Elihu

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("God is Jehovah".)

1. Son of Barachel ("God blesses"); the names indicating the piety of the family and their separation from idolatry) the Buzite (Buz being a region of Arabia Deserta,  Jeremiah 25:23, called from Buz son of Nahor, Abraham's brother), of the kindred of Ram (probably Aram, nephew of Buz):  Job 32:2. He is the main human solver of the problem of the book, which ultimately is resolved, by Jehovah's appearance, into a question of His absolute sovereignty that cannot err. Elihu's reasoning is not condemned, as is that of the three elder friends and previous speakers, for whom and not for Elihu Job is directed to sacrifice and intercede (See JOB).

2. Son of Tohu, ancestor of Samuel ( 1 Samuel 1:1); ELIEL in  1 Chronicles 6:34; ELIAB  1 Chronicles 6:27.

3. A captain of the thousands of Manasseh ( 1 Chronicles 12:20). Followed David to Ziklag after he left the Philistines before the battle of Gilboa, and aided him against the plundering Amalekites ( 1 Samuel 30:1;  1 Samuel 30:9-10;  1 Chronicles 12:20-21).  1 Chronicles 12:4. A Korhite Levite in David's time, door-keeper of the house of Jehovah, son of Shemaiah, of Obed-Edom's family ( 1 Chronicles 26:6-8), men of strength for service.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. Son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram. He is introduced abruptly in the history of Job. He was young and had not spoken until Job and his three friends had ceased. His wrath was kindled against Job because he justified himself rather than God, and against his three friends because they had condemned Job though they had not understood his case. The purport of Elihu's address is that God acts in grace and blessing to deliver man from evil, and to chastise and break him down. Job was a righteous man, but needed God's discipline.  Job 32 —   Job 36 .

2. Son of Tohu, and ancestor of Samuel.   1 Samuel 1:1 . Apparently called both ELIAB and ELIEL in  1 Chronicles 6:27,34 .

3. One of the captains of the thousands of Manasseh who resorted to David Ziklag.   1 Chronicles 12:20 .

4. Son of Shemaiah, a Korhite of the family of Obed-edom, a valiant man and one of the door-keepers.   1 Chronicles 26:7 .

5. Brother of David, made ruler in Judah.   1 Chronicles 27:18 . Perhaps the same as ELIAB, No. 3.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Elihu (e-lî'hu or ĕl'i-hû), whose God is He, i.e., Jehovah. 1. The Buzite, a friend of Job, and, perhaps, the arbitrator between him and his three acquaintances who had come to sympathize with him in his calamities. The soothing, yet faithful and honest, discourse of Elihu is finely contrasted with the sharp and severe language of the other three; and especially are his wisdom, piety, and benevolence admirable, when we consider his youth, and the character and standing of those whom he addressed.  Job 32:1-22;  Job 33:1-33;  Job 34:1-37;  Job 35:1-16;  Job 36:1-33;  Job 37:1-24. Four other persons of the same name are mentioned in the old Testament.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Eli'hu (whose God is he (Jehovah).

1. One of the interlocutors, in the book of Job. See Job; Job, The Book of . He is described as the "son of Baerachel, the Buzite."

2. A forefather of Samuel, the prophet.  1 Samuel 1:1.

3. In  1 Chronicles 27:18, Elihu, "of the brethren of David," is mentioned as the chief of the tribe of Judah.

4. One of the captains of the thousands of Manasseh,  1 Chronicles 12:20, who followed David to Ziklag, after he had left the Philistine army, on the eve of the battle of Gilboa.

5. A Korhite Levite, in the time of David.  1 Chronicles 26:7.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A native of Buz,  Genesis 22:21 , which was probably a city of Edom,  Jeremiah 25:23 , perhaps Bozrah,  Jeremiah 49:7,8,13 . He came to condole with Job in his calamities. Young, ardent, sagacious, and devout, he listened attentively to the discourses of Job and his three friends; and at length broke in, with profuse apologies, to set them all right,  Job 32:1-22 . His address to Job he blames for condemning him as a hypocrite, in their ignorance of the wonders of God's providence. In several sentences he beautifully expresses his faith in the pardoning and restoring grace of God towards sinners,  Job 33:23,24,27-30 , passages in probably the oldest book of the Bible in the very spirit of the parable of the prodigal son.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

ELIHU . 1. An ancestor of Samuel (  1 Samuel 1:1 ); called in   1 Chronicles 6:34 Eliel , and in   1 Chronicles 6:27 Eliab. 2. A variation in   1 Chronicles 27:18 for Eliab , David’s eldest son (  1 Samuel 16:6 ). 3. A Manassite who joined David at Ziklag (  1 Chronicles 12:20 ). 4. A Korahite porter (  1 Chronicles 26:7 ). 5. See Job [Book of]. 6. An ancestor of Judith ( Jdt 8:1 ).

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Job 32:2 Job 32-37 Job 32-37

2. Samuel's great grandfather ( 1 Samuel 1:1 ).  3 . A member of tribe of Manasseh who defected to David ( 1 Chronicles 12:20 ).  4 . Mighty military hero under David ( 1 Chronicles 26:7 ).  5 . David's brother in charge of the tribe of Judah ( 1 Chronicles 27:18 ).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

One of the family of Obed-edom, who were appointed porters of the temple under David ( 1 Chronicles 26:7 ).

Copyright Statement These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Elihu'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/e/elihu.html. 1897.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

one of Job's friends, a descendant of Nahor,  Job 32:2 . See JOB .

