THE BOOK OF
JOB
Job 6 ©
Job shows the reasons he has for his great dismay and complaints, v. 1, etc. And consequently finds no relish in the reproof of Eliphaz¸ 6. He wishes for death, 8. Despairs of bodily health, 11. Accuses Eliphaz of judging perversely of the uprightness of his person, 13. Of indiscretion, 14. Of unfaithfulness in the comforting of his friends, 15. Of unkindness in carping at his words, 24. He entreats his friends to desist from such reprehensions, and to give better heed to his case, 28.
BUT Job answered and said,
Oh that my 1grief were 2throughly weighed, and my 3calamity 4laid in the balances together!
For now 5it would be heavier than thea sand of the sea: therefore my words 6are swallowed up.
Forb the 7arrows of the Almighty are within me, 8the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: 9the terrors of God 10do set themselves in array against me.
Doth the wild ass 11bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?
Can that which is 12unsavoury be eaten 13without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an 14egg?
The things that my soul refused to 15touch are as my 16sorrowful meat.
17Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me 18the thing that I long for!
Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his 19hand, and 20cut me off!
Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden 21myself in sorrow: let 22him not spare; 23for I have not concealed the words of the 24Holy One.
What is my strength, 25that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong 26my life?
Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
Is not my 27help in me? and is 28wisdom driven quite from me?
To him that 29is afflicted 30pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
My 31brethren have dealt deceitfully 32as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
Which are 33blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:
What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is 34hot, they are 35consumed out of their place.
The paths 36of their way are turned aside; they 37go to nothing, and perish.
The 38troops of 39Tema 40looked, the 41companies of 42Sheba waited for them.
They were confounded because 43they 44had hoped; they came 45thither, and were ashamed.
For 46now ye are nothing; ye see my 47casting down, and 48are afraid.
Did I say, 49Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
How forcible are 50right words! but 51what doth your arguing reprove?
52Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches 53of one that is desperate, which are as 54wind?
Yea, ye overwhelm the 55fatherless, and ye 56dig a pit for your friend.
Now therefore be content, 57look upon me; for 58it is evident unto you if I lie.
59Return, I pray you, 60let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness 61is 62in it.
Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my 63taste 64discern perverse things?