Job 6
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1Then Job answered, 2“Oh that my anguish were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances! 3For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas, therefore have my words been rash. 4For the arrows of the Almighty are within me. My spirit drinks up their poison. The terrors of God set themselves in array against me. 5Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass? Or does the ox low over his fodder? 6Can that which has no flavor be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? 7My soul refuses to touch them. They are as loathsome food to me. 8“Oh that I might have my request, that God would grant the thing that I long for, 9even that it would please God to crush me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off! 10Be it still my consolation, yes, let me exult in pain that doesn’t spare, that I have not denied the words of the Holy One. 11What is my strength, that I should wait? What is my end, that I should be patient? 12Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of brass? 13Isn’t it that I have no help in me, That wisdom is driven quite from me? 14“To him who is ready to faint, kindness should be shown from his friend; even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty. 15My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a brook, as the channel of brooks that pass away; 16Which are black by reason of the ice, in which the snow hides itself. 17In the dry season, they vanish. When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place. 18The caravans that travel beside them turn away. They go up into the waste, and perish. 19The caravans of Tema looked. The companies of Sheba waited for them. 20They were distressed because they were confident. They came there, and were confounded. 21For now you are nothing. You see a terror, and are afraid. 22Did I say, ‘Give to me?’ or, ‘Offer a present for me from your substance?’ 23or, ‘Deliver me from the adversary’s hand?’ or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?’ 24“Teach me, and I will hold my peace. Cause me to understand wherein I have erred. 25How forcible are words of uprightness! But your reproof, what does it reprove? 26Do you intend to reprove words, since the speeches of one who is desperate are as wind? 27Yes, you would even cast lots for the fatherless, and make merchandise of your friend. 28Now therefore be pleased to look at me, for surely I shall not lie to your face. 29Please return. Let there be no injustice. Yes, return again. My cause is righteous. 30Is there injustice on my tongue? Can’t my taste discern mischievous things?
World English Bible (public domain)
“"For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me."”
Job 6:4
Summary
In Job 6, Job responds to his friend Eliphaz's speech. He begins by lamenting the unbearable weight of his suffering, comparing it to heavier than the sands of the sea. Job expresses his frustration at his friends' inability to understand the magnitude of his anguish. He feels betrayed and abandoned, as even his closest friends fail to offer genuine comfort. As Job reflects on his condition, he wishes God would grant him the relief of death, ending his intense misery. Despite his despair, Job maintains that he has not wavered in his faithfulness to God's words. Job challenges his friends, implying that their reproof is unfounded since he believes he is innocent of wrongdoing. He points out the futility of their arguments, likening them to a dry stream that offers no real consolation. Job desires understanding and compassion rather than judgment and rebuke. In his plea, he highlights the need for genuine empathy from his friends, urging them to recognize his integrity amidst his suffering. This chapter is significant because it highlights the depth of Job's suffering and his yearning for compassion and understanding. It reveals the inadequacy of superficial or misguided comfort, emphasizing the need for true empathy. Additionally, it shows Job's persistent commitment to integrity and honesty, even while facing profound despair.
Key Themes
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