Job 6 27

Job 6:27 kjv

Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

Job 6:27 nkjv

Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, And you undermine your friend.

Job 6:27 niv

You would even cast lots for the fatherless and barter away your friend.

Job 6:27 esv

You would even cast lots over the fatherless, and bargain over your friend.

Job 6:27 nlt

You would even send an orphan into slavery
or sell a friend.

Job 6 verses

Job 6 27 Meaning

Job 6:27 depicts a shocking level of depravity and callousness, illustrating the perceived harshness and betrayal Job feels from his so-called comforters. Job implies that their lack of empathy and their accusations are so cruel that they are akin to those who would exploit the most vulnerable in society (orphans) and betray their closest associates (friends) for gain. It's a rhetorical indictment of their cold and unjust judgment, painting a picture of extreme moral decay and the breakdown of human bonds.

Job 6 27 Context

Job 6 is part of Job’s first response to Eliphaz. Eliphaz has just suggested that Job's suffering is a result of his sin (Job 4-5). In Job 6, Job bitterly defends himself, emphasizing the unbearable pain of his affliction, which justifies his lament (Job 6:1-7). He longs for death (Job 6:8-13) and then turns his focus to his friends, criticizing their failure to show true compassion (Job 6:14-23). He sees their words as useless and deceitful, like a seasonal brook that dries up when help is needed most (Job 6:15-21). Job's friends have come to him, not with comforting support, but with judgment, implying his guilt. Job feels not only abandoned by God but also betrayed by those who should have offered solace. Verse 27 serves as a crescendo of Job's outrage, rhetorically accusing his friends of an equivalent level of callousness to those who commit the most reprehensible acts against the vulnerable and loyal companions. He is saying, "If you would speak so harshly and judge me without true understanding or mercy, what stops you from committing even worse atrocities against others?"

Job 6 27 Word analysis

• You would even cast lots: This phrase implies a casual disregard for human life and dignity. The act of "casting lots" (Hebrew: tapîlûn gôrāl) was often used for division of spoils, determining fates, or making decisions. Here, it is applied to human beings, indicating they are treated as mere objects to be disposed of, gambled away, or allocated as if they were inanimate plunder or property. It highlights extreme objectification and dehumanization.
• for the orphan: The Hebrew word for "orphan" is yāṯōwm (יָתוֹם). In ancient Near Eastern societies and throughout the Bible, the orphan (along with the widow and sojourner) represents the epitome of vulnerability, powerlessness, and dependence. Exploiting an orphan was universally condemned as a heinous act, an affront to divine justice, as they had no father or family protector. This choice of word highlights the absolute moral low to which Job is likening his friends' attitudes.
• And sell: The Hebrew word ṯim.kārû (תִמְכְּרוּ) means "you would sell" or "you would trade." This act signifies reducing a human being to property for economic gain. Selling people, especially into slavery or servitude, was a grave sin, even if common practice in certain contexts. For a friend to "sell" another person signifies the ultimate betrayal and abandonment.
• your friend: The Hebrew word re'a (רֵעַ) signifies a companion, neighbor, fellow man, or often, a close friend. This is a person with whom one has a relationship of trust and loyalty. The betrayal of a "friend" carries a strong sense of personal devastation. Job here points out the paradox: those who should offer unwavering loyalty and compassion are, in his eyes, acting in a manner worse than actual enemies, comparable to betraying even the most intimate bonds.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "You would even cast lots for the orphan": This phrase paints a picture of complete lack of empathy and basic human decency. It implies that Job's friends, by their detached and uncompassionate arguments, are treating his suffering and very existence as if it were a matter of arbitrary fate or a game of chance, without any true concern for his well-being or moral standing. They are so callous that they would risk the orphan's fate on a throw of the dice.
• "And sell your friend": This phrase takes the accusation a step further, highlighting active betrayal. It's not just indifference but an act of outright treason against a foundational human relationship. Job's friends, who should be loyal allies in his time of distress, are instead "selling" him out through their judgments, stripping him of his dignity and accusing him as if he were merchandise to be disposed of. It speaks to the ultimate breach of trust and the destruction of the concept of faithful companionship. The conjunction "and" links these two shocking acts, indicating a continuum of moral depravity attributed to the attitudes Job perceives from his companions.

Job 6 27 Bonus section

The specific crimes mentioned in Job 6:27 – exploiting the orphan and betraying a friend – resonate deeply with core values found throughout the Hebrew Bible, which consistently condemns such actions as affronts to God’s justice and the covenant community. God himself is frequently portrayed as the protector of the orphan and the vulnerable (Deut 10:18, Psa 68:5). Conversely, those who oppress the vulnerable or betray their trusted companions incur divine wrath. By choosing these particular examples, Job not only conveys his emotional agony but also implies that his friends, by their cruel accusations, are acting contrary to fundamental divine law and social morality, thereby elevating their "spiritual abuse" to the level of societal evils.

Job 6 27 Commentary

Job 6:27 is a powerful rhetorical device employed by Job to express his utter dismay and perceived betrayal by his friends. He is not literally accusing them of participating in human trafficking of orphans or physically selling people. Instead, he uses these most abhorrent acts as hyperbole to illustrate the perceived heartlessness and insensitivity of their judgment towards him. In his profound suffering, Job views his friends' theological arguments as so devoid of mercy and compassion that they are effectively as cruel as the vilest acts imaginable – objectifying the utterly helpless and betraying sacred trust. It highlights the profound pain that can come from being misjudged and unmercied by those who ought to be sources of comfort and solidarity, particularly when one feels already afflicted by God. Job asserts that their cold logic amounts to an active dismantling of his very person and reputation.