Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 6:30
Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?
30. In Job 6:28 Job asseverated that he spoke truth in affirming his innocence. In Job 6:29 he affirmed that he had right on his side in his plea against God, in other words that he was wrongly afflicted. This verse, therefore, can hardly be a new assertion that he speaks the truth when he affirms his innocence; it must refer to a point further back, and be, in the form of a question, an affirmation of his ability to say whether he is innocent or not, and to judge rightly regarding the nature of his afflictions. The question, Is there iniquity in my tongue? means Is my tongue perverted that it cannot distinguish? In the second clause “taste” or “palate” is not referred to as an organ of speech but of perception (ch. Job 12:11).
The expression “perverse things” may mean wickednesses. This may be used generally and the question in the second clause have the same meaning as that in the first, viz. whether Job had lost moral sense and could not distinguish wrong from right? And the whole would be an affirmation of the soundness of his moral judgments, meant to support the asseveration of his innocence and the righteousness of his cause ( Job 6:28-29). The phrase “perverse things” is that rendered “calamity” Job 6:2, and this might be the meaning here: “cannot my taste discern calamities?” i. e. the true nature of my afflictions, and perceive that they are undeserved and unjust?
Either of the above meanings forms a fitting and pathetic transition to the renewed cry of despair in ch. 7. For that which makes Job’s condition so crushing to him is that though innocent he feels himself in the hands of a ruthless and arbitrary fate, which, regardless of his innocence, is bent on destroying him. For this fate he has no other name but God; cf. ch. Job 9:22 seq., Job 23:13 seq.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Is there iniquity in my tongue? – This is a solemn appeal to their consciences, and their own deep conviction that he was sincere. Iniquity in the tongue means falsehood, deceit, hypocrisy – that which would be expressed by the tongue.
Cannot my taste discern perverse things? – Margin, palate. The word used here chek means properly the palate, together with the corresponding lower part of the mouth, the inside mouth. Gesenius. Hence, it means the organ of taste, residing in the mouth. The meaning is, that Job was qualified to discern what was true or false, sincere or hypocritical, just or unjust, in the same manner as the palate is fitted to discern the qualities of objects, whether bitter or sweet, pleasant or unpleasant, wholesome or unwholesome. His object is to invite attention to what he had to state on the subject. To this proposed vindication he proceeds in the following chapter, showing the greatness of his calamity, and his right, as he supposes, to complain. Their attention was gained. They did not refuse to listen to him, and he proceeds to a fuller statement of his calamity, and of the reasons why he had allowed himself to use the language of complaint. They listened without interruption until he was done, and then replied in tones of deeper severity still.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 30. Is there iniquity in my tongue?] Am I not an honest man? and if in my haste my tongue had uttered falsity, would not my conscience discern it? and do you think that such a man as your friend is would defend what he knew to be wrong?
I HAVE done what I could to make this chapter plain, to preserve the connection, and show the dependence of the several parts on each other; without which many of the sayings would have been very obscure. The whole chapter is an inimitable apology for what he had uttered, and a defence of his conduct. This might have ended the controversy, had not his friends been determined to bring him in guilty. They had prejudged his cause, and assumed a certain position, from which they were determined not to be driven.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Consider again, and more thoroughly examine, if there be any untruth or iniquity in what I have already said, or shall further speak to you.
My taste. i.e. my judgment, which discerns and judgeth of words and actions as the taste or palate doth of meats.
Perverse things, i.e. false opinions or sinful expressions. I am not so bereft of common understanding, as not to be able to distinguish between good and evil; and therefore if I have uttered, or should utter, any perverse words, I should apprehend them to be so as well as you do.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
30. Will you say that my guiltlies in the organ of speech, and will you call it to account? or, Isit that my taste (palate) or discernment is not capable to form ajudgment of perverse things? Is it thus you will explain the fact ofmy having no consciousness of guilt? [UMBREIT].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Is there iniquity in my tongue?…. Meaning in his words; either those which he uttered when he cursed the day on which he was born, or in charging his friends with unkindness and falsehood; otherwise the tongue is a world of iniquity, and the best of men are apt to offend both God and men in word:
cannot my taste discern perverse things? which is to be understood not of his natural taste, which very probably through his disease might be greatly vitiated, and incapable of relishing his food as in time of health, and of distinguishing good from bad; but of his intellectual taste, or of his sense and reason, his rational and spiritual taste; he had his senses exercised to discern good and evil; he could distinguish between right and wrong that was said or done, either by himself or others; be had the use of his rational powers and faculties, and therefore not to be treated as a mad or distracted man, but as one capable of carrying on a conversation, of opening his true case, and defending himself; see Job 12:11.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(30) Is there iniquity?Or, injustice in my tongue? Is my taste so perverted that it cannot perceive what is perverse? Ye appear to think that I am wholly incapable of judging my own cause because it is my own; but if ye will only condescend to return in due course, ye shall find that I know what is right as well as you, and that there is no more vicious reasoning in me than there is with you, and probably less. It is difficult to draw out the argument of Job in the logical form of our Western thought, and to trace the line of connection running through it. If we look at it in detailas we must in order to explain itthen we are apt to look at it piecemeal, and miss the thread; but in point of fact it is just this very thread which it is so difficult to detect and retain from one chapter to another.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
