Old Testament Commentary - Job 6

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 6 Job bemouns his grief—He prays that God will grant his petitions—Those who are afflicted should be pittied—How forcible are right words!
1 BUT Job answered and said, 2 Oh that my ^agrief were throughly weighed^a, and my calamity laid in the balances together! 3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.	2^a that my grief were throughly weighed What is heaviest to bare it a wrong without cause suffered. If Job's afflictions had been deserved then Job would have been able to have dealt with them better. He would have had that which would have weighed against them, and he could procede to place blame and cause and come to grips with striving to become reconciled to the situation which he would have brought upon himself. As it were, there was no cause in it. The heaviness of the burden had no such counter weight against it to measure and blame. His, as it were, was an unjust 'punishment'. What is it to be so set upon unjustly? You have to have had such done against you to fully appreciate Job's feelings of true 'grief' here that some would lament as being a 'despair' of unequal balance. It is a misery of that which eats within you with nothing there to be consumed upon it. God knew of the righteousness of Job and knew where with Job's suffering without a recourse of action would be.	2^a TG Despair
4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. 5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder? 6 Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat. 8 Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! 9 Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
10 Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. 11 What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life? 12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass? 13 Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?
14 To him that is afflicted ^apity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. 15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away; 16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid: 17 What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.		14^a TG Compassion
18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish. 19 The ^atroops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them. 20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed. 21 For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.		19^a HEB caravans
22 Did I say, ^aBring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance? 23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty? 24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred^a.	24^a cause me to understand wherein I have erred Job in his exasperation, has searched his soul and come up empty for the justice of the inflection. If he had been guilty of something, Job could have had an enemy within of which he could attack and dealt with. But he has not but the unseeming logic of mere happenstance without cause to deal with. At best it was but that which man is dealt due to his fall to the mortal corruptable estate of mortal injustice. And whether Job had that depth of understanding that this life just is not to found to be fair inherently in and of itself is a thing to ponder. Job seems to reach some grasp of such things in some of his arrived at conclusions and deductions. But what also hurts it that those who call them friends also unjustly lay the blame full well upon Job when there is no such great transgression there to be found. 'It's just life, Job and life is not fair or easy.'	22^a IE gifts
25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove? 26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind? 27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a ^apit for your friend.		27^a 2 Ne. 28:8
28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie. 29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it. 30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?