Job 6:11

Translation
King James Version
What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?
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KJV (with Strong's)
What is my strength H3581, that I should hope H3176? and what is mine end H7093, that I should prolong H748 my life H5315?
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Complete Jewish Bible
"Have I enough strength to go on waiting? What end can I expect, that I should be patient?
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Berean Standard Bible
What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What is my future, that I should be patient?
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American Standard Version
What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is mine end, that I should be patient?
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World English Bible Messianic
What is my strength, that I should wait? What is my end, that I should be patient?
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Geneva Bible (1599)
What power haue I that I should endure? or what is mine end, if I should prolong my life?
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Young's Literal Translation
What is my power that I should hope? And what mine end That I should prolong my life?
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See also
Psalms 103:14Psalms 103:16Psalms 102:23Job 17:1Psalms 39:5Job 13:25Job 7:5
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SUMMARY

Job 6:11 articulates the profound despair of a man pushed to the very limits of his physical and emotional endurance. In this poignant rhetorical question, Job expresses a deep existential crisis, questioning the purpose and justification for his continued existence amidst overwhelming suffering. He perceives himself as utterly depleted of internal strength and sees no discernible positive "end" or outcome that would warrant prolonging a life consumed by pain, revealing a soul grappling with the perceived futility of his prolonged agony.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Job 6:11 is situated within Job's first response (chapters 6-7) to the initial, unhelpful counsel offered by Eliphaz the Temanite (chapters 4-5). Eliphaz had presented a conventional, retributive theology, suggesting that Job's immense suffering must be a direct consequence of hidden sin. Job's subsequent speech is a visceral and passionate rejection of this simplistic framework, serving as a desperate plea to God and an articulation of his profound anguish. Specifically, this verse follows Job's lament about his words being as bitter as his grief (Job 6:2-3) and his fervent wish for God to end his life swiftly (Job 6:8-9). Job 6:11 functions as a rhetorical climax to this section, underscoring his utter exhaustion and the perceived absence of any compelling reason—whether internal fortitude or external hope—to continue enduring his agonizing existence. It highlights his complete depletion and the apparent meaninglessness of his prolonged suffering, setting the stage for his direct complaints to God and his friends' continued inability to comprehend his plight.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The ancient Near Eastern worldview often interpreted suffering through a strict retributive lens, where calamity was seen as divine punishment for sin, and prosperity as a reward for righteousness. This prevailing theological framework is precisely what Job's "comforters," including Eliphaz, represent and rigidly adhere to. Job's lament in Job 6:11 directly challenges this dominant paradigm by asserting his innocence while enduring immense pain, thereby exposing the inadequacy of their theological presuppositions. Furthermore, the cultural expectation for friends in such circumstances was to offer genuine solace and support. However, Job's friends, by prioritizing their rigid theology over compassionate understanding, inadvertently inflict further emotional and spiritual torment. Job's cry here is not merely a personal outburst but also a profound critique of a cultural and theological system that struggled to account for innocent suffering, reflecting a universal human search for meaning and purpose in the face of inexplicable hardship when traditional explanations offer no comfort.
  • Key Themes: Job 6:11 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the Book of Job. It vividly portrays the theme of Profound Despair and Hopelessness, as Job perceives no internal resource ("strength") and no external incentive ("end") to sustain his life. This challenges the conventional wisdom of the time, which often encouraged stoicism or a simple acceptance of divine will. The verse also underscores the Limits of Human Endurance, demonstrating that even the most righteous and resilient individuals can reach a breaking point where the will to live is severely tested. Job's lament here serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of human resolve when faced with relentless, inexplicable pain, a theme explored further in the psalmist's cry, Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?. Furthermore, the verse implicitly raises the Quest for Meaning in Suffering. If there is no "end" that justifies his pain, then prolonging life becomes an exercise in futility. This existential questioning is central to the entire narrative of Job, as he grapples with the apparent purposelessness of his affliction and seeks to understand God's justice and sovereignty, a struggle that resonates deeply with the laments found in Lamentations 3.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Strength (Hebrew, kôach', H3581): This term (H3581) refers to vigor, force, or capacity. In Job 6:11, Job is not merely questioning his physical ability but his inner fortitude, his spiritual and emotional resilience. He is asking, "What remaining power or vitality do I possess that would enable me to cling to hope?" It speaks to a complete depletion of internal resources, a sense of being utterly spent and incapable of self-sustained endurance, highlighting the absence of any internal 'substance' or 'might' to continue.
  • End (Hebrew, qêts', H7093): This word (H7093) denotes an extremity, a boundary, a conclusion, or a limit. Job's question, "what [is] mine end, that I should prolong my life?" is not simply asking about the cessation of his life, but rather, "What positive outcome, what beneficial conclusion, what meaningful purpose awaits me that would justify the continuation of this agonizing existence?" He perceives no hopeful horizon, no ultimate vindication or restoration that would make his present suffering worthwhile. He sees no 'process' or 'border' that promises relief or purpose, rendering his prolonged life seemingly 'infinite' in its pain.

