I waited for your words, I listened to your reasoning, as you were searching for what to say.
Darby Translation
Lo, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasonings, until ye searched out what to say.
Easy-to-Read Version
I waited patiently while you men talked. I listened to the answers you gave as you searched for the right words.
George Lamsa Translation
Behold, I kept silent while you spoke; I gave ear until you made an end of speaking, while you searched for words.
Good News Translation
I listened patiently while you were speaking and waited while you searched for wise phrases.
Lexham English Bible
"Look, I waited for your words; I listened for your insight, until you searched out what to say.
Literal Translation
Behold, I waited for your words; I listened to your reasons while you searched out words;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For whe I had wayted till ye made an ende of youre talkynge, & herde youre wy?dome, what argumetes ye made in youre communicacion:
American Standard Version
Behold, I waited for your words, I listened for your reasonings, Whilst ye searched out what to say.
Bible in Basic English
I was waiting for your words, I was giving ear to your wise sayings; while you were searching out what to say,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Behold, I waited for your words, I listened for your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.
King James Version (1611)
Behold, I waited for your words: I gaue eare to your reasons, whilest you searched out what to say.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For when I had wayted till ye made an end of your talking, and hearde your wysdome, what argumentes ye made in your communication,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Hearken to my words; for I will speak in your hearing, until ye shall have tried the matter with words:
English Revised Version
Behold, I waited for your words, I listened for your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For Y abood youre wordis, Y herde youre prudence, as long as ye dispuytiden in youre wordis.
Update Bible Version
Look, I waited for your words, I listened for your reasonings, While you searched out what to say.
Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.
New King James Version
Indeed I waited for your words, I listened to your reasonings, while you searched out what to say.
New Living Translation
"I have waited all this time, listening very carefully to your arguments, listening to you grope for words.
New Life Bible
"See, I waited for your words. I listened to what you said and waited to hear more from you.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Lo! I waited for your words, I kept giving ear for your reasons, until ye should search out what to say;
Douay-Rheims Bible
For I have waited for your words, I have given ear to your wisdom, as long as you were disputing in words.
Revised Standard Version
"Behold, I waited for your words, I listened for your wise sayings, while you searched out what to say.
Young's Literal Translation
Lo, I have waited for your words, I give ear unto your reasons, Till ye search out sayings.
THE MESSAGE
"I hung on your words while you spoke, listened carefully to your arguments. While you searched for the right words, I was all ears. And now what have you proved? Nothing. Nothing you say has even touched Job. And don't excuse yourselves by saying, ‘We've done our best. Now it's up to God to talk sense into him.' Job has yet to contend with me. And rest assured, I won't be using your arguments!
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Behold, I waited for your words, I listened to your reasonings, While you pondered what to say.

Contextual Overview

6 Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite answered: "I am young in years, and you are aged; therefore I was timid and afraid to declare my opinion to you. 7 I said, ‘Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.' 8 But truly it is the spirit in a mortal, the breath of the Almighty, that makes for understanding. 9 It is not the old that are wise, nor the aged that understand what is right. 10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me; let me also declare my opinion.' 11 "See, I waited for your words, I listened for your wise sayings, while you searched out what to say. 12 I gave you my attention, but there was in fact no one that confuted Job, no one among you that answered his words. 13 Yet do not say, ‘We have found wisdom; God may vanquish him, not a human.' 14 He has not directed his words against me, and I will not answer him with your speeches.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I waited for: Job 32:4, Job 29:21, Job 29:23

reasons: Heb. understandings, Instead of tevoonotheychem, nine manuscripts read techoonotheychem, "your arguments;" but the sense is nearly the same.

whilst: Ad tachkeroon millin, "whilst ye were searching for words;" a fine irony, which they must have felt. Job 5:27, Proverbs 18:17, Proverbs 28:11, Ecclesiastes 12:9, Ecclesiastes 12:10

what to say: Heb. words

Reciprocal: Job 6:24 - Teach me Job 26:3 - counselled Job 33:31 - General 1 Corinthians 14:30 - let

Cross-References

Genesis 27:41
Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob."
Genesis 32:1
Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him;
Genesis 32:2
and when Jacob saw them he said, "This is God's camp!" So he called that place Mahanaim.
Deuteronomy 22:6
If you come on a bird's nest, in any tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs, with the mother sitting on the fledglings or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young.
1 Samuel 12:10
Then they cried to the Lord , and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord , and have served the Baals and the Astartes; but now rescue us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.'
1 Samuel 24:15
May the Lord therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you. May he see to it, and plead my cause, and vindicate me against you."
Psalms 16:1

A Miktam of David.

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
Psalms 25:20
O guard my life, and deliver me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
Psalms 31:2
Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.
Psalms 43:1
Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people; from those who are deceitful and unjust deliver me!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Behold, I waited for your words,.... With great desire, with great eagerness and earnestness, in hope of meeting with arguments fully satisfying and convincing; he waited for them, as for the rain, and the latter rain, to be revived, refreshed, and edified therewith; and he patiently waited until they had done speaking:

I gave ear to your reasons, or "understandings" r; endeavoured to get into the sense and meaning of their words; not only attended to what they did say, but to what he thought they meant to say: some are not so happy in their expressions; and yet, by what they do say, with close attention it may be understood what they aim at, what is their drift and design; this Elihu was careful to attain unto, not barely to hear their words, but penetrate, if possible, into their meaning:

whilst ye searched out what to say; for they did not make their replies to Job immediately, and say what came uppermost at once, but they took time to think of things, and to search out for the most forcible arguments to refute Job, and strengthen their cause; it is very probable they made a pause at the end of every speech of Job's, and considered what was proper to be said in reply, and, perhaps, consulted each other.

r עד תבונותיכם "usque ad intellignetias vestras", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Schultens; "usque ad sensa vestra", Beza, Junius & Tremellius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I gave ear to your reasons - Margin, “understandings.” The meaning is, that he had given the most respectful attention to the views which they had expressed, implying that he had been all along present, and had listened to the debate.

Whilst ye searched out what to say - Margin, as in Hebrew, words. It is implied here that they had bestowed much attention on what they had said. They had carefully sought out all the arguments at their command to confute Job, and still had been unsuccessful.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 32:11. I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons — Instead of תבונותיכם tebunotheychem, your reasons, תכונותיכם techunotheychem, your arguments, is the reading of nine of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. The sense, however, is nearly the same.

Whilst ye searched out what to say. — עד תחקרון מלין ad tachkerun millin; "Whilst ye were searching up and down for words." A fine irony, which they must have felt.


 
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