Job 16:6 Commentary and Bible Study

It was not unreasonable of Job to look for relief through speech, for a man who expresses his inner mind in words can find a vent for internal pressure, a solution for perplexity by clothing his confusion in words. By working through it, can find clarity on things he did not understand before. He can touch another human soul, but above all he can reach out to God to find grace to help in time of need. Speech is such a wonderful gift which sets us high above the animals and makes us able to converse with God himself. Understanding is found in the mind, but understanding expressed in words is sealed to a man. Job however could find no respite in words, for although he could describe what he was experiencing, his companions rejected all that he said as false, and God remained silent and did not answer him or explain the reason for what he was going through.To remain silent brought no relief either; this was in effect what they had urged him to do (Job 8:1; 11:2; 15:2-3). But he could not comply because his pain would not go away and remaining silent would simply leave him to wrestle with his problems alone, problems that were too great for him to bear. He therefore resolves to go on speaking even though it seems to bring no respite. Existence was a torment to him either way.He says, ‘I have tried everything. Some say that when depressed, you should talk; I have tried that. The pain is too deep to be solved by a simple technique. Others say that you should hold yourself in and when the depression finds you have got the better of it, it will go away.’ This is something which has got the better of him. All courses of comfort do not work.