The Bible Says Commentary on Job 6

Job 6:1-7 begins Job’s response to his friend, Eliphaz. Eliphaz believes that Job is suffering because he has not repented of sin. But Job has not sinned. Job laments his pain, describing it as heavier than all the sand on the seashore. He feels disoriented by his pain. He feels as though he is wounded by many arrows, due to the tragedies God has allowed in his life. He demonstrates that his pain is real, and undeserved. If he had sin to confess, he would. But Job is righteous.

Job 6:8-13 shows that Job’s suffering is so great that the wishes God would end his life. It seems God could end his pain if He put Job to death. Instead, Job is alive and suffering terribly. But, incredibly, Job also offers praise to God. He rejoices, though pained, that he still obeys and reveres God and His commandments. He has not sinned. Even so, he feels no hope for himself, as his body is deteriorating and he has no way to help himself or change his circumstances.

Job 6:14-23 is a rebuke toward Eliphaz, for chiding Job as though he had sinned and could reverse his misfortune by simply repenting of his sin to God. Job has not sinned. He is not suffering because of any violation of God’s word. That is not what is going on. But Eliphaz has tried to foist shame and guilt upon Job, as though bad things only happen to bad people, and good things to good. Job had hoped Eliphaz and his friends would be kind to him, to encourage him; instead, they are like a dried riverbed where refreshing water was expected. Job notes that he has made no demands of his friends, but only wanted compassionate words. Instead, they act fearfully and make baseless accusations against Job.

Job 6:24-30 shows Job’s willingness to learn and repent of sin, if Eliphaz can explain a specific evil Job has done. Job is teachable and humble, but Eliphaz has spoken in platitudes and moral constructs. Eliphaz applies a misguided logic that says God is transactional (just as Satan thinks); that if we do good, God blesses us, but if we suffer, it definitively means we have sinned and deserve our pain until we repent. But Job has not sinned. He asks Eliphaz to tell him what he has done wrong, otherwise his moral argument proves nothing. Job notes that Eliphaz is mistreating him, and asks him to look upon him honestly, and judge whether Job is lying, or that he cannot discern his own unconfessed sin. But there is no sin to confess. Eliphaz’s words only add to Job’s pain.