Job 6:9-19

9 "Would that God were 1willing to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off!
10 "But it is still my consolation, And I rejoice in unsparing * pain, That I 2have not denied the words of the Holy One.
11 "What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should 3endure *?
12 "Is my strength the strength of stones, Or is my flesh bronze?
13 "Is it that my 4help is not within me, And that 5deliverance is driven from me?
14 "For the 6despairing man there should be kindness from his friend; So that he does not 7forsake the fear of the Almighty.
15 "My brothers have acted 8deceitfully like a wadi, Like the torrents of wadis which vanish,
16 Which are turbid because of ice And into which the snow melts.
17 "When 9they become waterless, they are silent, When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 "The paths of their course wind along, They go up into nothing and perish.
19 "The caravans of 10Tema looked, The travelers of 11Sheba hoped for them.

Job 6:9-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 6

This and the following chapter contain Job's answer to the speech of Eliphaz in the two foregoing; he first excuses his impatience by the greatness of his afflictions, which, if weighed by good and impartial hands, would be found to be heavier than the sand of the sea, and which words were wanting to express, Job 6:1-3; and the reason why they were so heavy is given, they being the arrows and terrors of the Almighty, Job 6:4; and by various similes he shows that his moans and complaints under them need not seem strange and unreasonable, Job 6:5-7; and what had been said not being convincing to him, he continues in the same sentiment and disposition of mind, and wishes to be removed by death out of his miserable condition, and gives his reasons for it, Job 6:8-13; and though his case was such as required pity from his friends, yet this he had not from them, but represents them as deceitful, and as having sadly disappointed him, and therefore he neither hoped nor asked for anything of them, Job 6:14-23; and observes that their words and arguments were of no force and weight with him, but harmful and pernicious, Job 6:24-27; and in his turn gives them some exhortations and instructions, and signifies that he was as capable of discerning between right and wrong as they, with which this chapter is concluded, Job 6:28-30.

Cross References 11

  • 1. Numbers 11:15; 1 Kings 19:4; Job 7:16; Job 9:21; Job 10:1
  • 2. Job 22:22; Job 23:11, 12
  • 3. Job 21:4
  • 4. Job 26:2
  • 5. Job 26:3
  • 6. Job 4:5
  • 7. Job 1:5; Job 15:4
  • 8. Jeremiah 15:18
  • 9. Job 24:19
  • 10. Genesis 25:15; Isaiah 21:14; Jeremiah 25:23
  • 11. Job 1:15

Footnotes 9

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