Job 6:22

22 Have I asked you to give me a gift or to bribe someone on my behalf

Job 6:22 Meaning and Commentary

Job 6:22

Did I say, bring unto me?
&c.] Or, "give unto me" ^F2; did I invite you to come to me, and bring in your hands presents for me, to support me under my necessitous circumstances?

or give a reward for me of your substance?
did I ever ask anything of you? if I had, it would have been but your duty to have given freely to me in my deplorable circumstances; and it might have been expected you would have given without asking, seeing my necessities so great: or did I desire you to communicate out of the great wealth and abundant riches you are possessed of to others on my behalf, to plead my cause among men, and to get a favourable sentence upon me, that I might not be traduced as a wicked man by censorious tongues? had I ever been troublesome to you in any respect, you might have been provoked to use me ill; but since nothing of this kind has ever been requested of you, you might have forborne ill language and hard words; which are often given to beggars; for when a man is fallen to decay, and becomes troublesome by his importunity, twenty things are raked up by his friends against his character; as that he has been lazy and indolent, or lavish and extravagant to save their money, and excuse them from acts of charity; but this was not the case here.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 (yl wbh) "date mihi", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, Cocceius, Michaelis.

Job 6:22 In-Context

20 but their hope dies beside dry streams.

21 You are like those streams to me, you see my fate and draw back in fear.

22 Have I asked you to give me a gift or to bribe someone on my behalf

23 or to save me from some enemy or tyrant?

24 All right, teach me; tell me my faults. I will be quiet and listen to you.