איוב, פרק ל״ה, פסוק א׳

Elihu begins a fresh phase in his dialogue, shifting the focus from broad principles to deeply personal struggles. After addressing the general concepts of reward and punishment in his previous speech, he intentionally pauses. This break gives his listeners time to absorb and reflect on his arguments. Following this silence, he launches into a third speech, turning his attention directly to Job's specific suffering [מצודת דוד].

In this new response, Elihu confronts Job's feelings of hopelessness. Job had questioned the value of turning away from sin, feeling that even when he is in the right, he remains crushed and unable to hold his head high. Elihu sets out to counter this mindset by emphasizing a core truth about God: He is entirely unaffected by human actions. God neither gains from a person's good deeds, nor does He lose from their mistakes.

Elihu also directs his message to Job's friends. He steps in because Bildad and Zophar failed to properly address Job's complaints. They missed a crucial point that only Eliphaz had managed to raise earlier, which is the fact that God has no need for human righteousness [תקות אנוש]. By bringing the friends into this conversation, Elihu ensures that everyone present understands the true nature of humanity's relationship with God.