30. Iniquity Is there wrong in my tongue?
Taste Cannot my palate discern that which is perverse? Of all human beings he himself knows best about his own heart and life, as one’s own palate is best fitted to discern its own objects of taste. The word palate is here used metaphorically for the moral judgment. It is this that tries “perverse things,” not “calamities,” as Zockler would read, but a “wickedness which completely contaminates feeling and utterance.” See Psa 52:2, where the same word is used and rendered “mischiefs.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 6:30. Is there iniquity in my tongue, &c. Must there needs be perversity in my tongue, because my palate cannot relish misery? Heath.
REFLECTIONS.1st, Having heard with patient attention the discourse of Eliphaz, however piercing some of the reflections must appear, Job, far from being convinced by his reasoning, replies with warmth to his arguments.
1. He wishes for a more impartial balance than his censorious friends seemed inclined to afford him; who slighted the weight of those calamities which they did not feel, and blamed him as aggravating his troubles, the heaviness of which words were wanting to express, and the half of which he could not tell, while sighing and tears stopped his utterance, or, as the expression, Job 6:3 may be rendered, therefore my words boil up, through the anguish he felt within. Note; (1.) They who are at ease themselves are often partial judges of the complaints of others. (2.) We recommend that advice to others as easy and obvious, which, if in their case ourselves, we might find exceedingly difficult, if not impracticable.
2. He complains of what they could not seethe inward anguish of his soul. His outward trials were heavy as the sand, and as numerous, but his inward pangs far more deadly. Like poisoned arrows, the wrath of God, which he read in these afflictions, drank up his spirit, and sunk him almost into despair, while what he feared added to what he felt; he saw God marshalling his terrors against him, and who could tell where they would end. Note; (1.) Of all our evils, a sense of God’s wrath is most intolerable: a wounded spirit who can bear? (2.) If in the agonies of pain a hasty expression may not be justified, they should at least plead with us in its excuse.
3. He vindicates himself in his complaints; under which to be silent would prove him more insensible than the most stupid animals. Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?no; but, when deprived of these, the very beasts will complain. Now all his comforts were perished; the food that in time past he would not have deigned to touch, was become his sorrowful meat, insipid, without a grain of salt, and tasteless as the white of an egg; or more probably he means, that the admonitions and reproof of Eliphaz were as nauseous to him as the bitter morsel that he loathed, and more unsavoury than the most insipid food, being no way suited to his case and condition, and therefore disrelished and rejected. Note; (1.) There is no virtue in insensibility. (2.) When we know not to what straits we may be reduced, it is good betimes to avoid all nicety of diet, which tends only to pamper the appetite, and will add peculiar bitterness in any day of future want.
2nd, The words which Job afterwards delivers, he would certainly wish unsaid; and they deserve all the rebuke of impatience which Eliphaz hath bestowed: so hard it is, when the spirit is ruffled, for a good man to refrain from the speech of perverseness. We have here,
1. Job’s impatient wish and prayer for his immediate dissolution; O that I might have my request! as if the boon was wondrous great; and what is this thing he longs for? why, that God would make an end of him, let loose his arm, and by one stroke put a period to his days of misery: a bad wish, and a worse prayer; but God is kinder to us than we are to ourselves, and therefore mercifully refuses to grant our sinful and hasty requests. Note; (1.) However irksome our present state may be, we must not think of ridding ourselves of our troubles, but wait till our change comes. (2.) Through our folly at times, our very prayers are turned into sin.
2. Though he is wrong in his rash desire, he expresses a gracious hope in death; Then should I have comfort, the prospect of its approach should be my joy, and after death I should enter into everlasting felicity. Yea, could I see this wished-for hour, though death approached with all its terrors, I would harden myself in sorrow, and stand unmoved under the shock; and though every boil burst forth into a flame to consume me, let him not spare; so he slay me, I am content to suffer every excruciating pang of torment: surely this also is his infirmity: his faith in the prospect of death is commendable; his defiance of suffering, and hardening himself in sorrow, is blameable. Note, (1.) Death, to a believer, is a consummation devoutly to be wished for; only, though willing to be gone, let him contentedly wait the Lord’s leisure. (2.) To harden ourselves against affliction, is to disappoint the design of God’s corrections, and would prove not our fortitude but our obstinacy.
