14 To a despiser of his friends 'is' shame, And the fear of the Mighty he forsaketh. 15 My brethren have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away. 16 That are black because of ice, By them doth snow hide itself. 17 By the time they are warm they have been cut off, By its being hot they have been Extinguished from their place. 18 Turn aside do the paths of their way, They ascend into emptiness, and are lost. 19 Passengers of Tema looked expectingly, Travellers of Sheba hoped for them. 20 They were ashamed that one hath trusted, They have come unto it and are confounded. 21 Surely now ye have become the same! Ye see a downfall, and are afraid.
22 Is it because I said, Give to me? And, By your power bribe for me? 23 And, Deliver me from the hand of an adversary? And, From the hand of terrible ones ransom me? 24 Shew me, and I—I keep silent, And what I have erred, let me understand. 25 How powerful have been upright sayings, And what doth reproof from you reprove? 26 For reproof—do you reckon words? And for wind—sayings of the desperate. 27 Anger on the fatherless ye cause to fall, And are strange to your friend. 28 And, now, please, look upon me, Even to your face do I lie? 29 Turn back, I pray you, let it not be perverseness, Yea, turn back again—my righteousness 'is' in it. 30 Is there in my tongue perverseness? Discerneth not my palate desirable things?
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 6:14-30
Commentary on Job 6:14-30
(Read Job 6:14-30)
In his prosperity Job formed great expectations from his friends, but now was disappointed. This he compares to the failing of brooks in summer. Those who rest their expectations on the creature, will find it fail when it should help them; whereas those who make God their confidence, have help in the time of need, Hebrews 4:16. Those who make gold their hope, sooner or later will be ashamed of it, and of their confidence in it. It is our wisdom to cease from man. Let us put all our confidence in the Rock of ages, not in broken reeds; in the Fountain of life, not in broken cisterns. The application is very close; "for now ye are nothing." It were well for us, if we had always such convictions of the vanity of the creature, as we have had, or shall have, on a sick-bed, a death-bed, or in trouble of conscience. Job upbraids his friends with their hard usage. Though in want, he desired no more from them than a good look and a good word. It often happens that, even when we expect little from man, we have less; but from God, even when we expect much, we have more. Though Job differed from them, yet he was ready to yield as soon as it was made to appear that he was in error. Though Job had been in fault, yet they ought not to have given him such hard usage. His righteousness he holds fast, and will not let it go. He felt that there had not been such iniquity in him as they supposed. But it is best to commit our characters to Him who keeps our souls; in the great day every upright believer shall have praise of God.