Job 9:27
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:
Original Language Analysis
אִם
H518
אִם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
1 of 7
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
אֶשְׁכְּחָ֣ה
I will forget
H7911
אֶשְׁכְּחָ֣ה
I will forget
Strong's:
H7911
Word #:
3 of 7
to mislay, i.e., to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention
Historical Context
Ancient wisdom literature often counseled emotional restraint and acceptance of divine providence. Job's contemplation of this strategy—then its rejection—marks the book's radical honesty about suffering's intractability. Unlike his friends who counsel acceptance, Job insists on honest expression before God. This models biblical lament as superior to stoic suppression (Psalm 13, Lamentations).
Questions for Reflection
- When have you tried to 'forget your complaint' and suppress legitimate grief, and what resulted?
- How does Job's honesty about his inability to simply 'cheer up' validate the Christian practice of lament?
Analysis & Commentary
If I say, I will forget my complaint (אִם־אָמַרְתִּי אֶשְׁכְּחָה שִׂיחִי, im-amarti eshk'chah sichi)—Job considers attempting to suppress his lament. The verb 'forget' (shakach, שָׁכַח) means to cease remembering or ignore deliberately. 'Complaint' (siach, שִׂיחַ) means meditation, complaint, or concern—the word describes deep, consuming thought. Job wonders if he should stop nursing his grievance.
I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself proposes emotional self-management. 'Leave off' (azav, עָזַב) means to abandon or forsake. 'Heaviness' (panim, פָּנִים, literally 'face') refers to his downcast countenance or gloomy expression. 'Comfort myself' (balag, בָּלַג) means to brighten up or look cheerful. But verse 28 reveals this strategy's futility—Job knows God won't acquit him. This psychological realism anticipates modern understanding that suppressing grief without resolution brings no healing. True comfort requires addressing root causes, not merely managing symptoms.