3. He produces the reason why he wished to die: I have not concealed the words of the Holy One; far from being conscious of unfaithfulness or hypocrisy, as was suggested, his conscience bore him witness in the Holy Ghost, that he had ever embraced, professed, and propagated, even in the midst of that idolatrous generation, those doctrines of truth which God had revealed to him; and therefore he dared to appear at his bar, unterrified at the fears of judgment, and humbly confident of gracious acceptance. Note; (1.) A good conscience gives boldness in the day of judgment. (2.) The truths that we know and believe, we must profess, own, and seek to inculcate, however such profession and zeal for God may make us obnoxious to the sneers of a wicked world.
4. He rejects the consolations that Eliphaz proposed to him, as what, in his present state, were vain chimeras; what is my strength, that I should hope to see a restoration of my health and vigour? or what is mine end, what purpose would it answer, now all my comforts are gone, that I should prolong my life? Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh brass? to bear up under a weight of troubles so numerous, and insupportably heavy. Note; (1.) Dejected hearts are ready to preach to themselves despair, and refuse to be comforted. (2.) Though our strength is very weakness, yet there is help lent us in one mighty to save, and we can do or suffer all things through Christ strengthening us. (3.) While God is pleased to prolong our lives, we may be assured that he has some end for his own glory to answer, though we may think ourselves useless.
3rdly, Eliphaz, in the name of the rest, had accused him of hypocrisy; with greater evidence he retorts the charge, from their cruel conduct, who, instead of friendly comforters, had turned accusers and tormentors.
1. He pleads his just expectations from them. Pity, at least, he might have expected; and if they could not remove his sorrows, their friendly compassions, in sympathising with his griefs, should have sought at least to alleviate them. Note; The bosom of true friendship is the seat of tenderness. Though relief is not in our power, the kind inquiry, the solicitous attention, the soft look of pity, and the sympathetic tear, speak the desires of the faithful heart.
2. He charges Eliphaz and his abettors with cruel unkindness, and disappointing his just expectations, wherein they showed as much disregard to the fear of God as faithlessness to their friend. Like brooks swoln by the melted snow and ice in winter, their professions in the days of his prosperity were great; but now that the scorching sun is risen, their streams deceitfully disappear. The travellers that before eyed the rolling flood, came, heated with journeying, eager to quench their raging thirst: the troops of Tema and Sheba, the caravans of merchants, expected with earnest solicitude to discover the welcome river, and waited patiently, in hope that there at least they should find water for themselves and fainting camels: but lo! their hope is vanished; no drop remains amid the burning sands; the brook is dry, and terrible disappointment covers them. Such were the friends of Job, failing him when he wanted their kind help, and deceitful as these vanishing streams. For now ye are nothing, afford me not the least relief in my distress: ye see my casting down under these afflictions, and are afraid to patronize my cause, as if these strokes bespoke the judgments of the Almighty; or as if he should burden them for a maintenance, or should infect them with his disease, or offend them with its nauseous smell. Note; (1.) It is a bitter trial to find faithless a friend on whom we depended. (2.) The world is full of disappointments; the more we cease from man, and expect our whole comfort from the friend of sinners, the surer will be our portion. (3.) We shall, sooner or later, find all creature-confidence nothing, yea, less than nothing, and vanity; and when we are thus assured, what folly to place our hope on any thing below!
4thly, Job goes on to vindicate himself, and to upbraid the unkindness of his friends.
1. Reduced as he was, he had not been troublesome to, or importunate with them, either to relieve him out of their abundance, or to vindicate his conduct, or to make reprisals for him on the Sabeans and Chaldeans; and, as he had given them no provocations to use him ill, their accusations were the more aggravated. Note; (1.) The importunity of want often provokes the abuse of the uncharitable. (2.) Though a good man, when God so pleases to reduce him, is not too proud to beg, yet, while he is able to work, or a pittance remains, he will not be burdensome, and will rather decline the proffers of his friends, than weary out their generosity.
2. Though he could not call folly wisdom, he professes himself, however unkindly treated, open to conviction if he had erred, and humbly ready in silence to attend the force of right words; but theirs were neither right nor forcible, nor did their arguing fix on him reproof or conviction: their suppositions were groundless, and their conclusions false. Note; (1.) They are the truly wise, who are open to reason, and are not ashamed to see wherein they have erred. (2.) It is a bad cause that needs abuse to support it; and it weakens a good one, to use heat or ill language. Arguments clothed with kindness, like the razor set in oil, cut deepest with least pain.
