Job 6:13 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Is not my help in me? Though I have no strength in my body, or outward man, yet I have some help and support within me, or in my inward man, even a consciousness of my sincerity toward God, notwithstanding all your bitter accusations and censures, as if I were a hypocrite and had no integrity in me, chap. Job 4:6. And is wisdom driven quite from me? If I have no strength in my body, have I therefore no wisdom or judgment left in my soul? Am I therefore unable to judge of the vanity of thy discourse, and of the truth of my own case? Have I not common sense and discretion? Do not I know my own condition, and the nature and degree of my sufferings, better than thou dost? And am I not a better judge whether I have integrity or not than thou art? It may not be improper to observe here, that there is considerable difficulty in determining the precise sense of the Hebrew of this verse; and that, accordingly, different learned men have proposed different translations of it. Houbigant renders it, Because my help is not at hand, is wisdom, therefore departed far from me? Dr. Waterland reads it, Is my help in me vain, and the substance quite gone from me? And Heath, Do not I find that I cannot in the least help myself, and that strength is quite driven out of me? In justification of our translation, and of the interpretation given above, it may be sufficient to observe, that the same form of expression in the Hebrew is used Isaiah 50:2, האם אין בי כח, haim en bi choach, and is translated, and according to the context must necessarily be translated, in a similar manner. An vero, nulla (est) in me potestas? Is there no power in me? (saith the Lord.) or, Have I no power to deliver? If, however, a different translation of the words be contended for, perhaps that mentioned by Poole, which is perfectly agreeable to the Hebrew, and admits of an easy explication, is preferable to any other that has been proposed; which is, What, if I have not help in me, is wisdom driven quite from me? That is, if I cannot help myself, if my outward condition be helpless and hopeless, as I confess it is, have I therefore lost my understanding? Cannot I judge whether it is more desirable for me to live or to die; whether I am sincere in my religion or not; whether your words have truth and weight in them; and whether you take the right method of dealing with me?