When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
When I say {H559}, My bed {H6210} shall comfort {H5162} me, my couch {H4904} shall ease {H5375} my complaint {H7879};
When I think that my bed will comfort me, that my couch will relieve my complaint,
When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,
When I say, My bed shall comfort me, My couch shall ease my complaint;
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.
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Psalms 6:6
I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. -
Job 7:3
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. -
Job 7:4
When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day. -
Psalms 77:4
Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. -
Job 9:27
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort [myself]: -
Job 9:28
I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
In Job 7:13, we hear the deep anguish of Job, a man afflicted by unimaginable suffering. Having lost his children, his wealth, and his health, he finds himself in a state of profound despair. This verse captures his futile attempt to find solace in the most basic human comfort: his bed.
Context of Job 7:13
Chapter 7 of Job is a powerful lament where Job expresses his utter weariness with life, his sleepless nights, and his terrifying dreams. He feels abandoned by God and tormented by his suffering. His friends, who came to comfort him, have largely failed, offering accusations rather than genuine empathy. In this verse, Job describes his desperate hope that physical rest might provide some respite from his mental and physical agony, only to find that even his bed offers no true comfort or ease.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew word for "comfort" here is nacham (נָחַם), which carries a range of meanings including to sigh, to lament, or to find relief. Job longs for his bed to bring him this kind of internal sigh of relief. The word for "ease" is sachah (שָׂחָה), suggesting a desire for his complaint or troubled spirit to "sink down" or settle into quietude. Both terms emphasize a profound longing for inner peace that physical rest alone cannot provide.
Related Scriptures
Job's deep lamentations echo the sentiments found in many of the Psalms, such as Psalm 6:6, where David speaks of being weary with groaning. His search for comfort in the midst of affliction points to the ultimate source of true solace, as described in 2 Corinthians 1:4, where God is identified as "the God of all comfort." Ultimately, Job's experience foreshadows the future promise of a time when God will wipe away every tear and there will be no more pain or suffering.
Practical Application
Job's cry resonates with anyone who has experienced deep suffering that physical rest or worldly distractions cannot alleviate. It reminds us that while we seek comfort where we can, true and lasting peace often comes from a source beyond ourselves. When our beds cannot comfort us and our couches cannot ease our complaints, it is a call to look beyond the temporal for a deeper, spiritual solace. This verse encourages empathy for those in profound distress and points to the need for a transcendent hope in the face of life's most challenging circumstances.