JobChapitre 6

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Then Job answered:

If only my anguish could be weighed, and all my ruin laid on the scales together!

It would outweigh the sand of the seas — that is why my words have been rash.

For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison. God's terrors are arrayed against me.

Does the wild donkey bray over fresh grass, or the ox bellow over its fodder?

Is tasteless food eaten without salt? Is there any flavor in the white of an egg?

I refuse to touch such things; they are like food that makes me sick.

Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I long for —

that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut me off!

Then I would still have this comfort, this joy amid relentless pain: that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What is my end, that I should be patient?

Is my strength the strength of stone? Is my flesh bronze?

Is there any help left in me, now that success has been driven from me?

A despairing man should have the loyalty of his friend, even if that man forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

But my brothers are as treacherous as a wadi, as the streambeds that run dry,

dark with melting ice, swollen with thawing snow,

but ceasing to flow in the dry season, vanishing from their place in the heat.

Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go up into the wasteland and perish.

The caravans of Tema look for water, the traveling merchants of Sheba hope for it,

but they are put to shame for their confidence; they arrive there only to be disappointed.

Now you have become like that to me: you see something dreadful and are afraid.

Have I ever said, 'Give me something,' or 'Pay a ransom for me out of your wealth,'

or 'Rescue me from the hand of the enemy,' or 'Redeem me from the grip of the ruthless'?

Teach me, and I will be silent; show me where I have gone wrong.

How painful are honest words! But what does your arguing prove?

Do you think you can correct what I say and treat the words of a desperate man as wind?

You would even cast lots for an orphan and barter away your friend.

But now, be so kind as to look at me. Would I lie to your face?

Relent; let there be no injustice. Reconsider, for my cause is still just.

Is there any wrong on my tongue? Can my mouth not discern what is malicious?

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Résumé2

Chapitre 6

Main Theme: Job defends his complaint against his friends and accuses them of failing him in his suffering.

Content: Job claims that his suffering is heavier than the sand of the sea and that God's arrows have pierced him. He wishes that God would crush him and give him death as deliverance, since he has not denied the words of the Holy One. Job accuses his friends of being like dried-up streams—full of water in winter but empty when travelers need them most. He challenges them to show him where he has erred, instead of treating his desperate words as mere wind.

Key Words/Images:

God's arrows (v.4): A picture of how Job experiences suffering as a direct attack from God, where the poison penetrates his spirit.
Dried-up streams/wadis (vv.15–20): The friends are compared to seasonal streams that fail when needed—a powerful image of false friends.
The sand of the sea (v.3): An expression of the overwhelming weight of suffering, explaining why Job's words seem wild.
The words of the Holy One (v.10): Job asserts his integrity by stating that he has never denied God's words, even in suffering.

Contexte historique

Places

In verse 19, two place names are mentioned: Tema (תֵּמָא) and Saba (שְׁבָא). Tema was an oasis and trading post in northern Arabia, known as a crossroads for caravans crossing the desert. The area is mentioned several times in the Old Testament and was inhabited by descendants of Ishmael (Gen 25:15). Saba (Sheba) refers to southern Arabia, present-day Yemen, famous for its wealth from trade in incense, gold, and precious stones. Job’s reference to caravans from these places illustrates how travelers could be disappointed when expected water sources failed, reinforcing the book’s setting in the eastern, non-Israelite world.

Events and Customs

The image of wadis (seasonal riverbeds) in verses 15–20 was immediately recognizable to people in the Middle East. In a desert climate, a wadi could be full of water after winter rains but completely dry in the summer heat. Travelers and caravans planning their routes based on the expectation of water could die if the wadi was empty when they arrived. Job uses this image to describe the unreliability of friends—they are available when all is well, but disappear when one truly needs them. The custom of offering chesed (חָסֶד, "steadfast love" or "loyalty") to a friend in distress was a fundamental social obligation in the ancient Middle East, and Job’s complaint in verse 14 shows that his friends have broken this deeply rooted cultural expectation.

Key Terms

The word חַלָּמוּת (challamut) in verse 6, often translated as "egg white," "plant slime," or "mallow juice," is a rare Hebrew word that appears only here in the Bible. Its meaning is uncertain, but the context suggests something tasteless and unappetizing. Job’s point is that suffering without meaning is just as impossible to swallow as food without flavor.

The phrase בִּעוּתֵי אֱלוֹהַּ (bi'utei eloah, "terrors of God") in verse 4 describes an experience of divine terrorizing. In ancient Near Eastern thought, deities could send disease and disaster as punishment or testing. Job experiences his suffering as divine "arrows" and "terrors"—war imagery that portrays a hostile God rather than a protective one.

The expression אִמְרֵי קָדוֹשׁ (imrei qadosh, "the words of the Holy One") in verse 10 refers to God’s revealed will and commands. Job claims that he has not hidden or denied these words, which underscores his innocence and makes his suffering even more incomprehensible within the traditional framework of retribution.

Personnages1

Job1

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Mots-clés9

Job — The main character in the Book of Job, a righteous man who endures great trials and losses.
Satan — An evil spiritual being who challenges God's authority and accuses Job of causing his own misfortune.
Trials — Various difficulties and sufferings that Job experiences to test his faith and loyalty.
Loyalty — Job's ability to remain faithful to God, even when facing severe trials and suffering.
Friends — Three individuals (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) who visit Job and discuss his situation and theological questions.
Dialogue — Conversations between Job and his friends, where they exchange views on God's justice and human suffering.
God's answer — God's response to Job's complaint, in which He highlights His power and wisdom, and questions humanity's understanding of justice.
Humility — Job's recognition that he cannot understand God's plan and his acceptance of his place in the universe.
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