25 How powerful have been upright sayings, And what doth reproof from you reprove?
Is there an end to words of wind? Or what doth embolden thee that thou answerest? I also, like you, might speak, If your soul were in my soul's stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head. I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.
To the wise in heart is called, `Intelligent,' And sweetness of lips increaseth learning. A fountain of life `is' understanding to its possessors, The instruction of fools is folly. The heart of the wise causeth his mouth to act wisely, And by his lips he increaseth learning, Sayings of pleasantness `are' a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and healing to the bone.
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,