Job 6:6

KJV

Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there [any] taste in the white of an egg?

KJV (with Strong's)

Can that which is unsavoury {H8602} be eaten {H398} without salt {H4417}? or is there {H3426} any taste {H2940} in the white {H7388} of an egg {H2495}?

Complete Jewish Bible

Can food without flavor be eaten without salt? Do egg whites have any taste?

Berean Standard Bible

Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg?

American Standard Version

Can that which hath no savor be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 6:6 presents a series of poignant rhetorical questions posed by Job to his companions, particularly Eliphaz, to articulate the utter tastelessness and futility of their counsel amidst his overwhelming suffering. Through the vivid metaphors of food devoid of salt and the blandness of the white of an egg, Job powerfully conveys that their well-intentioned but misguided words offer him no comfort, sustenance, or relief, but rather exacerbate his distress by their insipidity, lack of empathy, and profound misunderstanding of his plight.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 6:6 is situated within Job's passionate and often desperate rebuttal to Eliphaz the Temanite, who has just completed his initial speech in [Job 4-5](/job/4 "Job 4-5 - Eliphaz's First Speech"). Following Job's profound lament in [Job 3](/job/3 "Job 3 - Job's Lament"), where he curses his birth and longs for the release of death, Eliphaz offers what he believes to be sagacious advice, firmly rooted in the conventional retribution theology prevalent at the time—the belief that suffering is a direct consequence of sin. Job, however, perceives Eliphaz's words as cold, detached, and utterly unhelpful, failing to acknowledge the depth of his pain or the perceived injustice of his situation. This particular verse serves as a scathing indictment of the superficiality and irrelevance of his friends' attempts at consolation, likening their empty platitudes to unpalatable and worthless food.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, salt was an exceptionally valuable commodity, prized not only for its ability to enhance the flavor of food but also for its crucial role in preservation, sanitation, and even as a powerful symbol of enduring covenants (often referred to as a "covenant of salt"). To describe food as being "without salt" was to label it as utterly unappetizing, unpalatable, and consequently, worthless for consumption. Similarly, the "white of an egg," or more accurately, the juice of bland plants like mallow or purslane (as suggested by some scholarly interpretations of the Hebrew), was universally understood as tasteless and insipid. This deep cultural understanding of taste and value profoundly underscores Job's complaint: just as one cannot derive pleasure, nourishment, or benefit from bland food, Job cannot derive comfort, wisdom, or solace from his friends' unseasoned, unfeeling, and ultimately unhelpful words. Ancient lament traditions typically called for empathetic presence and genuine comfort, not accusatory or detached theological pronouncements.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes woven throughout the Book of Job. Firstly, it highlights the **inadequacy of conventional wisdom** when confronted with inexplicable suffering. Eliphaz's neat theological framework, which attempts to neatly categorize Job's suffering, utterly fails to account for Job's unique and agonizing reality, proving as tasteless and unhelpful as unsalted food. Secondly, it underscores the **nature of true comfort**, suggesting that genuine empathy, compassionate presence, and profound understanding are far more valuable than simplistic explanations or judgmental pronouncements. Job desperately seeks words that are "seasoned with salt," full of grace and truth, rather than the "miserable comforters" he later describes his friends as in [Job 16:2](/job/16-2 "Job 16:2 - Job's Complaint About His Comforters"). Lastly, it reinforces the pervasive theme of **Job's profound isolation and despair**, as even his closest companions fail to grasp the depth of his anguish, leaving him feeling profoundly unheard, misunderstood, and utterly alone in his suffering.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Unsavoury (Hebrew, _tâphêl'_):** From the root meaning "to smear," this word signifies something "insipid," "unseasoned," "tasteless," or "foolish." It carries the strong connotation of something utterly bland and unappealing, lacking any flavor, substance, or wisdom. In Job's context, it perfectly describes the perceived emptiness, frivolity, and lack of empathy in his friends' counsel, which offers no spiritual or emotional nourishment whatsoever.
* **Salt (Hebrew, _melaḥ'_):** Derived from a root meaning "to powder," this word refers to salt, a highly prized commodity in the ancient world. It was essential for flavoring, preserving, and purifying, and it often symbolized wisdom, purity, and enduring covenants. Its absence in food rendered it unpalatable and useless. Here, "salt" represents the essential qualities of true wisdom, empathy, grace, and substantial truth that Job finds conspicuously missing from his friends' words.
* **White (of an egg) (Hebrew, _rîyr'_):** From a root meaning "to flow" or "to drip," this word primarily refers to "saliva" or "spittle," but by resemblance, it can also denote "broth" or the "white of an egg." It describes a tasteless, slimy liquid, often associated with bland plant juices like those from mallow or purslane, known for their utter lack of flavor. The KJV's "white of an egg" effectively captures the essence of something utterly devoid of taste or value, serving as a powerful analogy for the vapid and unhelpful advice Job is receiving.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt?":** This rhetorical question immediately establishes the core of Job's complaint. He implies a resounding "No!"—just as bland food is inedible and unappealing without salt, so too are his friends' words unpalatable, useless, and even harmful without the essential seasoning of empathy, understanding, and genuine wisdom. The question highlights the fundamental necessity of substance, flavor, and spiritual nourishment in both physical and verbal sustenance.
* **"or is there [any] taste in the white of an egg?":** This second rhetorical question powerfully reinforces the first, employing another vivid image of something utterly tasteless and unappealing. It serves as a parallel and intensifying metaphor, emphasizing the extreme blandness and complete lack of value in the counsel Job is receiving. Job is not merely asserting that their words are unhelpful; he is declaring that they are utterly devoid of any redeeming quality, offering no comfort, insight, or genuine connection whatsoever.

