Job 6:17 - In the dry season, they vanish. When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

Generated Verse: Job 6:17

What does "Job 6:17" mean?


Job 6:17, "In the dry season, they vanish. When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place," is part of Job's lament about the unreliability of his friends. To understand the verse, it's helpful to see it within the context of the preceding verses (Job 6:15-16):

Job 6:15-16: "My brothers have proved as unreliable as a seasonal brook, as the streams that vanish when it rains, dark with ice and swollen with melting snow. But when the hot season comes, they are dried up, and in the heat, they disappear from their channels."

Meaning of the Verse:

The verse uses the analogy of a seasonal brook or wadi in the desert to illustrate the fleeting and ultimately useless support Job is receiving from his friends.

"In the dry season, they vanish": This refers to the period when rainfall is scarce, and the brooks that were once full of water and promise dry up completely. Metaphorically, it represents times of hardship and need. Job is saying that his friends, like these brooks, disappear when he is in trouble.

"When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place": The "hot season" intensifies the drought. The small amount of water that may have remained is completely evaporated. "Consumed out of their place" means that the brooks are not only dry, but they are also completely gone from their usual location, leaving behind only a dry, cracked riverbed. This emphasizes the complete absence of help and the utter disappointment Job feels.

Interpretation:

Job is expressing his disappointment and disillusionment with his friends. He expected them to be a source of comfort and support during his suffering, like a reliable source of water in the desert. However, they have proven to be unreliable and useless, vanishing like seasonal streams when he needs them the most. Their help is temporary and insufficient, failing him precisely when he needs it.

In essence, Job is accusing his friends of being fair-weather friends. They are there when things are easy, but they disappear when he needs them most. He finds their presence, or rather their absence, to be a source of further pain and exacerbates his suffering.

Therefore, this verse is a powerful expression of disappointment, betrayal, and the inadequacy of human comfort in the face of profound suffering.

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