Job's Suffering Is Overwhelming
Study note
Job replies to Eliphaz by describing the weight of his pain. If his grief could be put on a scale, it would be heavier than the sand of the sea. He says God's arrows are sticking into him and God's terrors are lined up against him. Job uses vivid word pictures: a wild donkey does not bray when it has grass, and no one eats tasteless food without salt. His point is that no one complains without a reason.
1 Then Job replied, But Job answered and said,
2 'If only someone could pile all my grief and pain on a scale and weigh it!' Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!
3 'It would be heavier than all the sand along the seashore. No wonder my words come out sounding so desperate.' For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.
4 'The Almighty's arrows are buried deep inside me, and my whole being is soaking up their poison. God has lined up everything terrifying against me.' 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 'Does a wild donkey cry out when it has plenty of grass? Does an ox complain when it has food?' Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?
6 'Can anyone eat bland food that has no salt? Is there any taste at all in the white of an egg?' Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 'I cannot stomach such things. Even thinking about them makes me feel sick.' The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.
Job Wishes for Death
Study note
Job openly wishes that God would crush him and end his life. He says his only comfort would be knowing that he has not denied the words of the Holy One. He asks what strength he has left to hope. Is he made of stone or bronze? He feels completely helpless.
8 'I wish so badly that God would give me what I am asking for! I wish he would grant what I long for!' Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9 'What I want is for God to go ahead and crush me. I want him to reach out and end my life!' Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
10 'That would give me some relief. Even in the worst pain, I could hold on, because I have never turned my back on the words of the Holy One.' 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 'I have no strength left to keep hoping. What is the point of being patient when there is nothing to look forward to?' What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?
12 'Am I made of rock? Is my body built from metal?' Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
13 'I have zero ability to help myself. Every bit of strength has been stripped away from me.' Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?
Friends Who Fail Like Dry Streams
Study note
Job compares his friends to desert streams. In winter these streams are full of water from melting ice and snow. But when summer comes and travelers desperately need water, the streams dry up and disappear. Caravans from Tema and Sheba look for water but find nothing. That is exactly what Job's friends are like -- unreliable when he needs them most.
14 'When someone is falling apart, their friend should be kind to them. This is true even if that person has lost their respect for the Almighty.' To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
15 'But you, my so-called friends, have let me down like a stream in the desert -- like water paths that dry up and vanish.' My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
16 'Those streams get dark when they are full of ice and swollen with melting snow.' Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:
17 'But the moment warm weather arrives, they vanish. When summer heat comes, they dry up and are gone.' What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
18 'Travelers wander off the road looking for those streams. They head out into the empty wasteland and die.' The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.
19 'Trade caravans from Tema searched for that water. Merchants from Sheba expected to find it.' The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.
20 'They were completely let down. They had felt so sure, but when they arrived, they found nothing.' They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.
21 'That is exactly what you have turned out to be for me -- nothing at all. You take one look at how terrible things are for me, and you back away in fear.' For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.
Job Challenges His Friends
Study note
Job points out that he never asked his friends for money or rescue. He just wanted honest truth. He challenges them to show him where he has gone wrong. Honest words are powerful, he says, but their arguments prove nothing. He accuses them of treating the words of a desperate man as nothing but hot air. He begs them to look at him honestly and recognize that he is telling the truth.
22 'Did I ever beg you, "Give me some money"? Did I ask you, "Use your own wealth to buy my freedom"?' Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
23 'Did I ever plead, "Rescue me from an enemy"? Or, "Save me from someone too powerful for me"?' Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
24 'explain to me what I did wrong, and I will stop talking. Point out my mistake to me.' Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25 'Words that are truthful truly do hit hard! But what exactly do your arguments prove about me?' How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?
26 'Are you trying to find fault with the things I say? Do you treat the words of someone in agony as nothing more than hot air?' Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
27 'You would be the people who gamble to win an orphan and sell out your own friend for a deal.' Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.
28 'Please, look me in the eye! I would never lie to your face.' Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.
29 'Step back and reconsider. Do not be unfair to me. Think it over again, because my innocence is what is at stake here.' Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.
30 'Do you hear wickedness coming from my mouth? Can I not tell the difference between what is right and what is wrong?' Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?