#### Literary Devices
Job 6:6 is rich in **Rhetorical Question**, a powerful literary device where questions are posed not to elicit an answer, but to make a point more forcefully and emphatically. Job's questions ("Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there [any] taste in the white of an egg?") are meticulously crafted to convey a self-evident truth: the answer is an unequivocal "No!" This technique underscores the absurdity and utter uselessness of his friends' words. The verse also employs potent **Metaphor**, comparing the friends' unhelpful counsel to "unsavoury" food and the "white of an egg" (or bland plant juice). These everyday, relatable images make Job's profound emotional state and the precise nature of his complaint immediately vivid and comprehensible. The absence of "salt" serves as a compelling metaphor for the conspicuous lack of wisdom, grace, and empathy in their pronouncements. Furthermore, there is an element of **Hyperbole** in Job's description, as he exaggerates the tastelessness to emphasize the extreme lack of value he perceives in their words, thereby highlighting his profound disappointment, isolation, and suffering.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 6:6 speaks profoundly to the biblical understanding of speech, wisdom, and the very nature of true comfort. It directly challenges the simplistic notion that all suffering is a direct result of sin, a theological error that Job's friends embody throughout their discourse. Job's desperate cry for "salt" in their words echoes the broader biblical call for speech that is gracious, truthful, and edifying, especially when ministering to those in deep distress. True wisdom, unlike the empty platitudes offered by Eliphaz, is characterized by profound empathy, spiritual discernment, and a humble understanding that God's ways are often inscrutable. This verse serves as a timeless reminder that our words, particularly in times of crisis and profound pain, must be seasoned with compassion, substance, and genuine understanding to truly minister to the soul and offer authentic solace.

* [Colossians 4:6](/colossians/4-6 "Colossians 4:6 - Speech Seasoned with Salt")
* [Proverbs 25:20](/proverbs/25-20 "Proverbs 25:20 - Singing to a Heavy Heart")
* [Romans 12:15](/romans/12-15 "Romans 12:15 - Weeping with Those Who Weep")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 6:6 offers a poignant and timeless lesson on the profound and often overlooked impact of our words, especially when interacting with those who are experiencing deep pain or distress. It serves as a powerful mirror, prompting us to critically examine the quality of the comfort and counsel we offer to others. Are our words truly empathetic, substantial, and seasoned with grace, offering genuine nourishment to a hurting soul? Or are they bland, judgmental, superficial, or even accusatory, leaving the recipient feeling even more isolated and misunderstood? This verse reminds us that sometimes, the most profound act of comfort is not to offer quick answers, theological explanations, or facile solutions, but to simply be present, to listen deeply with an open heart, and to offer words that validate suffering rather than dismiss it. It challenges us to move beyond easy clichés and into the difficult, often uncomfortable, space of genuine compassion and vulnerability, ensuring that our words, like salt, add flavor, meaning, and preservation to the lives of those we seek to help, rather than leaving them feeling even more abandoned and unheard.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **When someone I care about is suffering, do my words tend to be "salty" (empathetic, substantial, gracious) or "unsavoury" (bland, judgmental, superficial)?**
* **How can I cultivate a greater capacity for empathetic listening and discerning speech, particularly when confronted with pain or circumstances I don't fully understand?**
* **What "tasteless advice" might I have offered or received in the past that lacked true comfort or genuine understanding?**
* **How does Job's complaint in this verse challenge my own assumptions about the relationship between suffering and sin, and the nature of God's justice?**

