Job16
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Then Job answered and said,
2I have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are ye all.
3Shall vain words have an end? Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
4I also could speak as ye do; If your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could join words together against you, And shake my head at you.
5But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips would assuage your grief.
6Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And though I forbear, what am I eased?
7But now he hath made me weary: Thou hast made desolate all my company.
8And thou hast laid fast hold on me, which is a witness against me: And my leanness riseth up against me, It testifieth to my face.
9He hath torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me; He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth: Mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
10They have gaped upon me with their mouth; They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully: They gather themselves together against me.
11God delivereth me to the ungodly, And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.
12I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He hath also set me up for his mark.
13His archers compass me round about; He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He runneth upon me like a giant.
15I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And have laid my horn in the dust.
16My face is red with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17Although there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure.
18O earth, cover not thou my blood, And let my cry have no resting-place.
19Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he that voucheth for me is on high.
20My friends scoff at me: But mine eye poureth out tears unto God,
21That he would maintain the right of a man with God, And of a son of man with his neighbor!
22For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Job 16.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Job reproves his friends. (1–5). He represents his case as deplorable. (6–16). Job maintains his innocency. (17–22).
vv1-5
Eliphaz had represented Job's discourses as unprofitable, and nothing to the purpose; Job here gives his the same character. Those who pass censures, must expect to have them retorted; it is easy, it is endless, but what good does it do? Angry answers stir up men's passions, but never convince their judgments, nor set truth in a clear light. What Job says of his friends is true of all creatures, in comparison with God; one time or other we shall be made to see and own that miserable comforters are they all. When under convictions of sin, terrors of conscience, or the arrests of death, only the blessed Spirit can comfort effectually; all others, without him, do it miserably, and to no purpose. Whatever our brethren's sorrows are, we ought by sympathy to make them our own; they may soon be so.
vv6-16
Here is a doleful representation of Job's grievances. What reason we have to bless God, that we are not making such complaints! Even good men, when in great troubles, have much ado not to entertain hard thoughts of God. Eliphaz had represented Job as unhumbled under his affliction: No, says Job, I know better things; the dust is now the fittest place for me. In this he reminds us of Christ, who was a man of sorrows, and pronounced those blessed that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
vv17-22
Job's condition was very deplorable; but he had the testimony of his conscience for him, that he never allowed himself in any gross sin. No one was ever more ready to acknowledge sins of infirmity. Eliphaz had charged him with hypocrisy in religion, but he specifies prayer, the great act of religion, and professes that in this he was pure, though not from all infirmity. He had a God to go to, who he doubted not took full notice of all his sorrows. Those who pour out tears before God, though they cannot plead for themselves, by reason of their defects, have a Friend to plead for them, even the Son of man, and on him we must ground all our hopes of acceptance with God. To die, is to go the way whence we shall not return. We must all of us, very certainly, and very shortly, go this journey. Should not then the Saviour be precious to our souls? And ought we not to be ready to obey and to suffer for his sake? If our consciences are sprinkled with his atoning blood, and testify that we are not living in sin or hypocrisy, when we go the way whence we shall not return, it will be a release from prison, and an entrance into everlasting happiness.
Key Words
אִיּוֹב: Ijob, the patriarch famous for his patience
עָנָה: properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
רַב: abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
עָמָל: toil, i.e. wearing effort; hence, worry, wheth. of body or mind
נָחַם: properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself)
רוּחַ: wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
קֵץ: an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after
Cross References
Job 16Shaking the head as a specific gesture of mock-triumph and derision over a sufferer.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Smiting on the cheek as a supreme gesture of contemptuous abuse during affliction.
Supported by JFB
Enemies gaping with wide mouths, typifying the demonic/human mockery also faced by Christ.
Supported by JFB
The cry of innocent blood rising from the earth demanding justice and refusing coverage.
Supported by JFB
The wicked gnashing with their teeth in implacable wrath against the righteous.
Supported by Matthew Poole
God targeting His suffering servant like a warrior setting up a target for arrows.
Supported by JFB
Hearty counsel that strengthens is contrasted here with Job's empty, mock lip-comfort.
Supported by JFB
God treating Job as an enemy, casting hostile, sharp-eyed glances at him.
Supported by JFB
The pouring out of vital organs (gall/liver) as a metaphor for deep grief.
Supported by JFB
Job's suffering despite his pure prayer and lack of violence typifies Christ's innocence.
Supported by JFB
Job previously denounced his friends as physicians of no value, matching 'miserable comforters'.
Supported by JFB
Job retorts Eliphaz's accusation of speaking windy words back onto his friends.
Supported by JFB
The utter humiliation of a leader depicted as throwing one's horn and honor in dust.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Job explicitly denies the presence of injustice in his hands, answering Zophar's charge.
Supported by JFB
Job's consciousness of his impending death, going a way from which he cannot return.
Supported by Matthew Henry