Job Chapter 6
Job Replies to Eliphaz: “What Does Your Arguing Prove?”
A. Job laments his affliction.
1. (Job 6:1–7) Job explains his rash words.
Job 6:1–7 (KJV)
“But Job answered and said,
Oh that my grief were throughly weighed,
And my calamity laid in the balances together!
For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea:
Therefore my words are swallowed up.
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.
Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass?
Or loweth the ox over his fodder?
Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
The things that my soul refused to touch
Are as my sorrowful meat.”
a. Then Job answered and said
Job now responds directly to Eliphaz after enduring both physical agony and theological accusation. His friends had initially done well by sitting in silence for seven days, as recorded earlier in Job 2:13 (KJV), “So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.” That silence ended when Job lamented the day of his birth in Job chapter 3. Eliphaz then answered with what he believed to be wise counsel in Job chapters 4 and 5, urging Job toward repentance under the assumption that suffering must be the result of sin. Job’s reply is not a rejection of God, but a rejection of Eliphaz’s diagnosis. He speaks as a wounded man attempting to articulate pain that has been misunderstood and misjudged.
b. Oh that my grief were throughly weighed
Job begins by expressing the immeasurable weight of his suffering. He does not deny that his words have been strong, but he insists they must be interpreted in light of the burden he carries. He wishes his grief and calamity could be placed together on a scale, not separately, because taken together they would demonstrate why his speech overflowed with anguish. The imagery emphasizes that Eliphaz has underestimated the depth of Job’s pain. Scripture later vindicates Job’s complaint when the LORD Himself rebukes the friends in Job 42:7 (KJV), “And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.” Job’s grief was real, legitimate, and not the product of hidden wickedness.
c. For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea, therefore my words are swallowed up
Job acknowledges that his words overflowed because the weight of his suffering surpassed his ability to contain it. The phrase “swallowed up” reflects speech overwhelmed by emotion rather than calculated rebellion. His lament in Job chapter 3 came from pressure, not profanity. Scripture elsewhere acknowledges that deep distress can strain even the godly, as seen in Psalm 38:4 (KJV), “For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” Job’s point is not self justification, but explanation.
d. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me
Here Job reveals the most painful aspect of his suffering, his perception that God Himself is the source of his affliction. He does not attribute his pain to chance, nature, or men, but to divine action. The imagery of poisoned arrows conveys suddenness, penetration, and internal torment. Job believes that God’s terrors have lined up against him like an organized army. This language will frame his entire dialogue until God finally speaks. Importantly, Job never denies God’s sovereignty, even in despair. His anguish flows from believing that the God he reveres has turned against him. Similar language appears in Psalm 88:7 (KJV), “Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves.” Job’s theology is not shallow, but it is incomplete, lacking knowledge of the heavenly counsel described earlier in the book.
e. Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass, or loweth the ox over his fodder
Job defends the legitimacy of his lament by appealing to nature. Animals cry out only when deprived or distressed. The wild donkey brays when hungry, not when satisfied. The ox does not low over abundant feed. Job’s complaint is therefore evidence of genuine lack and suffering, not ingratitude or rebellion. His argument is simple and devastating, pain produces protest. Silence in suffering is not proof of righteousness, and lament is not proof of guilt. Scripture consistently allows for vocal grief, as seen in Lamentations 3:19–20 (KJV), “Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.”
f. Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the white of an egg
Job now turns his attention directly toward Eliphaz’s words. He compares them to tasteless food, technically edible, but utterly unhelpful. Eliphaz spoke with theological accuracy but without compassion. His counsel lacked sympathy, consolation, and understanding of Job’s actual condition. Words spoken without mercy may be true in form yet harmful in effect. Scripture warns against this kind of speech in Proverbs 25:20 (KJV), “As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.” Job did not need correction, he needed comfort.
g. The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat
Job concludes this section by stating that Eliphaz’s counsel has become repulsive to him, not because truth is offensive, but because it was applied cruelly. Instead of nourishing his soul, these words deepened his sorrow. Job’s reaction highlights a vital principle, correct doctrine delivered without love can wound more deeply than open hostility. This anticipates the later biblical truth found in 1 Corinthians 13:1 (KJV), “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”
2. (Job 6:8–10) Job longs for God to grant the escape of death.
Stage 1, The Scripture Text (KJV)
Job 6:8–10 (KJV)
“Oh that I might have my request;
And that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
Even that it would please God to destroy me;
That he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
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.”