Verse Breakdown

  • "What [is] my strength, that I should hope?": This rhetorical question expresses Job's profound sense of internal depletion and utter hopelessness. He feels utterly devoid of any inner resource—physical, emotional, or spiritual—that could possibly sustain a glimmer of hope. His strength is so diminished that the very concept of hope (from H3176, yâchal, to wait or hope) seems alien and unattainable. It is a cry of absolute exhaustion, where the will to strive or believe in a better future has evaporated.
  • "and what [is] mine end, that I should prolong my life?": This second rhetorical question reveals Job's desperate search for meaning and purpose in his suffering. He is not merely contemplating death but questioning the reason for continuing to live. If there is no discernible positive outcome, no ultimate vindication, no meaningful resolution to his pain, then what justification is there for enduring such prolonged agony? This clause highlights his existential crisis, where life itself (from H5315, nephesh, soul/life), without a hopeful "end," appears to be an unbearable burden, making the act of 'prolonging' (from H748, ʼârak, to make long) his life seem futile.

Literary Devices

Job 6:11 employs several powerful Literary Devices to convey Job's profound despair. The primary device is Rhetorical Question, where Job poses two questions not to elicit information but to emphasize his utter lack of strength and hope, highlighting the futility he perceives in his situation. The verse also demonstrates Parallelism, specifically synonymous parallelism, as the second question ("what [is] mine end, that I should prolong my life?") echoes and intensifies the sentiment of the first ("What [is] my strength, that I should hope?"). Both clauses convey the same core message of despair and the absence of a reason to live, reinforcing the depth of his suffering. Furthermore, the language borders on Hyperbole or Lament, characteristic of wisdom literature, as Job expresses his pain in an extreme and emotionally charged manner, typical of a man overwhelmed by grief and seeking to articulate the inexpressible.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Job 6:11 stands as a stark theological statement on the nature of human suffering and the limits of human endurance. It challenges simplistic theological frameworks that posit a direct, mechanistic relationship between sin and suffering, forcing a deeper inquiry into divine justice and sovereignty. Job's lament here is not a rejection of God, but a desperate, honest cry to God, revealing the profound spiritual struggle inherent in inexplicable pain. It underscores the reality that faith is not always characterized by unwavering strength or constant hope, but often by raw honesty and persistent questioning, even when God's ways are inscrutable. This verse invites us to consider the theological necessity of lament and the space God provides for such expressions of human brokenness, ultimately pointing to a hope that transcends human strength or understanding.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Job 6:11 offers a profound permission for those enduring immense suffering to voice their deepest pains, questions, and even their despair, without pretense. In a world that often demands a brave face or quick spiritual answers, Job's raw honesty reminds us that authentic faith includes the capacity for lament and the acknowledgment of our human limitations. This verse encourages us to cultivate empathy for those in distress, resisting the urge to offer simplistic solutions or theological platitudes that can further wound a suffering soul. Instead, like Job, we are invited to bring our brokenness before God, trusting that even in our weakness and despair, He hears our cries. It challenges us to look beyond our own finite strength and perceived "ends" for meaning, recognizing that true hope and purpose often emerge from a source greater than ourselves, especially when our own resources are utterly depleted and we feel we have nothing left to give.

