Job 6 10

Job 6:10 kjv

Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

Job 6:10 nkjv

Then I would still have comfort; Though in anguish I would exult, He will not spare; For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

Job 6:10 niv

Then I would still have this consolation? my joy in unrelenting pain? that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.

Job 6:10 esv

This would be my comfort; I would even exult in pain unsparing, for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

Job 6:10 nlt

At least I can take comfort in this:
Despite the pain,
I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

Job 6 verses

Job 6 10 Meaning

Job 6:10 encapsulates Job’s defiant hope amidst immense suffering. He expresses that finding comfort, even exulting in pain, would be possible if God were to swiftly end his life without showing pity, because Job possesses the profound conviction that he has upheld and not concealed God’s words. His solace stems not from the cessation of pain itself, but from his unblemished conscience and faithfulness to God’s revelation, allowing him to face death with integrity and a desire for ultimate rest.

Job 6 10 Context

Job 6:10 is part of Job’s first response to Eliphaz’s speech (Job 4-5). Eliphaz had accused Job, indirectly but clearly, of suffering because of hidden sin, implying that only the wicked truly suffer such calamity. In this chapter, Job articulates the depth of his despair, lamenting his birth and expressing a longing for death as a release from his unbearable physical and emotional pain. Verse 10 stands as a defiant declaration of his unwavering integrity, a direct rebuttal to Eliphaz's subtle accusations. Job asserts that he would embrace death with comfort, precisely because he knows he has not betrayed God’s commands, thereby countering the prevailing belief that only the unrighteous faced such ultimate judgment. He wants God to deliver a swift, unsparing end, enabling him to rest secure in his blamelessness.

Job 6 10 Word analysis

• וְעוֹד (ve'od): "And still," "and yet," "furthermore." This word implies continuation or addition, highlighting Job's persistent mental state despite his agony. It suggests this comfort would be a permanent state.
• תְּהִי (t'hi): "May it be," "let it be," "it would be." A jussive form of the verb "to be," indicating a strong wish or possibility. It expresses Job's deep longing.
• מְנֻחָתִי (m'nuchati): "My comfort," "my rest," "my repose." Derives from the root נוּח (nuakh), meaning "to rest, settle down, find ease." This isn't just a fleeting feeling but a deep sense of peace or cessation of suffering. In the context of Job’s desire for death, it implies the ultimate rest from his travail.
• וְאֲפַלְּטָה (ve'afal'ṭāh): This word is complex. From פָּלַט (palat), it can mean "to escape," "to deliver oneself," "to bring forth (deliverance)." In some contexts, it can convey a sense of leaping or rejoicing. Given the Masoretic vowel points, it’s a Piel cohortative, suggesting "that I might make a dash, that I might exult" or "be rescued." Scholars debate if it means to escape from suffering (through death) or to exult even amidst suffering. Many scholars lean towards "exult" or "find release," which Job finds in anticipating the swift, unsparing death that validates his integrity.
• בְּחִילָה (b'chīlāh): "In anguish," "in trembling," "in pangs." From חִיל (chil), related to birth pains, severe distress, or violent trembling. Paired with the previous verb, it paints a picture of intense suffering, yet Job finds a strange comfort or defiance within it.
• וְלֹא (v'lo): "And not," "nor." Simple negation, emphasizing that God would not do the opposite.
• יַחְמוֹל (yachmol): "He would spare," "He would pity." From חָמַל (chamal), meaning "to have compassion, show mercy, pity, spare." Job’s plea is for God to act without any restraint or mercy in ending his life, demonstrating his profound wish for death to bring finality to his torment.
• כִּי (kī): "For," "because," "indeed." Introduces the reason or justification for Job’s stance, his profound integrity.
• לֹא (lo): "Not." Negation.
• כִחַדְתִּי (kichadti): "I have concealed," "I have hidden," "I have denied." From כָּחַד (kachad), "to hide, conceal, keep back." Job declares he has not kept back or hidden God's commands or truth, implicitly asserting his innocence against the friends' accusations of secret sin.
• אִמְרֵי (imrei): "Words of," "sayings of," "utterances of." A construct form of אִמְרָה (imrah), signifying divine speech or commandments.
• קָדוֹשׁ (qādôsh): "The Holy One." A significant divine title, emphasizing God's transcendence, purity, and separateness from creation and sin. By referring to God as "the Holy One," Job underscores the absolute nature of the words he claims to have kept.

Words-Group analysis

• "וְעוֹד תְּהִי מְנֻחָתִי" (And still let this be my comfort/rest): This phrase sets the tone of Job’s longing. His desired comfort is linked to a definitive end to his suffering, implying death. It reflects his acceptance of fate if it means cessation.
• "וְאֲפַלְּטָה בְּחִילָה" (That I might exult/find release in anguish/pain): This is pivotal. It means that even within or through his intense agony, Job could find a kind of defiant solace, either in the very act of death itself as a release, or in the knowledge of his righteousness which enables him to face even the direst end without fear. This phrase directly counters the idea that suffering only leads to despair, positing an active choice for inner comfort rooted in integrity.
• "וְלֹא יַחְמוֹל" (And He would not spare): Job yearns for God to deal him the final, unsparing blow of death. This is not an act of blasphemy but a desperate plea for merciful annihilation from his suffering, contrasted with the prolonging agony he endures. He seeks God’s decisiveness, even if it is lethal.
• "כִּי לֹא כִחַדְתִּי אִמְרֵי קָדוֹשׁ" (For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One): This clause is the ultimate basis of Job’s comfort and confidence. His unwavering integrity in keeping God’s commands, never denying or compromising divine truth, is the bedrock on which he can embrace death and stand before God without guilt. It is his fundamental protest against the friends' theology of retributive justice based on hidden sin.

Job 6 10 Bonus section

• The term "Holy One" (קָדוֹשׁ, Qadosh) for God is significant. It implies divine transcendence, moral perfection, and distinctness, adding weight to Job’s claim of preserving words that come from such a Being. Job is stating he has lived up to a transcendent standard.
• Job's wish for God to "not spare" him echoes the intensity of his agony; he prefers a definitive, even fatal, act from God over continued slow suffering. This reflects a deeper theological wrestle where Job questions not God's power, but His method and the apparent injustice of his suffering.
• The tension in Job is between his intense suffering and his unshaken commitment to God and His word. This verse encapsulates this duality, presenting a suffering man who is ready to die, but on his own terms of integrity, directly challenging the notion of cause-and-effect suffering.

Job 6 10 Commentary

Job 6:10 provides profound insight into Job’s complex spiritual state. His statement "This would be my comfort... he would not spare" reveals a yearning for a swift end to his torment, embracing death not out of a surrender to despair but as a definitive closure validated by his integrity. The nuanced phrase "that I might exult in pain" or "escape through pain" shows Job’s defiant faith; his comfort isn't dependent on physical relief alone but stems from his moral conviction. This challenges the conventional wisdom that suffering inherently indicates hidden sin, which Eliphaz and the friends espouse.

Job claims his peace, even in anticipating the final stroke of divine judgment, is assured because "I have not concealed the words of the Holy One." This is a bold assertion of blamelessness before God, signifying not just outward adherence to laws but an internal loyalty and preservation of divine truth within his heart. It sets Job apart, showing his self-perception as one whose relationship with God is characterized by faithfulness and honesty, allowing him to approach even death with a clear conscience. This verse captures the essence of Job’s unwavering trust in his own righteousness, and in the ultimate justice of God, even while railing against his inexplicable suffering.