Stage 2, Expositional Commentary, Paragraph and Note Format
a. Oh that I might have my request
Job now gives voice to the desire that has been building since his lament in Job chapter 3. His request is singular and direct, that God would bring his life to an end. This is not an expression of rebellion or unbelief, but the cry of a man who sees no relief ahead and no explanation behind. Job does not take matters into his own hands, he does not contemplate suicide, but he longs for God Himself to act. This distinction is important, because it shows Job still submitting to divine authority even while pleading for release. Scripture records similar cries from faithful servants under unbearable pressure, such as 1 Kings 19:4 (KJV), “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”
b. Even that it would please God to destroy me
Job’s language is stark. He asks that it would actually please God to end his life. This reveals the depth of his despair and also his theology. Job still believes God governs all things, including life and death. He would rather die by God’s hand than continue living under what he perceives as divine hostility. His suffering has reached a point where death appears to him not as defeat, but as mercy. Yet even here, Job does not curse God. He pleads, but he does not blaspheme. His anguish mirrors the honesty found in Psalm 6:3 (KJV), “My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?”
c. That he would let loose his hand, and cut me off
The imagery returns to God’s hand as the source of Job’s affliction. Earlier Job spoke of arrows shot from the Almighty, now he asks that the same hand might finish the work. To be “cut off” is to be removed completely, to have suffering ended decisively rather than prolonged. Job views continued existence under unrelenting pain as worse than death itself. From his limited perspective, prolongation serves no redemptive purpose. Later revelation will show that God’s purposes often extend far beyond what the sufferer can perceive, but at this moment Job speaks honestly from within the darkness.
d. Then should I yet have comfort
Paradoxically, Job says that death would bring him comfort. This reveals how unbearable his present condition has become. He does not expect joy, reward, or vindication in death, only relief. His comfort would not come from escaping God, but from escaping agony. Even in this statement, Job does not deny God’s righteousness. He believes that if God chooses to end his life, that act itself would be a form of consolation. This reflects the biblical reality that prolonged suffering can distort perspective without destroying faith.
e. Yea, I would harden myself in sorrow, let him not spare
Job declares that even if death itself were painful, he would accept it without complaint. The phrase reflects grim resolve rather than defiance. Job is saying that he would face death firmly because it would at least be final. He asks God not to spare him further misery. This is not bravado, but exhaustion. The prolonged nature of suffering has worn him down to the point where endurance itself feels meaningless. Scripture acknowledges that there are limits to human strength, as seen in Psalm 102:11 (KJV), “My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.”
f. For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One
Here Job again asserts his integrity. He does not claim sinlessness, but faithfulness. He has not denied, rejected, or concealed the words of God. Despite his confusion, pain, and protest, Job has remained loyal to divine revelation. This statement directly contradicts Eliphaz’s assumption that Job’s suffering must be the result of hidden rebellion. Job’s conscience is clear on this point. He may question God’s actions, but he has not abandoned God’s truth. This distinction is critical, because it shows that honest lament is not the same as apostasy.
3. (Job 6:11–13) Job laments his weakness.
Job 6:11–13 (KJV)
“What is my strength, that I should hope?
And what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?
Is my strength the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh of brass?
Is not my help in me?
And is wisdom driven quite from me?”
a. What is my strength, that I should hope
Job now turns from longing for death to confronting the reality of his weakness. Hope, in his mind, requires strength, and strength is exactly what he lacks. Chronic suffering has stripped him of emotional, physical, and psychological reserves. He sees no internal capacity that would justify continued endurance. This is the voice of a man worn down beyond optimism. Scripture elsewhere acknowledges this condition, as in Psalm 73:26 (KJV), “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” At this point in Job’s experience, he cannot yet see that truth clearly.
b. And what is mine end, that I should prolong my life
Job questions the purpose of continued existence. If there is no meaningful conclusion ahead, no resolution, no restoration, then prolonging life only prolongs pain. This is not philosophical despair, but practical exhaustion. Job is asking why endurance is being demanded of him when no outcome is visible. From his perspective, prolongation serves no good end.
c. Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh of brass
Job uses vivid imagery to deny any notion of superhuman resilience. He is not made of stone, he is not forged of bronze. He is flesh, and flesh breaks under pressure. These questions emphasize the unreasonable expectations placed on him by his friends. They speak as though Job should endure indefinitely without collapse. Job insists that such expectations deny basic human frailty.
d. Is not my help in me, and is wisdom driven quite from me
Job concludes this section with a devastating admission. He has no internal resources left. If help must come from within, then he is without help entirely. Any sense of effectiveness, stability, or forward movement has been driven away. This is not self reliance, but the opposite. Job is confessing total helplessness. He sits stripped of strength, stripped of hope, stripped of visible purpose. Yet even here, he does not deny God’s existence or authority. He simply confesses that, from where he sits, he has nothing left to offer.
B. Job challenges Eliphaz.
1. (Job 6:14–23) Job criticizes Eliphaz and defends himself.
Stage 1, The Scripture Text (KJV)
Job 6:14–23 (KJV)
“To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend;
But he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook,
And as the stream of brooks they pass away;
Which are blackish by reason of the ice,
And wherein the snow is hid:
What time they wax warm, they vanish:
When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
The paths of their way are turned aside;
They go to nothing, and perish.
