Job 6:14–23 - July 17, 2025 - A Friend’s Failing
Reading: Job 6:14–23
To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:
What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.
The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.
They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.
For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.
Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
Five-Point Builder:
Who: Job and his friends
What: Job accuses his friends of failing to show compassion
Where: In the midst of debate and sorrow
Why: Because their fear of association has made them unreliable
How: With poetic comparison to dried-up streams
Keyword Study:
Pity (Hebrew: chesed - חֶסֶד)
Meaning: Loving-kindness, loyalty, mercy
Relevance: True friendship demands chesed—covenant loyalty, even in another's darkest hour.
Insight & Reflection:
Job makes a pointed observation: “To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend.” Instead, his friends were like dried-up brooks—unreliable when most needed.
Using vivid imagery, Job compares them to seasonal streams that disappear when the heat intensifies. Just as travelers are deceived by the promise of water, Job has been disappointed by the promise of friendship. Worse still, he had asked for nothing from them—no deliverance, no help—only understanding.
Proverbs 17:17 reminds us:
“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
When adversity strikes, real friendship is tested. Job’s friends are failing the test—not by malice, but by moral cowardice.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to be a faithful friend, even when it’s uncomfortable. Teach me to offer mercy, not judgment, to those who suffer. And when I feel abandoned, remind me that You are the Friend who never fails. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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