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Elihu may have been younger, but he had the genealogy going for him.
But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned because he justified himself before God.
Job 32:2 NASB
Genealogy was so important at that time. Elihu was young and did not carry much weight with his opinion, so the full genealogy is also an indicator of the fact that he had no personal accomplishments to merit his words. However, he would have been a relative of the Israelites and part of Abraham’s line based on other texts. We find evidence of this connection through Buz (the person in Genesis 22) as well as Buz (the city) in Jeremiah 25. The city was most likely named after the family.
Now it came about after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn and Buz his brother and Kemuel the father of Aram 22 and Chesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph and Bethuel.”
Genesis 22:20-22 NASB
and Dedan, Tema, Buz and all who cut the corners of their hair;
Jeremiah 25:23
By these accounts we know he was not a fictional character because his roots are clearly outlined and backed by other parts of Scripture. There is a reason he has his heritage outlined and Job’s other friends do not. Also, it is interesting that his name in Hebrew means ‘My God is He.’
In addition to all this, there are some very interesting layers that overlap when looking at biblical themes throughout the sweep of Scripture. At the transfiguration of Christ (Matthew 17) Elijah and Moses appeared before Jesus in the sky as Peter, James, and John looked on. Many believe this was a metaphor for Jesus’ words in Matthew 22.
And He said to him, ” ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38 “This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:37-40 NASB
Verse 40 points to the Law (represented at the Transfiguration by Moses) and the Prophets (represented at the Transfiguration by Elijah). By all this we know that Elijah was considered, at least in the Old Testament, a vital component as a forerunner for Christ. Elijah’s name means ‘My God is YAHWEH.’ Sound familiar?
It could be said that in the same way Elijah came with boldness and authority as a forerunner for Christ, Elihu is coming with boldness and authority as a forerunner for God (who speaks later in Job). The Hebrew meaning for their names is virtually identical, and their purpose of preparation is also hard to ignore.
The depth of Scripture is infinite.