How to Read Job

In this case, Job’s offensive self-righteousness, so strident that it undermines the justice of God, was not evident until he began to suffer. Therefore the suffering was necessary in order to reveal the problem.

He contends that Job’s self-righteous defense of himself is serious enough to justify punitive action against him.

Elihu accuses Job of self-righteousness so extreme that even God’s character is impugned before it.