Questions for Reflection

  • When facing overwhelming difficulties, do I feel permission to express my raw emotions and questions to God, or do I feel I must always maintain a facade of strength?
  • How do I respond to others who express profound despair or question the meaning of their suffering? Am I quick to offer solutions, or do I first seek to listen and empathize?
  • What does Job's lament in this verse teach me about the nature of hope, particularly when my own strength is depleted and no clear "end" is in sight?

FAQ

Does Job's statement in Job 6:11 imply a loss of faith or a desire to die?

Answer: Job's statement in Job 6:11 does not necessarily imply a complete loss of faith, but rather a profound expression of utter despair and a questioning of the purpose of his continued existence under such extreme conditions. It is a lament, a cry of anguish from a man pushed to his absolute limit, rather than a definitive renunciation of God. While he does express a desire for his life to end swiftly in other verses (e.g., Job 3:20-21), 6:11 specifically questions the justification for prolonging his agony if there is no strength to hope and no positive outcome. It highlights the human experience of feeling utterly depleted and seeing no meaningful reason to continue, a common sentiment in deep suffering. The Book of Job, as a whole, demonstrates that Job maintains his integrity and continues to engage with God, even in his complaints, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of God's sovereignty (as seen in Job 42:5-6).

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Job 6:11, with its raw depiction of human weakness and the existential question of purpose in suffering, finds its ultimate answer and fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Job's desperate cry, "What is my strength, that I should hope?", resonates deeply with the human condition apart from divine intervention, where all human strength proves insufficient in the face of sin and suffering. Christ, however, embodies the divine strength that is made perfect in weakness, as articulated by Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9. His life, culminating in the cross, provides the "end" that Job desperately sought—not a mere cessation of suffering, but a glorious purpose and ultimate victory over sin and death. The suffering of Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, was not meaningless; it was the means by which humanity's hope was secured. His resurrection is the definitive "end" that justifies enduring all earthly trials, offering a living hope that transcends death itself (as seen in 1 Peter 1:3). In Christ, the question of prolonging life finds its profound answer: life is prolonged and redeemed for the glory of God and the eternal joy of His people, a hope that Job, in his limited understanding, could only dimly perceive but which is fully revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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Commentary on Job 6 verses 8–13

Ungoverned passion often grows more violent when it meets with some rebuke and check. The troubled sea rages most when it dashes against a rock. Job had been courting death, as that which would be the happy period of his miseries, ch. 3. For this Eliphaz had gravely reproved him, but he, instead of unsaying what he had said, says it here again with more vehemence than before; and it is as ill said as almost any thing we meet with in all his discourses, and is recorded for our admonition, not our imitation.

I. He is still most passionately desirous to die, as if it were not possible that he should ever see good days again in this world, or that, by the exercise of grace and devotion, he might make even these days of affliction good days. He could see no end of his trouble but death, and had not patience to wait the time appointed for that. He has a request to make; there is a thing he longs for (Job 6:8); and what is that? One would think it should be, "That it would please God to deliver me, and restore me to my prosperity again;" no, That it would please God to destroy me, Job 6:9. "As once he let loose his hand to make me poor, and then to make me sick, let him loose it once more to put an end to my life. Let him give the fatal stroke; it shall be to me the coup de grace - the stroke of favour," as, in France, they call the last blow which dispatches those that are broken on the wheel. There was a time when destruction from the Almighty was a terror to Job (Job 31:23), yet now he courts the destruction of the flesh, but in hopes that the spirit should be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Observe, Though Job was extremely desirous of death, and very angry at its delays, yet he did not offer to destroy himself, nor to take away his own life, only he begged that it would please God to destroy him. Seneca's morals, which recommend self-murder as the lawful redress of insupportable grievances, were not then known, nor will ever be entertained by any that have the least regard to the law of God and nature. How uneasy soever the soul's confinement in the body may be, it must by no means break prison, but wait for a fair discharge.

