Job 6:23

Authorized King James Version

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Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

Original Language Analysis

וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי Or Deliver H4422
וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי Or Deliver
Strong's: H4422
Word #: 1 of 6
properly, to be smooth, i.e., (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth youn
וּמִיַּ֖ד hand H3027
וּמִיַּ֖ד hand
Strong's: H3027
Word #: 2 of 6
a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v
צָ֑ר me from the enemy's H6862
צָ֑ר me from the enemy's
Strong's: H6862
Word #: 3 of 6
a pebble (as in h6864)
וּמִיַּ֖ד hand H3027
וּמִיַּ֖ד hand
Strong's: H3027
Word #: 4 of 6
a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v
עָֽרִיצִ֣ים of the mighty H6184
עָֽרִיצִ֣ים of the mighty
Strong's: H6184
Word #: 5 of 6
fearful, i.e., powerful or tyrannical
תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃ or Redeem H6299
תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃ or Redeem
Strong's: H6299
Word #: 6 of 6
to sever, i.e., ransom; generally to release, preserve

Analysis & Commentary

Job's rhetorical questions reveal the depth of his desperation and the futility of his friends' counsel. The Hebrew 'patsal' (פָּצַל) for 'deliver' carries the connotation of rescue or snatching away from danger, while 'padah' (פָּדָה) for 'redeem' implies payment of a ransom price. Job is essentially asking his companions: 'Can you actually do anything to help me?' These questions expose the limits of human aid when facing divine sovereignty. Job recognizes that his affliction comes from a 'mighty' one—an implicit acknowledgment that God Himself is the source of his suffering. This verse demonstrates Job's growing awareness that his crisis is fundamentally theological, not merely circumstantial. No human intervention can address what God has ordained, foreshadowing the New Testament truth that only God can redeem from ultimate bondage (Romans 3:24).

Historical Context

In ancient Near Eastern culture, wealthy individuals like Job would have had extensive networks of allies and dependents who owed him loyalty. Job's appeal highlights the failure of these human support systems when confronting divine testing. The concept of ransom and redemption was well-established in patriarchal society through kinsman-redeemer practices, making Job's questions particularly poignant—he knows the cultural expectation that friends should 'redeem' one another from distress.

Questions for Reflection