Job 6 · Verse 15

Job 6:15

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
Job 6:15, King James Version

Job 6:15 in other translations

BSBBut my brothers are as faithless as wadis, as seasonal streams that overflow,
WEBMy brothers have dealt deceitfully as a brook, as the channel of brooks that pass away;
ASVMy brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, As the channel of brooks that pass away;
YLTMy brethren have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away.
DARBYMy brethren have dealt deceitfully as a stream, as the channel of streams which pass away,
BBEMy friends have been false like a stream, like streams in the valleys which come to an end:
WebsterMy brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

What does Job 6:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. Those whom I regarded as "my brethren," from whom I looked for faithfulness in my adversity, have disappointed me, as the streams failing from drought--wadies of Arabia, filled in the winter, but dry in the summer, which disappoint the caravans expecting to find water there. The fulness and noise of these temporary streams answer to the past large and loud professions of my friends; their dryness in summer, to the failure of the friendship when needed. The Arab proverb says of a treacherous friend, "I trust not in thy torrent" (Is 58:11, Margin). stream of brooks--rather, "the brook in the ravines which passes away." It has no perpetual spring of water to renew it (unlike "the fountain of living waters," Jr 2:13; Is 33:16, at the end); and thus it passes away as rapidly as it arose.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 Have dealt deceitfully as a brook - There is probably an allusion here to those land torrents which make a sudden appearance, and as suddenly vanish; being produced by the rains that fall upon the mountains during the rainy season, and are soon absorbed by the thirsty sands over which they run. At first they seem to promise a permanent stream, and are noticed with delight by the people, who fill their tanks or reservoirs from their waters; but sometimes they are so large and rapid as to carry every thing before them: and then suddenly fail, so that there is no time to fill the tanks. The approach of Job's friends promised much of sympathy and compassion; his expectations were raised: but their conduct soon convinced him that they were physicians of no value; therefore he compares them to the deceitful torrents that soon pass away.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 6:14-30

In his prosperity Job formed great expectations from his friends, but now was disappointed. This he compares to the failing of brooks in summer. Those who rest their expectations on the creature, will find it fail when it should help them; whereas those who make God their confidence, have help in the time of need, He 4:16. Those who make gold their hope, sooner or later will be ashamed of it, and of their confidence…

Read the full comment on Job 6:14-30 →

Job 6:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אַ֭חַי'A.chaibrothers myH251
בָּגְד֣וּba.ge.Duthey have acted treacherouslyH898
כְמוֹ\־khe.mov-likeH3644
נָ֑חַלNa.chala wadiH5158
כַּאֲפִ֖יקka.'a.Fiklike a stream-bed ofH650
נְחָלִ֣יםne.cha.LimwadisH5158
יַעֲבֹֽרוּ\׃ya.'a.Vo.ru[which] they pass awayH5674

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 6:15

  • Psalms 38:11

    My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.

  • Jeremiah 15:18

    Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?

  • Psalms 41:9

    Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

  • John 13:18

    I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

  • John 16:32

    Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

  • Psalms 55:12-14

    For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

  • Psalms 88:18

    Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.

  • Job 19:19

    All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.

  • Jeremiah 9:4-5

    Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.

  • Jude 1:12

    These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

  • Micah 7:5-6

    Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.

  • Jeremiah 30:14

    All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
My brethren.
19:19; Ps 38:11; 41:9; 55:12-14; 88:18; Jer 9:4,5; 30:14; Mic 7:5,6
Joh 13:18; 16:32
as the stream.
Jer 15:18; Jude 1:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 6:14

    To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

  • Job 6:15

    My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

  • Job 6:16

    Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:

Read all of Job 6

Job 6:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mis hermanos han mentido cual arroyo: pasáronse como corrientes impetuosas,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mes frères m’ont trahi comme un torrent, comme le lit des torrents qui passent,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Meine Brüder haben sich trügerisch erwiesen wie ein Wildbach, wie das Bett der Wildbäche, welche hinschwinden,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Fratres mei præterierunt me, sicut torrens qui raptim transit in convallibus.