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Saturday, July 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Job 32:7

I said, Days, should speak, - and, the multitude of years, should make known wisdom.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Children;   Humility;   Modesty;   Old Age;   Reverence;   Wisdom;   Thompson Chain Reference - Experience (Knowledge Experimental);   Knowledge;   Knowledge, Experimental;   Knowledge-Ignorance;   Wisdom;   Wisdom-Folly;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Children, Good;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Elihu;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Job, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Age, Aged, Old Age;   Ethics;   Wisdom;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elihu;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Age;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Age, Old;   Wisdom;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I thought that age should speakand maturity should teach wisdom.
Hebrew Names Version
I said, 'Days should speak, And multitude of years should teach wisdom.'
King James Version
I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
English Standard Version
I said, ‘Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.'
New Century Version
I thought, ‘Older people should speak, and those who have lived many years should teach wisdom.'
New English Translation
I said to myself, ‘Age should speak, and length of years should make wisdom known.'
Amplified Bible
"I thought age should speak, And a multitude of years should teach wisdom.
New American Standard Bible
"I thought age should speak, And increased years should teach wisdom.
World English Bible
I said, 'Days should speak, And multitude of years should teach wisdom.'
Geneva Bible (1587)
For I said, The dayes shall speake, and the multitude of yeeres shall teach wisedome.
Legacy Standard Bible
I thought age should speak,And increased years should make wisdom known.
Berean Standard Bible
I thought that age should speak, and many years should teach wisdom.
Contemporary English Version
I once believed age was the source of wisdom;
Complete Jewish Bible
I said, ‘Age should speak; an abundance of years should teach wisdom.'
Darby Translation
I said, Let days speak, and multitude of years teach wisdom.
Easy-to-Read Version
I thought to myself, ‘Older people should speak first. They have lived many years, so they have learned many things.'
George Lamsa Translation
For I said, Days should speak, and the multitude of years should teach wisdom.
Good News Translation
I told myself that you ought to speak, that you older men should share your wisdom.
Lexham English Bible
I thought, ‘Let days speak, and let many years teach wisdom.'
Literal Translation
I said, Days will speak, and many years will make wisdom known.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for I thought thus within my self: It becometh olde men to speake, & the aged to teach wy?dome.
American Standard Version
I said, Days should speak, And multitude of years should teach wisdom.
Bible in Basic English
I said to myself, It is right for the old to say what is in their minds, and for those who are far on in years to give out wisdom.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
I said: 'Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.'
King James Version (1611)
I said, Dayes should speake, and multitude of yeeres should teach wisedome.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For I thought thus within my selfe: It becommeth old men to speake, and the aged to teache wysdome.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I said, It is not time that speaks, though in many years men know wisdom:
English Revised Version
I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For Y hopide that lengere age schulde speke, and that the multitude of yeeris schulden teche wisdom.
Update Bible Version
I said, Days should speak, And multitude of years should teach wisdom.
Webster's Bible Translation
I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
New King James Version
I said, 'Age [fn] should speak,And multitude of years should teach wisdom.'
New Living Translation
I thought, ‘Those who are older should speak, for wisdom comes with age.'
New Life Bible
I thought the older men should speak, and that the many years should teach wisdom.
New Revised Standard
I said, ‘Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.'
Douay-Rheims Bible
For I hoped that greater age would speak, and that a multitude of years would teach wisdom.
Revised Standard Version
I said, 'Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.'
Young's Literal Translation
I said: Days do speak, And multitude of years teach wisdom.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I thought age should speak, And increased years should teach wisdom.

Contextual Overview

6 So then Elihu, son of Barachel, the Buzite, responded and said: - Young, am I, whereas, ye, are aged, For this cause, I faltered, and feared - to shew my knowledge unto you: 7 I said, Days, should speak, - and, the multitude of years, should make known wisdom. 8 Yet surely, there is a spirit in men, and, the inspiration of the Almighty, giveth them understanding; 9 Great men, may not be wise, nor, elders, understand justice. 10 Therefore, I said, Hearken unto me, I will show my knowledge - even I. 11 Lo! I waited for your words, I kept giving ear for your reasons, until ye should search out what to say; 12 Yea, unto you, gave I diligent heed, - But lo! there was, for Job, nothing to convince, nor could you of you answer his speeches. 13 Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom. GOD, must put him to flight, not man. 14 Since he directed not to me discourse, therefore, with your speeches, will I not reply to him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Job 8:8-10, Job 12:12, 1 Kings 12:6-8, Psalms 34:11, Psalms 34:12, Proverbs 1:1-4, Proverbs 16:31, Hebrews 5:12

