Bible Commentaries
Job 6

Verses 1-30

The First Speech of Job (Job 6, 7)

1-13. Job, smarting under the remarks of Eliphaz, which he feels are not appropriate to his case, renews and justifies his complaints. He bemoans the heaviness of God’s hand, and wishes that He would slay him outright.

2, 3. Job admits that he was rash in his remarks (in Job 3), but declares that his language was justified by his miserable condition.

3. Are swallowed up] RV ’have been rash.’

4. It is because he feels that his troubles are due to God that he is almost beside himself, since he cannot understand their motive. In Job 3 he had not charged God with being the author of his sorrows.

5-7. Job continues to assert that he would not complain without good cause.

5. The animals cease their cries when their wants are satisfied.

6. Unsavoury] without flavour.

The white of an egg] Some prefer RM ’the juice of purslain.’

7. RV ’My soul refuseth to touch them They are as loathsome meat to me.’ Job 6:6-7 may mean that Job’s afllictions are as intolerable to him as loathsome food.

8-10. Job longs for the stroke of death to descend and release him from his pain.

10. Yea, I would, etc.] RV ’Yea, I would exult in pain that spareth not: for I have not denied,’ etc. Job fears not death, for he is unconscious of sin towards God. The passage is difficult, since J ob does not expect retribution after death. The original text may not be correctly preserved.

11. Prolong my life] RV ’be patient.’ Since there is nothing but death before him, how can he help being impatient for its arrival?

12. He is not made of stone or brass that he can bear such troubles.

13. RV ’Is it not that I have no help in me, and sound wisdom is driven quite from me?’ He is exhausted and without resource.

14-30. Job complains of the lack of sympathy and false conclusions of the friends. They have bitterly disappointed the hopes he had set on them.

14. But he forsaketh] RV ’even to him that forsaketh.’ Kind words from his friends might have helped Job to retain his trust in God, which he feared to lose.

15-20. Job likens the treatment of the friends to sudden torrents, which fill the deep ravines or wadies of his land after storms. These flow abundantly in the winter, when they are least needed. In the parching heats of summer they dry up, and are sought in vain by wandering caravans which perish from thirst. So his friends fail him when most wanted.

16. In the winter the torrents are black and turbid with melting snow. There is plenty of ice in winter in the upper parts of Edom.

18. RV ’The caravans that travel by the way of them turn aside’ (in search of water). They go up into the waste, and perish.

19, 20. Troops] RV ’caravans.’ Tema.. Sheba] in Arabia. The vv. describe the disappointment (ashamed) of the Arab caravans.

21. Ye are nothing] RM ’ye are like thereto,’ i.e. to the deceptive brooks. But it would be better to read ’so have ye been to me.’ And are afraid] perhaps of showing sympathy, since they thought him guilty of sin. 22, 23. All that Job looked for from them was sympathy.

25. Forcible] perhaps ’irritating’ would be better, a bitter sarcasm.

What doth your arguing reprove?] At what sin are they aiming?

26. ’Are you finding fault with desperate words uttered in distress?’

27. Render, ’Would you sadden the bereaved and wound your friend?’

28. Look upon me] i.e. in the face. For it is evident, etc.] RV ’For surely I shall not lie to your face.’

29. Render, ’Reconsider my case; do not do me such injustice.’ Yes, reconsider it; my cause is a righteous one!

Iniquity] RV ’injustice.’

30. Is there iniquity, etc.] rather, ’Is my tongue perverted?’Cannot my taste, etc.] ’Cannot I distinguish between right and wrong as well as you can?’