Job 6:17

17 but in the heat they disappear, and the stream beds lie bare and dry.

Job 6:17 Meaning and Commentary

Job 6:17

What time they wax warm they vanish
The ice and the snow, which, when the weather becomes warm, they melt away and disappear; and in like manner, he suggests his friends ceased to be friends to him in a time of adversity; the sun of affliction having looked upon him, they deserted him, at least did not administer comfort to him:

when it is hot they are consumed out of their place;
when it is hot weather, and the sun has great strength then the waters, which swelled through the floods and fall of rain and snow, and which when frozen, looked black and big as if they had great depth in them, were quickly dried up, and no more to be seen in the place where they were; which still expresses the short duration of friendship among men, which Job had a sorrowful experience of.

Job 6:17 In-Context

15 But you, my friends, you deceive me like streams that go dry when no rain comes.
16 The streams are choked with snow and ice,
17 but in the heat they disappear, and the stream beds lie bare and dry.
18 Caravans get lost looking for water; they wander and die in the desert.
19 Caravans from Sheba and Tema search,
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.