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 10:6 - took counsel Job 8:10 - Shall not Job 12:2 - ye are the people Job 15:10 - the grayheaded Job 20:4 - thou not Psalms 37:25 - I have Acts 6:3 - full Galatians 2:6 - it maketh

Cross-References

Genesis 32:4
And he commanded them, saying, Thus, shall ye say to my lord to Esau, Thus, saith thy servant Jacob, With Laban, have I sojourned, and tarried until now:
Genesis 32:5
And I have oxen and asses, flocks and men-servants, and maid-servants, So I must needs send to tell my lord, that I might find favour in thine eyes.
Genesis 32:8
And he said. Should Esau come upon the one camp, and smite it, yet shall the camp that is left escape.
Genesis 32:10
I am too small for all the lovingkindnesses and for all the faithfulness, which thou hast done unto thy servant, - For with my staff, passed I over this Jordan, But, now, have I become two camps.
Genesis 32:11
Deliver me I pray thee out of the hand of my brother out of the hand of Esau, for I, am afraid of him, lest he come in and smite mother as well as sons
Genesis 35:3
And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el, - that I may make there an altar to the GOD who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way that I went.
Exodus 14:10
Now when, Pharaoh, had drawn near, the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and lo! the Egyptians, moving along after them and they feared greatly, and the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh.
Psalms 31:13
For I have heard the whispering of many - A terror round about! When they have sat in conclave together against me, to take away my life, have they intrigued.
Psalms 61:2
From the end of the earth, unto thee do I cry, When my heart fainteth away, Unto a rock that is higher than I, wilt thou lead me.
Psalms 107:6
Then made they outcry to Yahweh, in their peril, Out of their distresses, he rescued them;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I said, days should speak,.... That is, men of days, of many days, who have lived many days and years in the world: man in common is but of few days, even the most that men arrive to are but few; and some indeed are very few, in comparison of whom others may be said to be men of days, or to have lived many days; and to such it belongs to speak, it is their place, nor should they be prevented or interrupted; it should be allowed them to speak, nor should they be hindered; and it is their duty to speak and instruct juniors, and all that are under them; and it might be reasonably expected, that when they speak it will be to the purpose, and to profit and edification:

and multitude of years should teach wisdom; that is, such over whom many have passed; these it may be thought, having had an opportunity of making their observation on things, and of increasing experience, and of treasuring up a stock of knowledge, they should be very capable of, and indeed the only fit persons to teach others wisdom; either natural wisdom, or the knowledge of natural things; or divine wisdom, the knowledge of God, of his perfections and providences; and inward, spiritual, and evangelical wisdom, which lies in the knowledge of a man's self; in the knowledge of God in Christ; in the knowledge of Christ and of the Gospel of Christ, and the truths of it: this was a sentiment Elihu had entertained of ancient men, and this had restrained him from entering sooner into this debate between Job and his friends; they all being his superiors in age, and, as from thence he judged, in wisdom and knowledge also.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I said, Days should speak - The aged ought to speak. They have had the advantage of long observation of the course of events; they are acquainted with the sentiments of past times; they may have had an opportunity of conversing with distinguished sages, and it is to them that we look up for counsel. This was eminently in accordance with the ancient Oriental views of what is right; and it is a sentiment which accords with what is obviously proper, however little it is regarded in modern times. It is one of the marks of urbanity and true politeness; of the prevalence of good breeding, morals, and piety, and of an advanced state of society, when respect is shown to the sentiments of the aged. They have had the opportunity of long observation. They have conversed much with people. They have seen the results of certain courses of conduct, and they have arrived at a period of life when they can look at the reality of things, and are uninfluenced now by passion. Returning respect for the sentiments of the aged, attention to their counsels, veneration for their persons, and deference for them when they speak, would be an indication of advancement in society in modern times; and there is scarcely anything in which we have deteriorated from the simplicity of the early ages, or in which we fall behind the Oriental world, so much as in the lack of this.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 32:7. Days should speak — That is, men are to be reputed wise and experienced in proportion to the time they have lived. The Easterns were remarkable for treasuring up wise sayings: indeed, the principal part of their boasted wisdom consisted in proverbs and maxims on different subjects.


 
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