II. He puts this desire into a prayer, that God would grant him this request, that it would please God to do this for him. It was his sin so passionately to desire the hastening of his own death, and offering up that desire to God made it no better; nay, what looked ill in his wish looked worse in his prayer, for we ought not to ask any thing of God but what we can ask in faith, and we cannot ask any thing in faith but what is agreeable to the will of God. Passionate prayers are the worst of passionate expressions, for we should lift up pure hands without wrath.

III. He promises himself effectual relief, and the redress of all his grievances, by the stroke of death (Job 6:10): "Then should I yet have comfort, which now I have not, nor ever expect till then." See, 1. The vanity of human life; so uncertain a good is it that it often proves men's greatest burden and nothing is so desirable as to get clear of it. Let grace make us willing to part with it whenever God calls; for it may so happen that even sense may make us desirous to part with it before he calls. 2. The hope which the righteous have in their death. If Job had not had a good conscience, he could not have spoken with this assurance of comfort on the other side death, which turns the tables between the rich man and Lazarus. Now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

IV. He challenges death to do its worst. If he could not die without the dreadful prefaces of bitter pains and agonies, and strong convulsions, if he must be racked before he be executed, yet, in prospect of dying at last, he would make nothing of dying pangs: "I would harden myself in sorrow, would open my breast to receive death's darts, and not shrink from them. Let him not spare; I desire no mitigation of that pain which will put a happy period to all my pains. Rather than not die, let me die so as to feel myself die." These are passionate words, which might better have been spared. We should soften ourselves in sorrow, that we may receive the good impressions of it, and by the sadness of the countenance our hearts, being made tender, may be made better; but, if we harden ourselves, we provoke God to proceed in his controversy; for when he judgeth he will overcome. It is great presumption to dare the Almighty, and to say, Let him not spare; for are we stronger than he? Co1 10:22. We are much indebted to sparing mercy; it is bad indeed with us when we are weary of that. Let us rather say with David, O spare me a little.

V. He grounds his comfort upon the testimony of his conscience for him that he had been faithful and firm to his profession of religion, and in some degree useful and serviceable to the glory of God in his generation: I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. Observe, 1. Job had the words of the Holy One committed to him. The people of God were at that time blessed with divine revelation. 2. It was his comfort that he had not concealed them, had not received the grace of God therein in vain. (1.) He had not kept them from himself, but had given them full scope to operate upon him, and in every thing to guide and govern him. He had not stifled his convictions, imprisoned the truth in unrighteousness, nor done any thing to hinder the digestion of this spiritual food and the operation of this spiritual physic. Let us never conceal God's word from ourselves, but always receive it in the light of it. (2.) He had not kept them to himself, but had been ready, on all occasions, to communicate his knowledge for the good of others, was never ashamed nor afraid to own the word of God to be his rule, nor remiss in his endeavours to bring others into an acquaintance with it. Note Those, and those only, may promise themselves comfort in death who are good, and do good, while they live.

