Job 6:15-18
My brothers are treacherous as a torrent-bed, as torrential streams that pass away, which are dark with ice, and where the snow hides itself. When they melt, they disappear; when it is hot, they vanish from their place. The caravans turn aside from their course; they go up into the waste and perish.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Job's friends are compared to a desert stream that seems full and promising, but rapidly dries up when it's most needed. This isn't just about their absence, but how their presence brought disappointment instead of relief, like a flash flood that deceives travelers with a temporary, overwhelming surge before vanishing completely.
Job's three friends have come to comfort him, but their words have turned into accusations, making him feel even more alone in his suffering. He laments that these supposed friends, whom he calls "brothers," have proven as unreliable as desert streams that seem full and promising during the rainy season but quickly dry up when needed most.
Ever felt let down by someone you thought would always be there? Job compares his friends' loyalty to something that promises relief but delivers nothing.
Imagine living in a desert. Rain is scarce, and when a storm hits, a dry riverbed suddenly fills with rushing water. These 'wadies' can look like a lifeline, promising refreshment and a steady source.
Job's friends were like these desert streams. In his good times, their friendship seemed abundant and strong, like a full torrent. But when disaster struck Job, their support dried up completely. They didn't just disappear; their sudden absence felt like a cruel trick, a mirage in his time of desperate need. Their faithfulness was conditional, vanishing when the 'weather' changed.
Job calls his friends 'brethren,' yet they act with deceit. What does this intimate term reveal about his dashed expectations?
The word 'brethren' isn't just about family ties; it signifies closeness, shared faith, and a deep bond. Job likely saw his friends not just as acquaintances, but as spiritual companions who understood his walk with God. He expected their loyalty and comfort, especially during his profound suffering.
Instead, they 'dealt deceitfully.' Their words and silence added to his pain, acting like physicians who worsen the patient's condition. This betrayal from those closest to him—his 'brethren'—was a double blow, amplifying his anguish. It’s a stark reminder that the deepest wounds can often come from those we hold most dear.
Understand the original words
bagad · Hebrew Adjective/Verb
Describes someone who is faithless, deceptive, or violates covenantal trust. It implies a betrayal of expected support or loyalty.
tohu · Hebrew Noun
An uninhabited, desolate, or desert place. It often represents a place of danger, lack of provision, or separation from life-sustaining resources.
abad · Hebrew Verb
To die, come to ruin, or be brought to destruction. It denotes the cessation of life or the complete loss of one's path and purpose.
This passage speaks of people forsaking God, the 'spring of living waters,' for broken cisterns that cannot hold water, a powerful parallel to Job's friends who fail to provide lasting comfort.
Isaiah 58:11God promises to be like a well-watered garden for those who are just, contrasting with Job's friends who are like water sources that vanish, highlighting the faithfulness of God versus the unreliability of humans.
Proverbs 14:20This verse points out that the poor are often shunned even by their neighbors, reflecting the experience of Job whose friends, like fleeting streams, abandoned him in his time of need.
Luke 10:30-32The parable of the Good Samaritan shows religious leaders passing by a man in need, much like Job's 'brethren' who offered no real help, emphasizing the failure of expected compassion.
jfbJob 6:15: "My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;"
- Those whom I regarded as "my brethren," from whom I looked for faithfulness in my adversity, have disappointed me, as the streams failing from drought—wadies of Arabia, filled in the winter, but dry in the summer, which disappoint the caravans expecting to find water there. The fulness and noise of these temporary streams answer to the past large and loud professions of my friends; their d…
pulpitJob 6:15: "My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;"
Verse 15. - My brethren; i.e. "my three friends," Eliphaz, who has spoken; Bildad and Zophar, who by their silence have shown their agreement with him. Have dealt deceitfully as a brook; i.e. "a winter torrent" - a "wady," to use the modern Arab expression. These watercourses are characteristic of Palestine and the adjacent regions. "During the winter months," says Dr. Cunningham Geikie, "they…
Job's friends are compared to a desert stream that seems full and promising, but rapidly dries up when it's most needed. This isn't just about their absence, but how their presence brought disappointment instead of relief, like a flash flood that deceives travelers with a temporary, overwhelming surge before vanishing completely.
Job's three friends have come to comfort him, but their words have turned into accusations, making him feel even more alone in his suffering. He laments that these supposed friends, whom he calls "brothers," have proven as unreliable as desert streams that seem full and promising during the rainy season but quickly dry up when needed most.
Job's three friends have come to comfort him, but their words have turned into accusations, making him feel even more alone in his suffering. He laments that these supposed friends, whom he calls "brothers," have proven as unreliable as desert streams that seem full and promising during the rainy season but quickly dry up when needed most.
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"My brothers are treacherous as a torrent-bed, as torrential streams that pass away, which are dark with ice, and where the snow hides itself. When they melt, they disappear; when it is hot, they vanish from their pl…" — Job's friends are compared to a desert stream that seems full and promising, but rapidly dries up when it's most needed. This isn't just about their absence, but how their presence brought disappoi…