The troops of Tema looked,
The companies of Sheba waited for them.
They were confounded because they had hoped;
They came thither, and were ashamed.
For now ye are nothing;
Ye see my casting down, and are afraid.
Did I say, Bring 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?”
Stage 2, Expositional Commentary, Paragraph and Note Format
a. To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend
Job begins his confrontation with a principle so basic that it should not need defending. A suffering man deserves mercy from his friends. Compassion is not conditioned upon moral perfection, nor should kindness be withdrawn even if a person were struggling spiritually. Job’s rebuke is sharp, but just. Eliphaz approached him as a prosecutor rather than a comforter. Scripture elsewhere reinforces this duty of mercy, as seen in Proverbs 17:17 (KJV), “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Job is not demanding agreement, only sympathy.
b. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook
Job now uses a vivid desert image to describe his friends. Seasonal brooks appear promising from a distance, fed by melting snow and ice, but disappear when heat comes. Travelers depend on them and are devastated when they arrive to find nothing but dry ground. Job says his friends were like that, present at first, promising relief, but useless when he truly needed them. Their counsel evaporated under the heat of real suffering. What made the disappointment worse was the expectation. Like the caravans of Tema and Sheba, Job had hoped for refreshment and found only confusion.
c. For now ye are nothing, ye see my casting down, and are afraid
This is the climax of Job’s rebuke. The friends withdrew emotionally because Job’s suffering terrified them. His condition confronted them with realities they did not want to face, innocent suffering, divine mystery, and human fragility. Rather than move closer in compassion, they retreated into cold theology. Job exposes their fear. They were not cruel for lack of knowledge, but for lack of courage. The risk of entering another man’s pain made them draw back.
d. Did I say, Bring unto me? Or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
Job defends himself against an unspoken accusation, that he was demanding something unreasonable. He never asked for money, rescue, or ransom. He was not seeking material aid or political intervention. All he wanted was understanding. His complaint was not that his friends failed to act, but that they failed to speak with compassion. Their failure was relational, not logistical.
2. (Job 6:24–30) Job challenges his friends to point out his error and lack of discernment.
Stage 1, The Scripture Text (KJV)
Job 6:24–30 (KJV)
“Teach me, and I will hold my tongue;
And cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
How forcible are right words!
But what doth your arguing reprove?
Do ye imagine to reprove words,
And the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless,
And ye dig a pit for your friend.
Now therefore be content, look upon me;
For it is evident unto you if I lie.
Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity;
Yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.
Is there iniquity in my tongue?
Cannot my taste discern perverse things?”
Stage 2, Expositional Commentary, Paragraph and Note Format
a. Teach me, and I will hold my tongue
Job now issues a direct challenge. If he has sinned, then he is willing to listen. If he has erred, he wants to know where. This is not the posture of a hardened rebel, but of a man open to correction. Job does not reject rebuke in principle, he rejects accusation without evidence. His friends spoke generally, vaguely, and confidently, but never specifically. Job asks for instruction, not insinuation.
b. How forcible are right words, but what doth your arguing reprove
Job acknowledges that truth, when rightly spoken, has power. He is not anti correction. What he rejects is argument without substance. Eliphaz’s words were forceful in tone but empty in proof. They assumed guilt but demonstrated none. Job exposes the weakness of their reasoning. Moral platitudes are no substitute for truth grounded in fact.
c. Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind
Job accuses Eliphaz of attacking his emotional expressions rather than addressing any actual sin. Chapter 3 was a lament, not a confession. Job’s friends treated anguished words as moral failure. Job insists that words spoken in desperation should be interpreted with charity, not weaponized. To rebuke grief itself is cruelty.
d. Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend
Job’s language grows severe. He compares their conduct to exploiting the defenseless. This is not a literal accusation, but a moral comparison. To attack a suffering friend is no better than preying on an orphan. The relationship has deteriorated to the point where trust is collapsing. Their theology has overridden their humanity.
e. Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie
Job invites his friends to look him in the face. He asserts his honesty and challenges them to find deception. This is a powerful reversal. The sick man now holds his head high, while the healthy counselors avoid his gaze. Job appeals not to rhetoric, but to character.
f. Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity, yea, return again, my righteousness is in it
Job pleads for fairness. He asks them to reconsider their verdict and abandon injustice. He insists that his integrity remains intact. This does not mean Job claims perfection, but that he denies the charge that his suffering is punitive judgment for secret sin.
g. Is there iniquity in my tongue? Cannot my taste discern perverse things
Job closes by returning to the food analogy used earlier in the chapter. Just as the tongue can discern what is spoiled, so Job can recognize when words are wrong. Eliphaz’s counsel was unsavory, not because Job rejects truth, but because it lacked compassion and accuracy. Job insists that his discernment is still intact, even in suffering.