3. He urges the cruelty of catching at a passionate word, which in his present desperate situation might drop from him, yet was far from proving him insincere or wicked. In his desolate situation they not only bore him down already as the fatherless overwhelmed with sorrow, but digged a pit for their friend; pretended to come to comfort him, and seemed to labour only to entangle him in his talk, and to watch for a rash expression on which to spend their unkind reproofs. Note; (1.) We must make allowances for a man’s situation, and not be severe censurers of every hasty word or wrong step. (2.) To add oppression and insult to the afflictions of the poor, is doubly criminal.
4. He warmly maintains his integrity, to his vindication of which he begs them to give a patient hearing. Be content to stay a moment; look upon me; does my countenance betray the consciousness of shame, or blush of guilt? for it is evident unto you, if I lie; you would soon discover it, if it were so. Return, I pray you, to kinder sentiments of me; or perhaps they rose to depart, and he begs a patient audience: let it not be iniquity; there is no iniquity, none such as they charged him with; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it. In the whole of his cause, and the present controversy, he doubted not but to prove himself blameless of every accusation. Is there iniquity in my tongue? No; I have spoken the truth, &c. Note; (1.) We are bound to give every man a patient hearing. (2.) Truth is a mighty weapon, when wielded by the weakest arm. (3.) They who have a good cause will never shun the light, but court inquiry.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
READER! let us ponder over the situation, in which the HOLY GHOST hath represented Job in this chapter, and gather from it those precious instructions, which we may humbly suppose, the LORD the SPIRIT, graciously designed to convey.
Though we hear Job thus expressing himself, in the bitterness of his complaints, and speaking unadvisedly with his lips, yet it is not the complaining to GOD when under trouble which causeth sin, but the complaining of GOD. Here lies all the difference. Paul the apostle hath told the church, from the authority of GOD the HOLY GHOST, that no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous. And every saint’s own experience bears witness to the truth. Nay, unless we feel our trials, how can they be sanctified, Reader! mark the striking difference, and observe how we are taught, neither to despise the chastenings of the LORD, by making too light of them; nor faint under them, as if they were too heavy. If a child manifests stubbornness under a father’s rod, as though he felt it not, and appears determined not to regard it; what must we think of him? And if on the other hand, he sinks and faints under the rebuke, how would this improve?
But here, precious JESUS, as in every other thing, so in this, thy bright example, thy blessed pattern, shows what thy followers should be. When in thine unequalled conflicts, thy soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, yet we hear no complaining word, no angry expostulation. As the prophet had described thee, so the Evangelist records of thee, that thou wast led as a Lamb to the slaughter, and as the sheep before her shearers is dumb, so didst thou not open thy mouth. Oh! LAMB of GOD! give me to be everlastingly keeping in view thy meekness! and while I behold thee, condescending to the deepest abasement; feeling all indignities, bearing all our sins, receiving all thy Father’s wrath, and enduring all that contradiction of sinners, which in the days of thy flesh, thou didst sustain for me and for my salvation: oh blessed JESUS, let me ask my soul, was it for me, that thou wast oppressed, thus exercised, thus tempted, thus buffetted, thus crowned with thorns; and all for me? Oh! give me grace in all my lesser trials, which were not worthy to be mentioned, to be looking unto thee. And though at times, my poor weak and corrupt nature, feels tempted to cry out under them, like Jonah or like Job, as though I did well to be angry; yet, LORD, if thou wilt strengthen me with one view of thee, then in thy power shall I take up the cross, and follow thee, thou LAMB of GOD, whithersoever thou goest, and be more than conqueror, through thy grace helping me.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Job 6:30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?
Ver. 30. Is there iniquity in my tongue? ] Yea, or else you shall pass for a perfect man, and well able to bridle the whole body, Jas 3:2 . St Paul, Rom 3:13 , anatomizing a natural man, standeth more upon the organs of speech, his tongue, lips, mouth, throat, &c., than upon all the other members. But Job was a perfect and an upright man, Job 1:1 , he had said he would take heed to his ways, that he sinned not with his tongue, Psa 39:1 , he was also convinced of this, that if any man seem to be religious, and bridle not his tongue, that man’s religion was in vain, Jas 1:26 . He did not therefore prepensedly and willingly lash out in sinful or superfluous language.
Cannot my taste discern perverse things?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Is there . . . ? cannot . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
iniquity: Job 33:8-12, Job 42:3-6
cannot: Job 6:6, Job 12:11, Job 34:3, Heb 5:14
taste: Heb. palate
Reciprocal: 2Sa 14:17 – to discern 2Sa 19:35 – can I discern Job 11:4 – I am clean
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 6:30. Is there iniquity in my tongue? Consider, if there be any iniquity, or untruth, in what I have already said, or shall further speak? Have I hitherto uttered any thing that is faulty? Cannot my taste discern perverse things That is, my understanding, which judges of words and actions, as the palate doth of meats. I hope it is not so corrupted but that I can discern what is bad, though spoken by myself.