VI. He justifies himself, in this extreme desire of death, from the deplorable condition he was now in, Job 6:11, Job 6:12. Eliphaz, in the close of his discourse, had put him in hopes that he should yet see a good issue of his troubles; but poor Job puts these cordials away from him, refuses to be comforted, abandons himself to despair, and very ingeniously, yet perversely, argues against the encouragements that were given him. Disconsolate spirits will reason strangely against themselves. In answer to the pleasing prospects Eliphaz had flattered him with, he here intimates, 1. That he had no reason to expect any such thing: "What is my strength, that I should hope? You see how I am weakened and brought low, how unable I am to grapple with my distempers, and therefore what reason have I to hope that I should out-live them, and see better days? Is my strength the strength of stones? Are my muscles brass and my sinews steel? No, they are not, and therefore I cannot hold out always in this pain and misery, but must needs sink under the load. Had I strength to grapple with my distemper, I might hope to look through it; but, alas! I have not. The weakening of my strength in the way will certainly be the shortening of my days," Psa 102:23. Note, All things considered, we have no reason to reckon upon the long continuance of life in this world. What is our strength? It is depending strength. We have no more strength than God gives us; for in him we live and move. It is decaying strength; we are daily spending the stock, and by degrees it will be exhausted. It is disproportionable to the encounters we may meet with; what is our strength to be depended upon, when two or three days' sickness will make us weak as water? Instead of expecting a long life, we have reason to wonder that we have lived hitherto and to feel that we are hastening off apace. 2. That he had no reason to desire any such thing: "What is my end, that I should desire to prolong my life? What comfort can I promise myself in life, comparable to the comfort I promise myself in death?" Note, Those who, through grace, are ready for another world, cannot see much to invite their stay in this world, or to make them fond of it. That, if it be God's will, we may do him more service and may get to be fitter and riper for heaven, is an end for which we may wish the prolonging of life, in subservience to our chief end; but, otherwise, what can we propose to ourselves in desiring to tarry here? The longer life is the more grievous will its burdens be (Ecc 12:1), and the longer life is the less pleasant will be its delights, Sa2 19:34, Sa2 19:35. We have already seen the best of this world, but we are not sure that we have seen the worst of it.

