Job 6:22
in Job 6Have I ever said, ‘Give me something; offer me a bribe from your wealth;
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Did I say, Give unto me? Or, Offer a present for me of your substance?
KJV
Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
⋯
This verse in Job 6
Commentary
12 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
For now you are of no help
on Job 6:21-23
Job applies the brook figure: "For now you are of no help; you see terror, and you are afraid". He never asked them to "offer me a bribe from your wealth", so his complaint was no demand for money. He asked only for the kindness named in verse 14.
This site's exposition
Have I ever said
Job never asked his friends to give him anything or offer a bribe from their wealth. Barnes notes they came of their own will, which makes their harsh words worse. All Job asked was kindness.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church3 voices
MORAL INTERPRETATION Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give me of your substance? or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty? Blessed Job had undergone the loss of his property; being given over to the strokes of evil spirits, he was suffering the smarts of their wounds; yet in loving the wise foolishness of God, he had trodden under foot the foolish wisdom of the world with inward scorn. Therefore in opposition to the rich of this world he is called poor, in opposition to the powerful he is called oppressed, in opposition to the wise he is called a fool. He answers the three, that as poor he seeks not their substance, nor as oppressed their aid against the strong, nor as a fool does he seek the lore of earthly wisdom. For in that the holy man is carried off above himself in spirit, both being poor he is not straitened by want, and being oppressed he suffers nothing, and being of free will foolish, he does not gaze with admiration at carnal wisdom. Hence it is that another poor and oppressed man saith, We are perplexed, yet not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken we are cast down, yet perish not. Hence it is that teaching the wisdom of a holy foolishness, he says, But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And, if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. Hence making manifest both the gloriousness of oppression, and the riches of chosen poverty, he says, As dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. It is well on this point to lift up the eyes of the mind, and to see in the Elect of God, who are suffering oppression without, what a fortress of strength they are masters of within. […]
Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give me of your substance? or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty? ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION If these words are referred to the person of Holy Church, as we have said that blessed Job's friends bear the likeness of heretics, he rightly declares that he does not 'want their substance.'
It is not surprising for others to refuse to help me since even you, who seem wiser, fail to do it. So he continues, "Now you have come to see me and in only seeing my disease, you are afraid," but perhaps you feel obliged …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie. 29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it. 30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. 5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder? 6 Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
To him - Hebrew. to him that is melted or dissolved with affections. But. &c. - But thou hast no pity for thy friend; a plain evidence that thou art guilty of what thou didst charge me with, even of the want of the fear of God. The least which those that are at ease can do for them that are pained, is to pity them, to feel a tender concern for them, and to sympathize with them.
Did I say, bring unto me?....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
And yet I did not ask you to "bring me" a gift; or to "pay for me out of your substance a reward" (to the Judge, to redeem me from my punishment); all I asked from you was affectionate treatment.
Did I say, Bring unto me? - Why do you stand aloof? Have I asked you to bring me any presents? or to supply my wants out of your stores?
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Did I say, Bring unto me? - Job proceeds to state that their conduct in this had been greatly aggravated by the fact that they had come voluntarily. He had not asked them to come. He had desired no gift; no favor. He had not applied to them in any way or form for help. They had come of their own accord, and when they came they uttered only the language of severity and reproach. If he had asked them to aid him, the case would have been different. That would have given them some excuse for interposing in the case. But now the whole was gratuitous and unasked. He did not desire their interference, and he implies by these remarks that if they could say nothing that would console him, it would have been kindness in them to have said nothing. Or, Give a reward for me of your substance? - That is, did I ask a present from you out of your property? I asked nothing. I have on no occasion asked you to interpose and aid me.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הֲֽכִי־ | hakhi- | ¿ for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אָ֭מַרְתִּי | ʾamarti | have I said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הָ֣בוּ | havu | give | H3051 → | |
| לִ֑י | li | for me | ||
| וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם | umikochakhem | and from wealth your | H3581 → | 126 times |
| שִׁחֲד֥וּ | shichadu | give a reward | H7809 → | |
| בַעֲדִֽי׃ | vaadi | for me | H1157 → | 105 times |
הֲֽכִי־¿ for
hakhi-H3588 →4482 times
אָ֭מַרְתִּיhave I said
ʾamartiH559 →5305 times
הָ֣בוּgive
havuH3051 →
לִ֑יfor me
li
וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗םand from wealth your
umikochakhemH3581 →126 times
שִׁחֲד֥וּgive a reward
shichaduH7809 →
בַעֲדִֽי׃for me
vaadiH1157 →105 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Samuel 12:3Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a…
it leads to
- Acts 20:33
I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
- Numbers 16:15
Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not regard their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them or mistreated a single one of them.”
- 1 Peter 5:2
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness;
- 1 Samuel 24:6
So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the…
- Acts 20:33
Through
Acts 20:33I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 11:9
And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to…
- 1 Corinthians 9:12
If others have this right to your support, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of…
- 2 Corinthians 11:9
Through
Job 42:11All his brothers and sisters and prior acquaintances came and dined with him in his house. They consoled him and comforted him over all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. And…
it leads to
- Job 19:13–14
He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me.
- Job 2:11
Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home, and they met together…
- Job 19:13–14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Job
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Job; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book VII; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.