איוב, פרק ל״ב, פסוק ט״ז

A tense silence descends upon the gathering, marking a pivotal shift from patient observation to active intervention. Initially, Elihu held back his response, delaying his entry into the debate. The primary approach among commentators is that he fully expected Job's friends to offer sensible and logical arguments. Even after realizing their responses lacked wisdom, he maintained his silence, waiting until they had completely exhausted their arguments [מצודת דוד]. He deliberately avoided stepping in right away, concerned that the men were merely pausing to catch their breath and would soon resume their dispute. Only when it became absolutely certain that they had no intention of speaking further did he prepare to step forward [מלבי״ם].

As the argument came to a close, the reactions of the men signaled the absolute end of the debate. The primary approach among commentators is that their stillness simply represents a complete cessation of speech. However, a different perspective suggests a literal, physical movement: the friends actually stood up from the ground. Because the debaters had been sitting on the earth throughout the entire exchange, rising to their feet served as an unmistakable sign that the discussion was entirely over [מלבי״ם].

Reflecting on the quality of the debate, another approach views their lack of speech not merely as an absence of words, but as a reflection of the utter emptiness of their arguments. Elihu held his peace because their earlier claims amounted to nothing but nonsense. Yet, he acknowledges that in the end, the friends finally displayed good sense by choosing to remain quiet and offering no further replies [אלשיך].