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Hebrew Elihu', םאֵַַליהוּא . [but abbreviated ץלֵיתּוּ in  Job 32:4;  Job 35:1;  1 Chronicles 26:7;  1 Chronicles 27:18], whose God is He, i.e., Jehovah), the name of five men.

1. (Sept. Ε᾿λιούς .) One of Job's friends, described as "the son of Barachel, a Buzite, of the kindred of Ram" ( Job 32:2). This is usually understood to imply that he was descended from Buz, the son of Abraham's brother Nahor, from whose family the city called Buz ( Jeremiah 25:23) also took its name. The Chaldee paraphrase asserts that Elihu was a relation of Abraham. Elihu's name does not appear among those of the friends who came in the first instance to condole with Job, nor is his presence indicated till the debate between the afflicted man and his three friends had been brought to a conclusion. Then, finding there was no answer to Job's last speech, he comes forward with considerable modesty, which he loses as he proceeds, to remark on the debate, and to deliver his own opinion on the points at issue ( Job 32:1-22;  Job 37:1-24). B.C. cir. 2200. It appears, from the manner in which Elihu introduces himself ( Job 32:3-7), that he was much the youngest of the party; and it is evident that he had been present from the commencement of the discussion, to which he had paid very close attention.* This would suggest that the debate between Job and his friends was carried on in the presence of a deeply-interested auditory, among which was this Elihu, who could not forbear from interfering when the controversy appeared to have reached an unsatisfactory conclusion (see Kitto's Daily Bible Illust. in loc.). He expresses his desire to moderate between the disputants; and his words alone touch upon, although they do not thoroughly handle, that idea of the disciplinary nature of suffering, which is the key to Job's perplexity and doubt; but, as in the whole book, the greater stress is laid on God's unsearchable wisdom, and the implicit faith which he demands (see Velthuysen, De Elice carmine, Rotterdam, 1789-90). He does not enlarge on any supposable wickedness in Job as having brought his present distresses upon him, but controverts his replies, his inferences, and his arguments. He observes on the mysterious dispensations of Providence, which he insists, however they may appear to mortals, are full of wisdom and mercy; that the righteous have their share of prosperity in this life no less than the wicked;. that God is supreme, and that it becomes us to acknowledge and submit to that supremacy, since "the Creator wisely rules the world he made;" and he draws instances of benignity from the constant wonders of creation, of the seasons, etc. His language is copious, glowing, and sublime; and it deserves notice that Elihu does not appear to have offended God by his sentiments; nor is any sacrifice of atonement commanded for him as for the other speakers in the poem. It is almost pardonable that the character of Elihu has been thought figurative of a personage interposed between God and man — a mediator — one speaking "without terrors," and not disposed to overcharge mankind. This sentiment may have had its influence on the acceptability and preservation of the book of Job (see Hodges's Elihu, Oxford, 1750). (See Job (Book Of).)

2. (Sept. ᾿Ηλιού .) Son of Tohu, and grandfather of Elkanah, Samuel's father ( 1 Samuel 1:1). In the statements of the genealogy of Samuel in 1 Chronicles vi the name ELIEL (See Eliel) (q.v.) occurs in the same position — son of Toah, and father of Jeroham (6:34 [Hebrews  1 Samuel 6:19]); and also ELIAB (See Eliab) (6:27 [Hebrews 12:1-29]), father of Jeroham, and grandson of Zophai. The general opinion is that Elihu is the original name, and the two latter forms but copyists' variations of it.

3. (Sept. Ε᾿λιούδ v.r. Ε᾿λιμούθ .) One of the chiliarchs of Manasseh who joined David at Ziklag ( 1 Chronicles 12:20), after he had left the Philistine army on the eve of the battle of Gilboa, and who assisted him against the marauding band (גְּדוּד ) of the Amalekites (comp.  1 Samuel 30:1-31). B.C. 1053.

4. (Sept. Ε᾿λιού .) One of the eminently able-bodied members of the family of Obed-edom (apparently a grandson by Shemaiah), who were appointed porters of the Temple under David ( 1 Chronicles 26:7). B.C. 1043. Terms are applied to all these doorkeepers which appear to indicate that they were not only "strong men," as in A.V., but also fighting men. (See  1 Chronicles 26:6-8;  1 Chronicles 26:12, in which occur the words חִיַל = army, and גַּבּוֹרַים — warriors or heroes.)

5. (Sept. Ε᾿λιάβ .) A chief of the tribe of Judah, said to be "of the brethren of David" ( 1 Chronicles 27:18), and hence supposed by some to have been his oldest brother ELIAB (See Eliab) ( 1 Samuel 16:6). B.C. 1013 or ante.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Eli´hu (Jehovah is God). One of Job's friends, described as 'the son of Barachel, a Buzite, of the kindred of Ram' . This is usually understood to imply that he was descended from Buz, the son of Abraham's brother Nahor, from whose family the city called Buz also took its name. Elihu's name does not appear among those of the friends who came in the first instance to condole with Job, nor is his presence indicated till the debate between the afflicted man and his three friends had been brought to a conclusion. Then, finding there was no answer to Job's last speech, he comes forward with considerable modesty, which he loses as he proceeds, to remark on the debate, and to deliver his own opinion on the points at issue. The character and scope of his orations are described elsewhere [JOB, BOOK OF]. It appears, from the manner in which Elihu introduces himself, that he was by much the youngest of the party; and it is evident that he had been present from the commencement of the discussion, to which he had paid very close attention. This would suggest that the debate between Job and his friends was carried on in the presence of a deeply-interested auditory, among which was this Elihu, who could not forbear from interfering when the controversy appeared to have reached an unsatisfactory conclusion.