24 Give me teaching and I will be quiet; and make me see my error.
For we all go wrong in a number of things. If a man never makes a slip in his talk, then he is a complete man and able to keep all his body in control.
I will say to God, Do not put me down as a sinner; make clear to me what you have against me.
And now, O Job, give ear to my words, and take note of all I say.
Who has full knowledge of his errors? make me clean from secret evil.
<To the chief music-maker. Of Jeduthun. A Psalm. Of David.> I said, I will give attention to my ways, so that my tongue may do no wrong; I will keep my mouth under control, while the sinner is before me. I made no sound, I said no word, even of good; and I was moved with sorrow.
Give teaching to a wise man, and he will become wiser; give training to an upright man, and his learning will be increased.
See, we have made search with care, and it is so; it has come to our ears; see that you take note of it for yourself.
Take note O Job, give ear to me; keep quiet, while I say what is in my mind. If you have anything to say, give me an answer; for it is my desire that you may be judged free from sin. If not, give attention to me, and keep quiet, and I will give you wisdom.
Like a nose-ring of gold and an ornament of the best gold, is a wise man who says sharp words to an ear ready to give attention.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 6
Commentary on Job 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
Eliphaz concluded his discourse with an air of assurance; very confident he was that what he had said was so plain and so pertinent that nothing could be objected in answer to it. But, though he that is first in his own cause seems just, yet his neighbour comes and searches him. Job is not convinced by all he had said, but still justifies himself in his complaints and condemns him for the weakness of his arguing.
It must be owned that Job, in all this, spoke much that was reasonable, but with a mixture of passion and human infirmity. And in this contest, as indeed in most contests, there was fault on both sides.
Job 6:1-7
Eliphaz, in the beginning of his discourse, had been very sharp upon Job, and yet it does not appear that Job gave him any interruption, but heard him patiently till he had said all he had to say. Those that would make an impartial judgment of a discourse must hear it out, and take it entire. But, when he had concluded, he makes his reply, in which he speaks very feelingly.
Job 6:8-13
Ungoverned passion often grows more violent when it meets with some rebuke and check. The troubled sea rages most when it dashes against a rock. Job had been courting death, as that which would be the happy period of his miseries, ch. 3. For this Eliphaz had gravely reproved him, but he, instead of unsaying what he had said, says it here again with more vehemence than before; and it is as ill said as almost any thing we meet with in all his discourses, and is recorded for our admonition, not our imitation.
Job 6:14-21
Eliphaz had been very severe in his censures of Job; and his companions, though as yet they had said little, yet had intimated their concurrence with him. Their unkindness therein poor Job here complains of, as an aggravation of his calamity and a further excuse of his desire to die; for what satisfaction could he ever expect in this world when those that should have been his comforters thus proved his tormentors?
Job 6:22-30
Poor Job goes on here to upbraid his friends with their unkindness and the hard usage they gave him. He here appeals to themselves concerning several things which tended both to justify him and to condemn them. If they would but think impartially, and speak as they thought, they could not but own,