### FAQ

**What does Job mean by "unsavoury" and "white of an egg" in this context?**

Answer: Job uses these phrases as vivid and cutting metaphors to describe the utter lack of substance, empathy, and helpfulness in the counsel he is receiving from his friends, particularly Eliphaz. "Unsavoury" (from the Hebrew _tâphêl_) refers to something completely bland, tasteless, or insipid, like food without salt. The "white of an egg" (or more accurately, the juice of certain bland plants like mallow or purslane) similarly signifies something utterly devoid of flavor or value. Job is essentially declaring, "Your words are as unpalatable and useless to me as food without salt or a tasteless liquid; they offer no comfort, no nourishment, and no understanding of my profound suffering." He is highlighting that their advice, though perhaps well-intentioned, is utterly irrelevant and even painful because it lacks the "salt" of true wisdom, grace, and compassion.

**How does this verse relate to the broader theme of suffering in the Book of Job?**

Answer: Job 6:6 is central to the Book of Job's profound exploration of innocent suffering and the inadequacy of conventional human wisdom in the face of it. It directly challenges the retribution theology espoused by Job's friends, which posits that suffering is always a direct consequence of sin. Job's rhetorical questions powerfully underscore that their neat theological formulas are "tasteless" because they utterly fail to account for his blamelessness and the inexplicable nature of his anguish. The verse emphasizes Job's profound isolation and the failure of human comfort in the face of immense, undeserved pain. It sets the stage for the ongoing, intense debate throughout the book, highlighting that true understanding of suffering requires more than simplistic answers; it demands empathy, humility, and ultimately, a recognition of God's mysterious sovereignty, as ultimately revealed in the Lord's speeches from the whirlwind in [Job 38-41](/job/38 "Job 38-41 - The Lord Answers Job").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 6:6, with its poignant cry for words seasoned with "salt" and substance, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Job's friends offered "unsavoury" counsel, devoid of true empathy and understanding, leaving him in deeper despair and isolation. In stark contrast, Jesus is the very embodiment of true comfort, wisdom, and compassionate presence. He is the one whose words are "spirit and life" ([John 6:63](/john/6-63 "John 6:63 - Words of Life")), full of grace and truth ([John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - Grace and Truth")). Unlike Job's comforters, Jesus did not offer simplistic explanations for suffering but entered into it fully, experiencing profound anguish and undeserved pain on the cross ([Isaiah 53:3-5](/isaiah/53-3 "Isaiah 53:3-5 - The Suffering Servant")). His teaching, exemplified in the Sermon on the Mount, is described as the "salt of the earth" ([Matthew 5:13](/matthew/5-13 "Matthew 5:13 - Salt and Light")), providing flavor, preservation, and moral clarity to a fallen and tasteless world. Where Job found only miserable comforters, believers find in Christ the ultimate Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sends to minister to our deepest pains with divine empathy and truth ([John 14:26](/john/14-26 "John 14:26 - The Holy Spirit, the Comforter")). Thus, Job's longing for meaningful, nourishing words in his suffering is perfectly satisfied in the person and work of Jesus, who offers not bland platitudes, but the very bread of life ([John 6:35](/john/6-35 "John 6:35 - Jesus, the Bread of Life")) and living water ([John 4:10](/john/4-10 "John 4:10 - Living Water")), bringing true spiritual nourishment, profound comfort, and eternal hope to the soul.

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

Leviticus 2:13

And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.

Colossians 4:6

Let your speech [be] alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Job 34:3

For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.

Job 6:25

How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

Job 16:2

I have heard many such things: miserable comforters [are] ye all.

Psalms 119:103

¶ How sweet are thy words unto my taste! [yea, sweeter] than honey to my mouth!

Job 12:11

Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?