Job 16: Miserable Comforters
Job answers that his friends only add to his pain, yet he dares to hope that even now his witness is in heaven.
Job 16 (WEB)
1 Then Job answered,
2 “I have heard many such things. You are all miserable comforters!
3 Shall vain words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul’s place, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you,
5 but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.
6 “Though I speak, my grief is not subsided. Though I forbear, what am I eased?
7 But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made desolate all my company.
8 You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies to my face.
9 He has torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me.
10 They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me.
11 God delivers me to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for his target.
13 His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare. He pours out my gall on the ground.
14 He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs on me like a giant.
15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids.
17 Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
18 “Earth, don’t cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest.
19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high.
20 My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,
21 that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbor!
22 For when a few years have come, I shall go the way of no return.
Job 16 (KJV)
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.
6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?
7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.
9 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.
11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.
20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
Job 16 (ASV)
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 I have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are ye all.
3 Shall vain words have an end? Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
4 I also could speak as ye do; If your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could join words together against you, And shake my head at you.
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips would assuage your grief.
6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And though I forbear, what am I eased?
7 But now he hath made me weary: Thou hast made desolate all my company.
8 And thou hast laid fast hold on me, which is a witness against me: And my leanness riseth up against me, It testifieth to my face.
9 He hath torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me; He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth: Mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully: They gather themselves together against me.
11 God delivereth me to the ungodly, And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He hath also set me up for his mark.
13 His archers compass me round about; He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He runneth upon me like a giant.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And have laid my horn in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 Although there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, And let my cry have noresting-place.
19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he that voucheth for me is on high.
20 My friends scoff at me: But mine eye poureth out tears unto God,
21 That he would maintain the right of a man with God, And of a son of man with his neighbor!
22 For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
Summary
Job responds wearily to Eliphaz, calling his friends miserable comforters who only multiply his sorrow. He tells them he could easily speak as they do if their roles were reversed, but insists that if so, he would strengthen and console rather than condemn. Then his lament turns Godward, describing in stark imagery how he feels torn apart, worn out, and made desolate. He pictures God as an adversary who has gnashed at him, broken him, and set him up as a target for his archers. His face is red with weeping and deep darkness lies on his eyelids, though there is no violence in his hands and his prayer is pure. Yet in the midst of this anguish a flicker of hope rises: he cries that the earth should not cover his blood, and declares that even now his witness is in heaven and the one who vouches for him is on high. Job longs for someone to maintain his case before God, even as he feels God is the one striking him. The chapter holds together raw honesty about pain and a stubborn reach toward a heavenly advocate, a longing the gospel will answer in Christ.
Voices
- Job — The sufferer who rebukes his friends as miserable comforters, pours out his anguish, and yet appeals to a witness in heaven who will vouch for him.
- Eliphaz and the friends — The companions whose words bring no comfort, whom Job says he could answer in kind but would rather strengthen.
- God (the heavenly witness) — Felt by Job as both the one who wounds him and the one in heaven who can testify on his behalf, a tension that points toward a mediator.
Key Verse
Job 16:19 (WEB)
Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high.
Lessons Learned
- Comfort that condemns the sufferer is no comfort at all; true friends strengthen with their words.
- It is possible to lament God's apparent assault and still cling to him as our only hope.
- Honest grief and stubborn faith can live in the same heart at the same time.
- The longing for a heavenly witness who will plead our case is fulfilled in Christ, our advocate.
- Be a strengthener, not a tormentor. Job says that in their place he “would strengthen you with my mouth” (Job 16:5, WEB), showing what real comfort looks like.
- Lament tells God the truth about our pain. Job freely says, “you have surely worn me out” (Job 16:7, WEB), bringing his rawest feelings into honest prayer rather than hiding them.
- Integrity can coexist with suffering. Job maintains there is “no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure” (Job 16:17, WEB), refusing to confess sins he has not committed.
- Our witness is in heaven. “Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven” (Job 16:19, WEB). Job reaches for an advocate above, a hope answered fully in Christ who intercedes for us.
- What does Job mean by calling his friends “miserable comforters” (16:2), and how would he have done it differently?
- How does Job describe God's dealings with him in this chapter, and is it wrong to speak so frankly?
- Job insists his hands hold no violence and his prayer is pure (16:17). Why does he keep maintaining his innocence?
- What does Job mean that his witness is in heaven (16:19), and how does Christ fulfill that longing?
- When you are in pain, do you bring it honestly to God, or do you feel you must clean it up first? Why?
- Job means their words add weight to his grief instead of lifting it; rather than sitting with him, they accuse him. He says that in their place he would strengthen with his mouth and relieve them (16:5). The contrast defines compassionate friendship.
- Job uses violent images of being torn, broken, and targeted (16:9-14). Such frankness is not faithless; lament is a biblical language that brings real anguish to the real God. Encourage the group that God can bear our honesty.
- Job will not buy false peace by confessing sins he did not commit. His persistent claim of integrity is not pride but faithfulness to the truth, and it sets up the deeper question of how a righteous person can suffer.
- Job reaches past his accusers to a witness on high who will vouch for him (16:19). The longing for a heavenly advocate finds its answer in Jesus, who pleads our case before the Father (1 John 2:1). Draw that line gently for the group.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to consider whether they sanitize their prayers. As leader, reassure them that God welcomes honest lament and meets us in our distress, not only after we have composed ourselves.