7/28/2019 Job Chapter 6

1/3

Chapter 6

Job replies to Eliphazs first speech

Job is very sad

v1 But Job said:

v2 I am so sad. My sad feelings seem like a terrible weight. v3 And that weight feels heavierthan all the sand at the seaside. So, forgive me if I spoke too soon.

v4 I feel as if God shot me with arrows. There is poison on the arrows. And the poison entersmy spirit. God has caused me many troubles. v5 I do not complain without a reason. You donot hear an animals call (noise) when that animal has enough food. v6 But food does nothelp me. You can put salt on food that has no flavour. v7 But I cannot accept this food. Itmakes me sick.

Chapter 6

Verse 1

In chapter 3, Job described his feelings. His friends listened. But Eliphaz did not answer wisely.Eliphazs explanation in chapters 4-5 was too simple. So, Job spoke again.

Verses 2-3

A heavy weight is a great strain for the person who must carry it. And Jobs troubles were aterrible strain for Job. Job spoke because of this strain. And Job was not sure that his wordswere correct.

Verse 4

Job thought that God caused Jobs troubles. Job did not realise that the devil caused thesetroubles.

Verses 5-7

A farm animal might be noisy when it needs food. Such an animal is complaining because it ishungry. When Job spoke, he too made a noise. When he spoke, Job was complaining like thehungry animal. But Job was not hungry. He was ill. And if he ate food, he was sick.

Job prays to God

v8 So, I pray to God. And this is my prayer. v9 I pray that God will allow me to die. v10 If so, Iwould be glad, although my pain was great. I would be glad because I did not deny the wordsof God.

v11 I have no strength. So, I am hopeless. And I have no hopes for the future. v12 I am notstrong, like metal or a stone. v13 I am unable to help myself, because I cannot succeed.

Verses 8-9

Job was weak. Both his body and his spirit were weak (see verse 12). Job felt as if he could noteven control his own words (verse 3, verse 5). So, Job prayed a sad prayer. He prayed that hewould die.

Verse 10

Job did not want to die because of his pain. He totally trusted God to do the right things (Job1:21).

7/28/2019 Job Chapter 6

2/3

In fact, Job wanted to die because he was afraid about his own words. Job did not want to insultGod (Job 2:9-10). Job could not control his words (verse 3, verse 5). But Job did not want todeny Gods words. So Job prayed that he would die. Job wanted to die so that he did not say anevil word about God. And then, Job would be glad. God is great. We should always respectGod. We should be careful with our words (James 3:2-12).

Verses 11-13

Job explained that his body and his spirit were weak. Job used to be a great man, whomeverybody respected (Job 1:3; Job 29:1-10; Job 29:21-25). He was a leader of his people. Butnow, Job needed help. And his friends were not helping him.

Job cannot trust his friends

v14 When a man has many troubles, his friends should support that man. They should evenhelp a man who does not respect God.

v15 You are like brothers to me. But I cannot trust you. You are like streams that are dry inhot weather. v16 When ice and snow melt, these streams are full. v17 But when the weatheris dry, these streams are empty. The weather is hot, and there is no water.

v18 People who trust these streams are in danger. People leave the roads to find the stream.

These people wander. And they will die (because they cannot find any water). v19 Merchantstravel from distant countries. They search for the water. v20 They are confident until theyarrive at the stream. But they are sad when they cannot find any water.

v21 You are like those streams. You cannot help me. You have seen my troubles. But youare afraid.

v22 But I have not asked you to help me. I have not requested your money. v23 I have notasked you to rescue me from my enemy. And I have not asked you to save me from a cruelman.

v24 If you teach me, I will be quiet. Tell me, if I am wrong. v25 If your words are honest, thenyour words might upset me. But your speeches prove nothing. v26 Perhaps you just want toargue with me. You see that my situation is hopeless. So perhaps you think that my words

mean nothing, like the sound of the wind. v27 You do not even care about a child who has nofather. You prefer to play games than to help your friend.

v28 But now, be kind to me! Look at me! I do not lie to you. v29 Be fair! Think about thesematters again. I am an innocent man. v30 My words are not wicked. I know the differencebetween right deeds and wrong deeds.

Verse 14

We ought to support someone who suffers (Galatians 6:2). We should help everyone whoneeds our help (Matthew 25:34-45). We should sympathise with them. But Jobs friends did notdo this. These friends were close friends. Job thought that they were like brothers to him (verse15). But Eliphazs words were too simple. His advice was wrong. In chapter 22, Eliphaz wouldaccuse Job. So, Job could not trust his friends.

Verses 15-21There are some streams that travellers can always trust. The water is always plentiful, even inthe driest weather. When the travellers arrive at these streams, there is water for them. Andthere is water for their animals.

But there are other streams that travellers should not trust. These streams might seem good.During many months, such streams are full of water. But these streams are dangerous. In thedriest weather, there is no water. Men might travel far to reach these streams. But the stream isdry. And the men will die, because they are too tired to travel further.

7/28/2019 Job Chapter 6

3/3

Jobs friends seemed like those dry streams. When Jobs life was good, his friends were goodfriends. But when Job had troubles, they could not help him. When Job needed their help (verse13), they did not support him.

God is a closer friend than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). God will always support us in ourtroubles (Proverbs 18:10). God cares about us (1 Peter 5:7).

Verses 22-23Job knew that his friends could not help him. His troubles were too great. His friends moneycould not help him. And they could not defend h im. They were too late. Jobs trouble hadalready happened before they arrived.

Job was starting to realise that he needed Gods help. Only God could rescue him. But Job didnot yet know that God was already helping him. In fact, Job thought that God was his enemy(verse 4).

Verses 24-27

Job thought that his friends were not sincere. Perhaps they wanted to argue. Perhaps theyenjoyed their conversation. Perhaps they were playing games with their words.

But Job was not playing games. His troubles were great. Jobs friends could not feel Jobs pain.

And they did not know the answers to Jobs troubles.Verses 28-30

Job said that he was innocent. He did not pretend that he was perfect (Job 31:33). But Job wasa genuine servant of God (Job 1:8). Job respected God. And he refused to do evil deeds. ButJobs friends did not believe this (Job chapter 22).