Job 6:29

Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness [is] in it.

Return {H7725}, I pray you, let it not be iniquity {H5766}; yea, return again {H7725}, my righteousness {H6664} is in it.

Think it over, please; don't let wrong be done. Think it over again: my cause is just.

Reconsider; do not be unjust. Reconsider, for my righteousness is at stake.

Return, I pray you, let there be no injustice; Yea, return again, my cause is righteous.

Commentary

Context

Job 6:29 is spoken by Job in the midst of his intense suffering and his ongoing debate with his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Earlier in this chapter, Job has expressed profound despair and a desire for death (Job 6:8-13). He then turns to rebuke his friends for their lack of compassion and their harsh, unhelpful counsel, which he perceives as accusations of hidden sin. This verse is a direct plea for them to reconsider their judgment, asserting his innocence against their implications that his suffering is due to iniquity.

Key Themes

  • Defense of Integrity: Job vehemently asserts his personal righteousness and integrity against the accusations of his friends. He is not claiming absolute sinlessness, but denying that his immense suffering is a direct consequence of some specific, unconfessed sin, as his friends imply.
  • Plea for Reconsideration: The repeated call to "Return" (Hebrew: shuvu) highlights Job's earnest desire for his friends to change their perspective and approach. He wants them to abandon their rigid theological framework that equates suffering directly with sin.
  • Misguided Counsel: This verse underscores the central conflict in the Book of Job, where conventional wisdom fails to account for the complexities of human suffering and divine purpose. Job's friends, though well-intentioned, offer judgment instead of comfort.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "let it not be iniquity" uses the Hebrew word 'awon, which refers to moral crookedness, guilt, or the punishment for sin. Job is denying that his situation is rooted in such moral failing. His assertion "my righteousness [is] in it" emphasizes tsidqati, his personal integrity and uprightness. This is a powerful declaration against the prevailing theological belief of his time, which strongly linked prosperity to righteousness and suffering to sin.

Related Scriptures

Job's unwavering declaration of his righteousness here echoes the initial description of his character in Job 1:1, where he is described as "perfect and upright". His friends' arguments, such as Eliphaz's assertion that the innocent do not perish, directly contradict Job's experience and his claim in this verse. Ultimately, God Himself vindicates Job, rebuking his friends for their false counsel in Job 42:7, stating they "have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath".

Practical Application

Job 6:29 offers vital lessons for believers today. It serves as a powerful reminder to exercise caution and humility when interpreting others' suffering, avoiding the temptation to attribute it directly to sin. Just as Job pleaded for understanding, we are called to offer empathy and compassion rather than quick judgments or rigid theological explanations. Furthermore, Job's firm stance on his integrity encourages us to stand firm in our own righteousness when facing false accusations or misunderstanding, trusting that God knows our true heart and will ultimately vindicate the upright.

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Cross-References

  • Job 17:10 (3 votes)

    ¶ But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find [one] wise [man] among you.

  • Job 27:4 (2 votes)

    My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

  • Job 27:6 (2 votes)

    My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach [me] so long as I live.

  • Job 23:10 (2 votes)

    But he knoweth the way that I take: [when] he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

  • Job 42:6 (2 votes)

    Wherefore I abhor [myself], and repent in dust and ashes.

  • Malachi 3:18 (2 votes)

    Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

  • Job 34:5 (2 votes)

    For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.