seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Job 6:1 Then Job replied:
2 “If only my anguish could be weighed
and all my misery be placed on the scales!
3 It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—
no wonder my words have been impetuous.
4 The arrows of the Almighty are in me,
my spirit drinks in their poison;
God’s terrors are marshaled against me.
5 Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass,
or an ox bellow when it has fodder?
6 Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow[a]?
7 I refuse to touch it;
such food makes me ill.
and all my misery be placed on the scales!
3 It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—
no wonder my words have been impetuous.
4 The arrows of the Almighty are in me,
my spirit drinks in their poison;
God’s terrors are marshaled against me.
5 Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass,
or an ox bellow when it has fodder?
6 Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow[a]?
7 I refuse to touch it;
such food makes me ill.
8 “Oh, that I might have my request,
that God would grant what I hope for,
9 that God would be willing to crush me,
to let loose his hand and cut off my life!
10 Then I would still have this consolation—
my joy in unrelenting pain—
that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.
that God would grant what I hope for,
9 that God would be willing to crush me,
to let loose his hand and cut off my life!
10 Then I would still have this consolation—
my joy in unrelenting pain—
that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.
11 “What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
What prospects, that I should be patient?
12 Do I have the strength of stone?
Is my flesh bronze?
13 Do I have any power to help myself,
now that success has been driven from me?
What prospects, that I should be patient?
12 Do I have the strength of stone?
Is my flesh bronze?
13 Do I have any power to help myself,
now that success has been driven from me?
14 “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend
forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,
as the streams that overflow
16 when darkened by thawing ice
and swollen with melting snow,
17 but that stop flowing in the dry season,
and in the heat vanish from their channels.
18 Caravans turn aside from their routes;
they go off into the wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema look for water,
the traveling merchants of Sheba look in hope.
20 They are distressed, because they had been confident;
they arrive there, only to be disappointed.
21 Now you too have proved to be of no help;
you see something dreadful and are afraid.
22 Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
pay a ransom for me from your wealth,
23 deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?
forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,
as the streams that overflow
16 when darkened by thawing ice
and swollen with melting snow,
17 but that stop flowing in the dry season,
and in the heat vanish from their channels.
18 Caravans turn aside from their routes;
they go off into the wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema look for water,
the traveling merchants of Sheba look in hope.
20 They are distressed, because they had been confident;
they arrive there, only to be disappointed.
21 Now you too have proved to be of no help;
you see something dreadful and are afraid.
22 Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
pay a ransom for me from your wealth,
23 deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?
24 “Teach me, and I will be quiet;
show me where I have been wrong.
25 How painful are honest words!
But what do your arguments prove?
26 Do you mean to correct what I say,
and treat my desperate words as wind?
27 You would even cast lots for the fatherless
and barter away your friend.
show me where I have been wrong.
25 How painful are honest words!
But what do your arguments prove?
26 Do you mean to correct what I say,
and treat my desperate words as wind?
27 You would even cast lots for the fatherless
and barter away your friend.
28 “But now be so kind as to look at me.
Would I lie to your face?
29 Relent, do not be unjust;
reconsider, for my integrity is at stake.(b)
30 Is there any wickedness on my lips?
Can my mouth not discern malice?
Would I lie to your face?
29 Relent, do not be unjust;
reconsider, for my integrity is at stake.(b)
30 Is there any wickedness on my lips?
Can my mouth not discern malice?
a. Job 6:6 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
b. Job 6:29 Or my righteousness still stands
IMHO.... I'm clearing myself before this gets any deeper..... the commentaries are conflicted about what's going on here.... So.... in my humble opinion.... only someone who is grieving or has mourned deeply.... can judge another. In the last chapter Eliphaz broke the silence after a week of watching Job in horrible despair. Eliphaz told him [paraphrased] "put on your big boy pants" and get on with it. One commentary calls it "a poetic call to repentance" while another says it was no help. I don't know if Job gave his friends credit for just being there for him in his week of need while he sat around wondering what he did to deserve the loss of his children. When a grown man cries out loud.... it's heart wrenching.....
So this is from the easy English site.....
In chapter 3, Job described his feelings. His friends listened. But Eliphaz did not answer wisely. Eliphaz’s explanation in chapters 4-5 was too simple. So, Job spoke again.
A heavy weight is a great strain for the person who must carry it. And Job’s troubles were a terrible strain for Job. Job spoke because of this strain. And Job was not sure that his words were correct.
Job thought that God caused Job’s troubles. Job did not realise that the devil caused these troubles.
A farm animal might be noisy when it needs food. Such an animal is complaining because it is hungry. When Job spoke, he too made a noise. When he spoke, Job was complaining like the hungry animal. But Job was not hungry. He was ill. And if he ate food, he was sick.
This is from enduringword.com.Then Job answered and said: Job’s friends were kind enough to sit with him in sympathetic silence for some seven days (Job 2:13). Job broke the silence with an anguished rant (Job 3), and Eliphaz responded with a poetic call to repentance. Now, Job will answer the words of Eliphaz the Temanite.
Therefore my words have been rash: Job’s outburst in Job 3 did not curse God, but it did come close. Job here admitted that his words were indeed rash, but explained that it was because of the excessive heaviness of his grief.
“Job declared, in effect, that he did not understand the cry because he did not know the pain.” (Morgan)
The arrows of the Almighty are within me: Job explained why his suffering was so deep and his words were so rash. It was because he felt that God Himself had attacked and cursed him. He felt that God had shot arrows at him; had sent poison against him; and had arrayedHis terrors against Job.
Is my help not within me: We should not think that Job was like a motivational self-help speaker encouraging himself to looking within for a hidden resource of help. Instead these words from the pain-wracked man sitting on a burned-out place in a garbage dump indicate Job’s absolute sense of helplessness. If Job’s only help was within him, then he had no help. Indeed, all success is driven from him.
The NIV translation of Job 6:13 is helpful: Do I have any power to help myself, now that success has been driven from me?
“The words of Job can bring immense comfort for the simple reason that many sufferers have felt rage but have been too ashamed to express it.” (Smick)
All our lives we [Christians raised in the church] are told.... Jesus lives in your heart. Jesus will comfort you. Jesus will guide you. Talk to Jesus.... He will help you on the right path...... And we start to depend on it...... There's always that warm glow.... God within us.....
Jesus hadn't done His work on earth yet..... so Job was totally dependent on God. This is the God of Abraham.... and Isaac.... Job had become use to feeling God within him..... Job had become use to God being his compass. Now.... for some reason.... God seems to have left Job.... and Job had no clue why???!
On top of not knowing why God chose to take his children and all his stuff..... Job had a bigger problem..... God left.... who was he going to depend on now..... without God.... well it's like being a motherless child....
If this were a movie.... there would be a war going on..... and in the middle of the road in the middle of a horrible battle.... there set a baby.... screaming.... afraid.... no one to help him...... that's what Job is describing.... after Eliphaz's poetic call..... Job was still empty......without that compass.....
