Job 29:6

KJV

When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

KJV (with Strong's)

When I washed {H7364} my steps {H1978} with butter {H2529}, and the rock {H6697} poured me out {H6694} rivers {H6388} of oil {H8081};

Complete Jewish Bible

my steps were awash in butter, and the rocks poured out for me streams of olive oil.

Berean Standard Bible

when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

American Standard Version

When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured me out streams of oil!

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 29:6 presents a vivid and hyperbolic depiction of Job's former prosperity and the profound divine favor he enjoyed prior to his trials. In this poignant lament, Job recalls a time when his life was characterized by an extraordinary abundance of resources and a miraculous ease of provision, symbolized by rich dairy products and flowing oil, contrasting sharply with his present destitution and suffering. This verse serves as a powerful expression of his deep nostalgia for a lost golden age, underscoring the radical shift in his circumstances and the perplexing nature of his affliction.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 29 initiates a powerful soliloquy by Job, marking a significant turn in the book's narrative. Following the inconclusive debates with his three friends (chapters 3-27) and Elihu's interjections (chapters 32-37), Job takes center stage to deliver his final, most comprehensive defense and lament before God speaks from the whirlwind. Chapter 29 specifically serves as a nostalgic recollection of Job's former glory, setting the stage for his subsequent plea for justice in chapter 30 and his final oath of innocence in chapter 31. This verse, with its lavish imagery of abundance, directly follows Job's yearning for "the months of old" and "the days when God watched over me" in [Job 29:2-5](/job/29-2 "Job 29:2-5 - Job's Lament for Lost Favor"), emphasizing the stark contrast between his past blessed state and his current suffering.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, wealth was intrinsically linked to land, livestock, and agricultural produce. "Butter" (or curdled milk/cream) and "oil" (predominantly olive oil) were not merely luxuries but essential commodities for sustenance, trade, anointing, and fuel for lamps. The imagery in this verse reflects an agrarian society where an abundance of these resources signified immense prosperity and divine blessing. The concept of "the rock pouring out oil" would have been particularly striking, as rocks are typically barren and dry, emphasizing a miraculous and unnatural level of provision. This points to a cultural understanding that true, overflowing wealth was a direct manifestation of divine favor, much like the miraculous provision of water from a rock for Israel in the wilderness, as recounted in [Exodus 17:6](/exodus/17-6 "Exodus 17:6 - Water from the Rock at Horeb").
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within the Book of Job. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Divine Blessing and Prosperity**, showcasing Job's former status as a man uniquely favored by God, whose material blessings overflowed to an almost mythical degree. Secondly, it underscores the profound theme of **Loss and Lament**, as Job's detailed recollection of his past abundance serves to accentuate the depth of his current destitution and the perplexing nature of his suffering. This contrast is central to his struggle to reconcile his blamelessness with his affliction, a question that permeates the entire book. Finally, the imagery of miraculous provision, even from barren sources, reinforces the theme of **God's Sovereignty and Provision**, even as Job grapples with the apparent withdrawal of that provision. His memory of God's "candle" shining upon his head in [Job 29:3](/job/29-3 "Job 29:3 - God's Presence with Job") further solidifies the idea that his past prosperity was directly attributed to God's active presence and blessing.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Butter (חֶמְאָה, _ḥemʾâ_):** In this context, _ḥemʾâ_ refers to a rich dairy product, likely curdled milk, cream, or a soft cheese. It was a highly valued food item, indicative of a flourishing herd and abundant pasture. The hyperbole of "washing steps with butter" suggests not merely a plentiful supply but an extravagant, almost wasteful, overflow of this precious commodity, symbolizing unparalleled luxury and ease. It paints a picture of a household so blessed that even the most common pathways were paved with richness.
* **Oil (שֶׁמֶן, _šemen_):** Olive oil was a staple in the ancient world, used for food, light, anointing, and medicinal purposes. Its abundance was a sign of great wealth and a fruitful land. The image of "the rock poured me out rivers of oil" is a powerful metaphor for miraculous and limitless provision. Rocks are inherently dry and barren; thus, oil flowing from them signifies a supernatural source of wealth, emphasizing that Job's prosperity was not merely natural good fortune but a divine, extraordinary blessing.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"When I washed my steps with butter":** This vivid phrase employs hyperbole to convey an unimaginable degree of prosperity and comfort. "Washing steps" implies a path, a daily walk, or even the very ground Job trod. To wash it with "butter" (a rich, valuable foodstuff) signifies an abundance so extreme that precious resources were used for non-essential, lavish purposes. It speaks to a life of unparalleled ease, where scarcity was unknown and luxury was commonplace, reflecting a household overflowing with livestock and their produce.
* **"and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;":** This second clause continues the hyperbolic imagery, emphasizing the miraculous and limitless nature of Job's former provision. A "rock" is typically a symbol of barrenness and hardship. For a rock to "pour out rivers of oil" suggests a supernatural intervention, a continuous and inexhaustible flow of a vital and valuable commodity from an unexpected, impossible source. It underscores that Job's wealth was not merely the result of hard work or good fortune, but a direct, miraculous blessing from God, making his current desolation all the more perplexing.

