Job 16:6

KJV

¶ Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and [though] I forbear, what am I eased?

KJV (with Strong's)

Though I speak {H1696}, my grief {H3511} is not asswaged {H2820}: and though I forbear {H2308}, what am I eased {H1980}?

Complete Jewish Bible

If I speak, my own pain isn't eased; and if I don't speak, it still doesn't leave.

Berean Standard Bible

Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away?

American Standard Version

Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And though I forbear, what am I eased?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 16:6 encapsulates the profound and unyielding anguish of Job, revealing the utter futility he experiences in attempting to alleviate his immense suffering, whether through vocal expression or silent endurance. This verse highlights the relentless nature of his pain, which remains undiminished regardless of his actions, underscoring his deep despair and the perceived absence of any source of relief.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a poignant cry within Job's third cycle of dialogues with his three friends, specifically forming part of his response to Eliphaz's second speech in [Job 15](/job/15 "Job 15 - Eliphaz's Second Speech"). Throughout these exchanges, Job's friends consistently offer a rigid, retributive theology, asserting that his suffering must be a direct consequence of hidden sin. Their counsel, far from providing comfort, only exacerbates Job's distress, as he perceives their words as further accusations and a profound misunderstanding of his plight. Job 16:6 follows his powerful declaration of innocence and his lament over the cruelty of his friends and the perceived abandonment by God, intensifying the emotional weight of his protest against his inexplicable suffering. It sets the stage for his desperate plea for a divine arbiter in [Job 16:19-21](/job/16-19 "Job 16:19-21 - Job's Hope for a Witness in Heaven").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Job is set in the ancient Near East, a cultural milieu where suffering was often directly linked to sin, and prosperity to righteousness. This "retribution theology" was a dominant framework for understanding divine justice. Job's friends operate entirely within this paradigm, which was common in wisdom literature of the time. The cultural expectation for a sufferer was often to confess sin to find relief, or to lament publicly to elicit sympathy and intervention. Job's experience challenges this conventional wisdom, as his suffering is innocent. His lament in [Job 16:6](/job/16-6 "Job 16:6 - Job's Unassuaged Grief") reflects a deeply personal and culturally transgressive struggle to reconcile his blamelessness with his intense pain, pushing against the societal norms that would demand a simple explanation for his plight.
* **Key Themes:** [Job 16:6](/job/16-6 "Job 16:6 - Job's Unassuaged Grief") powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book. It exemplifies the theme of **Unrelenting Grief**, demonstrating that Job's agony is so profound that neither articulation nor suppression offers respite, highlighting the persistent and all-consuming nature of his pain. This verse also underscores the **Futility of Human Effort** in the face of inexplicable suffering, as Job finds no relief through his own actions or words, emphasizing his utter helplessness. Furthermore, it vividly portrays Job's deep **Despair and Isolation**, a feeling compounded by the inadequacy of his friends' counsel, as seen in their judgmental stance throughout [Job 4-15](/job/4 "Job 4-15 - Eliphaz's First Cycle of Speeches"). Implicit in Job's cry is a desperate **Search for Solace**, a longing for his pain to diminish, which remains tragically unfulfilled, emphasizing the unique and overwhelming nature of his trial.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Asswaged (Hebrew, _yapug'_):** The Hebrew verb יָפוּג (*yapug*) means "to abate," "to cease," "to grow numb," or "to diminish." In this context, it conveys that Job's grief does not lessen, calm down, or become less intense in any way, even when he gives voice to it. It emphasizes the persistent, unyielding nature of his suffering, which refuses to be mitigated by expression.
* **Eased (Hebrew, _yimmana'_):** The Hebrew verb יִמָּנַע (*yimmana'*) is from the root מָנַע (*mana'*), meaning "to withhold," "to restrain," or "to prevent." In the passive voice here, "what am I eased?" implies that solace, comfort, or relief is being withheld or prevented from him. This highlights the absolute lack of any internal or external relief for Job's distress, whether he speaks or remains silent.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged:"** This clause reveals Job's initial attempt to find relief through verbal expression. Despite articulating his pain, his lament, his arguments, and his despair, his profound sorrow and suffering do not diminish or abate. His words, rather than being a cathartic release, prove ineffective against the overwhelming tide of his anguish.
* **"and [though] I forbear, what am I eased?":** This second clause presents the antithetical approach: Job's attempt to find relief through silence or suppression of his feelings. Yet, even in holding back his complaints or enduring his pain without utterance, he finds no comfort, no lessening of his burden. The rhetorical question "what am I eased?" underscores the absolute and complete absence of any relief, emphasizing his trapped state between two equally futile options.

#### Literary Devices
Job 16:6 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey the depth of Job's despair. The most prominent is **Antithetical Parallelism**, where two opposing ideas are presented to highlight a common truth. Here, "Though I speak" is contrasted with "though I forbear," and the corresponding outcomes "my grief is not asswaged" and "what am I eased?" reinforce the same conclusion: no relief is found. This structure emphasizes the inescapable nature of Job's suffering. The use of a **Rhetorical Question** ("what am I eased?") is not meant to elicit an answer but to underscore the absolute futility and the absence of any comfort, amplifying the sense of hopelessness. The verse also functions as a powerful **Lament**, a common biblical genre for expressing deep sorrow and complaint to God, even if God is not directly addressed in this specific line. The language itself borders on **Hyperbole**, as Job's experience is so extreme that it feels beyond normal human suffering, conveying the all-consuming nature of his pain.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 16:6 profoundly articulates the human experience of suffering that defies easy explanation or resolution, challenging simplistic theological frameworks that equate suffering solely with sin. It speaks to the reality that some pain is so deep and pervasive that neither expression nor suppression can alleviate it, highlighting the limitations of human coping mechanisms and the inadequacy of human comfort. Theologically, this verse points to the mystery of suffering and the often-unseen purposes of God, compelling us to grapple with divine sovereignty even when it seems inscrutable. It underscores the need for a comfort that transcends human capacity, hinting at a divine solace that only God can provide, even if Job himself has not yet fully found it in this moment.

* [Job 2:10](/job/2-10 "Job 2:10 - Job's Steadfastness Amidst Suffering")
* [2 Corinthians 1:3-4](/2_corinthians/1-3 "2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - God of All Comfort")
* [Psalm 13:1-2](/psalms/13-1 "Psalm 13:1-2 - A Cry of Lament")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 16:6 offers a profound validation for those experiencing deep, unrelenting grief or suffering that seems to defy all attempts at relief. It reminds us that there are times when pain is so pervasive that neither speaking out nor remaining silent brings comfort, and that such experiences are acknowledged within the biblical narrative. This verse calls us to cultivate profound empathy for those who suffer, recognizing the limitations of our own words and advice. Instead of offering simplistic solutions or judgmental counsel, as Job's friends did, we are called to be present, to listen, and to bear witness to another's pain without attempting to fix it prematurely. Ultimately, Job's cry points beyond human capacity for solace, gently directing us toward the ultimate source of comfort and healing found only in God. It encourages us to bring our raw, unvarnished lament before Him, trusting that even in His perceived silence, He hears and understands our deepest anguish.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Job's experience in [Job 16:6](/job/16-6 "Job 16:6 - Job's Unassuaged Grief") validate our own feelings of despair when suffering seems unending and intractable?**
* **What are the limitations of human comfort and advice when confronted with profound, inexplicable grief, and where do we truly find solace?**
* **How can we cultivate a posture of honest lament before God, expressing our deepest anguish and questions, even when we don't understand His purposes?**
* **In what ways does Job's struggle point us to a greater need for divine intervention and ultimate redemption from suffering?**

### FAQ
**Why does Job feel no relief whether he speaks or stays silent?**

Answer: Job's inability to find relief, whether through vocalizing his pain or suppressing it, stems from the overwhelming and multifaceted nature of his suffering. His physical agony was immense, his emotional distress profound due to the loss of his family and possessions, and his spiritual anguish acute as he felt abandoned by God and misunderstood by his friends. His friends' theological framework, which attributed his suffering to hidden sin, offered no comfort but rather piled accusation upon his already burdened soul, as seen in Eliphaz's words in [Job 15:4-5](/job/15-4 "Job 15:4-5 - Eliphaz's Accusation"). Speaking out only brought more condemnation, while remaining silent did not diminish the internal torment. This verse highlights a state of absolute despair where conventional coping mechanisms fail, leaving Job trapped in an unassuaged grief that no human action or inaction could ease.

**What do "asswaged" and "eased" mean in this context, and why are they significant?**

Answer: In Job 16:6, "asswaged" (Hebrew: *yapug*) means to abate, cease, or diminish. It signifies that Job's grief does not lessen in intensity or severity even when he expresses it. "Eased" (Hebrew: *yimmana'*) implies that comfort or relief is withheld or prevented from him, even when he chooses to remain silent. The significance of these terms lies in their emphasis on the *totality* of Job's lack of relief. They are not merely synonyms but represent two sides of the same coin: his suffering neither decreases nor is it alleviated by any means. This linguistic precision underscores the profound, unyielding, and inescapable nature of his anguish, highlighting that his pain is not just intense, but utterly unmanageable by human effort.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 16:6, with its raw depiction of unassuaged grief, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Job's cry of a suffering that could not be eased by speaking or forbearing foreshadows the unique and incomparable suffering of the Son of God, who bore the full weight of humanity's sin and sorrow. On the cross, Jesus experienced a divine abandonment far deeper than Job's perceived isolation, crying out, "[My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")" – a lament that, unlike Job's, was not merely for personal affliction but for the cosmic burden of sin. While Job's grief remained unassuaged, Jesus, the Suffering Servant prophesied in [Isaiah 53:4](/isaiah/53-4 "Isaiah 53:4 - The Suffering Servant"), truly "bore our griefs and carried our sorrows." His suffering, though immense and seemingly without immediate ease, was purposeful, leading to the ultimate "assuaging" of humanity's greatest grief – the separation from God due to sin. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus became the true source of comfort and ease for all who suffer, for He is our High Priest who can "[sympathize with our weaknesses](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Our High Priest Understands")," having been tempted in every way as we are. His finished work ensures that for believers, ultimate relief and the end of all tears are guaranteed in the new heavens and new earth, where God Himself will "[wipe away every tear from their eyes](/revelation/21-4 "Revelation 21:4 - No More Tears")".

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Job 10:1

¶ My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

Psalms 88:15

I [am] afflicted and ready to die from [my] youth up: [while] I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.

Psalms 88:18

Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, [and] mine acquaintance into darkness.

Psalms 77:1

¶ To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph. I cried unto God with my voice, [even] unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.

Psalms 77:9

Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.