VII. He obviates the suspicion of his being delirious (Job 6:13): Is not my help in me? that is, "Have I not the use of my reason, with which, I thank God, I can help myself, though you do not help me? Do you think wisdom is driven quite from me, and that I am gone distracted? No, I am not mad, most noble Eliphaz, but speak the words of truth and soberness." Note, Those who have grace in them, who have the evidence of it and have it in exercise, have wisdom in them, which will be their help in the worst of times. Sat lucis intus - They have light within.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 8–13. Public domain.
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Gregory the DialogistAD 604
24. It is necessary to bear in mind, that the ‘strength’ of the righteous is of one sort, and the strength of the reprobate of another. For the strength of the righteous is to subdue the flesh, to thwart our own wills, to annihilate the gratification of the present life, to be in love with the roughnesses of this world for the sake of eternal rewards, to set at nought the allurements of prosperity, to overcome the dread of adversity in our hearts. But the strength of the reprobate is to have the affection unceasingly set on transitory things, to hold out with insensibility against the strokes of our Creator, not even by adversity to be brought to cease from the love of temporal things, to go on to the attainment of vain glory even with waste of life, to search out larger measures of wickedness, to attack the life of the good, not only with words and by behaviour, but even with weapons, to put their trust in themselves, to perpetrate iniquity daily without any diminution of desire, Hence it is that it is said by the Psalmist to the Elect, Be of good courage, and let your heart be strengthened, all ye that hope in the Lord. [Ps 31, 24] Hence it is declared by the Prophet to the reprobate, Woe unto you that are mighty to drink urine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink. [Is. 5, 22] Hence it is declared by Solomon, that all the holy without any weakening of desire contemplate the interior rest. Behold his bed, which is Solomon's, threescore valiant men are about it, of the most valiant of Israel. [Cant. 3, 7] Hence the Psalmist directing his meaning against the children of perdition in the voice of the Redeemer in His Passion, saith, Lo, they have surprised my soul: the mighty have rushed forth against me. [Ps. 59, 3] How well did Isaiah comprehend both sorts of strength in the words, But they that wait upon the Lord shall change [mutabunt E.V. marg.] their strength. [Is. 40, 31] For in that he said not they will ‘take,’ but they will ‘change,’ he clearly made known that that which is laid aside is of one sort, and that which is entered upon of another sort.
25. Are not the reprobate also ‘strong,’ who take such pains in running after the concupiscence of this world, boldly expose themselves to perils, welcome insults for the sake of gain, never give back from the lust of their appetites conquered by any opposition, grow obdurate with scourges, and for the sake of the world undergo the ills of the world, and so to say in seeking the pleasures thereof are parting with them, nor yet in parting with them ever weary. Whence it is well said by Jeremiah in the voice of mankind, He hath made me drunken with wormwood. [Lam. 3, 15] For one that is drunk knows nothing what he is undergoing. He then is ‘drunken with wormwood,’ who alienated from the faculty of reason through the love of the present life, whilst whatsoever he undergoes for the sake of the world he accounts but light, is blind to the bitterness of the toil which he is enduring, in that in enjoyment he is led on to the several things in which in chastisement he is wearied out. But on the other hand the righteous man makes it his aim to be weak for undergoing the perils of the world for the world's sake, looks to his own end, marks how transitory the present life is, and refuses to undergo toils without for the sake of that, the enjoyment of which he has overcome within. Let blessed Job then, pressed by the adversities of the present life, say in his own voice, yea, in the voice of all the righteous, What is my strength that I should hold up? And what is mine end that I should deal patiently? As if he made it known in plain words, saying, ‘I cannot submit to the ills of the world for the sake of the world, for now I am no longer strong in the desire thereof. For while I look to the end of the present life, why do I bear the burthen of that, the longing for which I tread under my feet?’ And because the unrighteous severally, as we have said, bear the toils thereof with stronger resolution in proportion as they feed with greater avidity on its enjoyment, therefore he rightly subjoins without delay that same strength of the reprobate.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
MORALS ON THE BOOK OF JOB 7.24-28
“What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should be patient?” It is necessary to bear in mind that the “strength” of the righteous is of one sort and the strength of the reprobate of another. For the strength of the righteous is to subdue the flesh, to thwart our own wills, to annihilate the gratification the present life offers, to be in love with the roughness of this world for the sake of eternal rewards, to consider as nothing the allurements of prosperity, to overcome in our hearts the dread of adversity. But the strength of the reprobate is to set their affection unceasingly on transitory things. To endure insensibly the strokes of our Creator (not even by adversity to be brought to cease loving temporal things); to attain vain glory even with a wasted life; to search out ever more wickedness; to attack the life of the good (not only with words and by behavior but even with weapons); to put their trust in themselves; to perpetrate iniquity daily without any diminution of desire.… “Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh bronze?” … Let the holy one, then, who amid the scourges eschewed the reprobate’s hardness, exclaim, “Neither is my strength the strength of stones, nor is my flesh made of brass.” It is as though Job openly confessed in plain words, “Under discipline’s lash I keep clear of acting like the reprobate. For neither have I become like stones so hardened that under the lash’s impulse I remained silent when I should have confessed, nor again have I like brass echoed the voice of confession, while not understanding the meaning of what I was saying. Yet under the scourge, the reprobate manifest a strength that is actually weakness and the elect a weakness that is actually strength. Blessed Job, while declaring that he is not strong due to the disease, makes it plain that he is strong in his state of saving health. So let him inform us as to the source from whom he received this same strength, lest Job ascribe to himself the powers that he possesses … “Those who withhold kindness from a friend forsake the fear of the Almighty.” Who else is here denoted by the name of a friend except every neighbor who is united to us in a faithful attachment proportionate to the good service received from us in this present time? Is this not he who effectually aids us in attaining hereafter the eternal country? For charity possesses two key principles: the love of God and the love of our neighbor. It is through the love of God that the love of our neighbor is born, and by the love of our neighbor the love of God is fostered. For one who does not care to love God truly knows nothing about how to love his neighbor. In turn, we advance more perfectly in the love of God if in the bosom of this love we first be suckled with the milk of charity toward our neighbor. For the love of God begets the love of our neighbor. The Lord, when proceeding to speak in the voice of the law the words “you shall love your neighbor” prefaced it by saying, “You shall love the Lord your God.” The Lord desires to first plant the root of his love in our breast so that afterwards the love of our brothers should blossom in the branches. Again, the love of God grows strong through the love of our neighbor. John testifies to this truth when he says, “For he that does not love his brother, whom he has seen, how can he love God, whom he has not seen?” This love of God, though it is born in fear, is transformed by growing into affection.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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