#### Literary Devices
Job 29:6 is rich in **Hyperbole**, a literary device that uses extreme exaggeration for emphasis or effect. The images of "washing steps with butter" and "the rock poured me out rivers of oil" are not meant to be taken literally but serve to magnify the extraordinary, almost mythical, level of Job's past prosperity and divine favor. This exaggeration underscores the profound contrast with his present suffering, intensifying his lament. The verse also employs **Imagery**, creating vivid mental pictures of abundance and ease, appealing to the senses of touch (smooth, rich butter) and sight (flowing rivers of oil). Furthermore, **Metaphor** is evident in the "rock pouring rivers of oil," where the rock symbolizes an impossible source, and the oil represents limitless wealth, conveying a sense of miraculous provision beyond natural means.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 29:6 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of divine blessing and the perplexing reality of its withdrawal. It highlights the ancient understanding that material prosperity was often seen as a tangible sign of God's favor and covenant faithfulness. Job's recollection is not merely a nostalgic longing for comfort, but a theological lament, questioning why such clear evidence of God's blessing has been so dramatically reversed. This verse implicitly raises the central theological problem of the book: the relationship between righteousness and suffering, and the often inscrutable ways of God. It forces the reader to confront the transience of earthly blessings and the deeper questions of faith that arise when those blessings are removed, prompting a re-evaluation of where true security and hope lie.

* [Deuteronomy 8:15](/deuteronomy/8-15 "Deuteronomy 8:15 - God's Provision in the Wilderness")
* [Psalm 23:5](/psalms/23-5 "Psalm 23:5 - The Lord Prepares a Table")
* [Proverbs 3:9-10](/proverbs/3-9 "Proverbs 3:9-10 - Honoring God with Firstfruits")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job's poignant recollection in Job 29:6 invites us to reflect on our own experiences of blessing and loss. While few will experience the hyperbolic prosperity Job describes, we all know seasons of abundance and seasons of scarcity. This verse encourages a posture of gratitude for past and present blessings, recognizing them as gifts from God's hand, rather than entitlements. Yet, it also serves as a sober reminder of the transient nature of all earthly comforts and possessions. Our ultimate security and identity should not be rooted in what we possess or what we have experienced, but in the unchanging character of God Himself. When trials come and blessings seem to vanish, Job's lament validates the human experience of grief and confusion, but also compels us to seek a deeper understanding of God's purposes beyond material prosperity, trusting in His steadfast love even when His ways are inscrutable.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Job's vivid memory of past abundance resonate with your own experiences of prosperity or blessing?**
* **What does the imagery of "washing steps with butter" and "rocks pouring rivers of oil" teach us about the nature of true abundance and divine provision?**
* **In what ways might focusing on past blessings, even amidst present suffering, help or hinder one's faith journey?**
* **How can we cultivate a heart of gratitude for God's provision while simultaneously holding earthly blessings with an open hand, recognizing their transient nature?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of "butter" and "oil" in this verse?**

Answer: In the ancient Near East, both "butter" (more accurately, a rich dairy product like curdled milk or cream) and "oil" (typically olive oil) were highly prized commodities. They represented essential foodstuffs, sources of light, and valuable trade goods. Their presence in abundance signified immense wealth, health, and fertility of the land and livestock. The hyperbole of "washing steps with butter" and "rocks pouring rivers of oil" elevates this significance, portraying a level of prosperity that is not just plentiful but miraculously overflowing, indicating Job's extraordinary divine favor. It's a poetic way of saying he lived in a land flowing with milk and honey, a common biblical metaphor for blessing, as seen in [Exodus 3:8](/exodus/3-8 "Exodus 3:8 - A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job 29:6 describes Job's earthly, material prosperity as a sign of divine favor, it ultimately points to a greater, spiritual abundance found in Christ. Job's "rivers of oil" and "steps washed with butter" foreshadow the inexhaustible spiritual riches and anointing that flow from the presence of God in the New Covenant. Jesus, as the true source of all blessing, offers not merely transient material wealth but an eternal, overflowing life, as He Himself declared, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" in [John 10:10](/john/10-10 "John 10:10 - The Abundant Life"). The anointing of the Holy Spirit, often symbolized by oil in the Old Testament, is poured out without measure upon believers, enabling them to walk in newness of life and experience a spiritual abundance that transcends earthly circumstances, as promised in [Acts 2:17](/acts/2-17 "Acts 2:17 - The Pouring Out of the Spirit"). Thus, Job's past glory, though magnificent, pales in comparison to the spiritual glory and eternal provision secured for us through the sacrifice and resurrection of the [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), who offers a living water that never runs dry, as described in [John 4:14](/john/4-14 "John 4:14 - The Living Water").

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

Psalms 81:16

He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.

Job 20:17

He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.

Deuteronomy 32:13

He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;

Deuteronomy 32:14

Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.

Deuteronomy 33:24

And of Asher he said, [Let] Asher [be] blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.

Genesis 49:11

Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: