If only my request were grantedJob expresses a deep longing for relief from his suffering. This phrase highlights the human tendency to seek immediate answers to pain and distress. In the context of the Book of Job, Job's request is for understanding and possibly for death to end his suffering. This reflects the ancient Near Eastern practice of lament, where individuals would openly express their grievances to God. Theologically, it underscores the belief in a personal God who hears and responds to human petitions, a theme consistent throughout the Old Testament, such as in the Psalms (e.g.,
Psalm 22:1-2).
and God would fulfill my hope:
Job's hope is not just for relief but for vindication and understanding of his suffering. This hope is rooted in his faith in God's justice and righteousness. The phrase connects to the broader biblical theme of hope in God's promises, as seen inRomans 5:5, where hope does not disappoint because of God's love. Job's hope also foreshadows the ultimate hope found in Jesus Christ, who provides the ultimate answer to human suffering and the fulfillment of God's promises. This reflects the eschatological hope found in the New Testament, where believers await the fulfillment of God's kingdom and the restoration of all things.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
JobA man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, known for his immense suffering and perseverance.
2.
GodThe Almighty Creator, whom Job addresses in his plea. Job's relationship with God is central to the account, as he seeks understanding and relief from his suffering.
3.
Job's SufferingThe context of Job's plea is his intense physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering. He has lost his wealth, children, and health, and is in a state of deep despair.
4.
Job's FriendsAlthough not directly mentioned in this verse, they are present in the account, offering their own interpretations of Job's suffering, which often lack true understanding and compassion.
5.
The Land of UzThe setting of the Book of Job, a place of ancient origin, often associated with the region east of Israel.
Teaching Points
The Nature of Hope in SufferingJob's plea reveals the deep human desire for relief and understanding in times of suffering. It teaches us to bring our deepest desires and hopes before God, trusting in His wisdom and timing.
The Role of PrayerJob's request is a form of prayer, demonstrating the importance of communicating openly with God, even in our distress. It encourages believers to maintain a prayerful attitude, seeking God's will and comfort.
Understanding God's SovereigntyWhile Job desires his request to be granted, the broader account reminds us of God's sovereignty and the mystery of His plans. It challenges us to trust in God's greater purpose, even when it is not immediately apparent.
Compassionate ListeningThe presence of Job's friends, though misguided, highlights the need for compassionate listening and support for those who are suffering. It calls believers to be present and empathetic, offering comfort rather than judgment.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Job 6:8?
2.What does Job 6:8 reveal about Job's understanding of God's sovereignty?
3.How can we trust God's plan when facing despair like Job in 6:8?
4.In what ways does Job 6:8 connect to Jesus' suffering in the Gospels?
5.How can Job's plea in 6:8 guide our prayers during trials?
6.What does Job 6:8 teach about expressing honest emotions to God?
7.What does Job 6:8 reveal about human suffering and divine intervention?
8.How does Job 6:8 challenge the concept of God's will in our lives?
9.Why does Job express a desire for death in Job 6:8?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 6?
11.In Job 6:8–9, why would Job, a faithful man, wish for God to grant him death, and does this contradict other biblical teachings on life’s sanctity?
12.What does the Bible say about life's disappointments?
13.How can you maintain hope in difficult times?
14.Did Job's words contain any sin?What Does Job 6:8 Mean
If only- This opening sigh captures Job’s raw yearning. He is not rebelling against God’s sovereignty; he is pleading for personal contact, as David does inPsalm 13:1-2, “How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?”
- Scripture repeatedly shows faithful people voicing anguish without forfeiting faith (Psalm 22:1;Mark 15:34). Job’s “if only” fits that biblical pattern of honest lament joined to reverence.
my request were granted- Job’s “request” is detailed inJob 6:9—he longs for God to bring his suffering to an end. He is not asking for riches or revenge but for relief through God’s decisive action, echoing Elijah’s plea in1 Kings 19:4.
- God welcomes specific petitions (Philippians 4:6). Job models candor before the Almighty, refusing to mask his pain while still approaching the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
and God would fulfill- Job recognizes that only the Lord can answer; no human counsel suffices (Job 6:21). His hope rests in the same sovereign hand that set the boundaries of creation (Job 38–39).
- The phrase recallsPsalm 145:19, “He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them,” underscoring God’s proven record of faithfulness.
my hope- In context, Job’s “hope” is not mere optimism; it is the settled expectation that God will act justly (Job 19:25-27). Even amid despair, he anchors on God’s character.
- Believers today share that anchor: “Christ Jesus our hope” (1 Timothy 1:1). Suffering refines, not destroys, hope (Romans 5:3-5), because it drives us to the One who cannot disappoint.
summaryJob 6:8 reveals a righteous sufferer who, while overwhelmed, directs his deepest longings to God alone. His honest cry—“If only my request were granted and God would fulfill my hope”—teaches us that lament and faith coexist. We too may pour out heartfelt pleas, confident that the God who hears will answer in perfect wisdom and time.
(8)
Oh that I might have my request.--Baffled in the direction of his fellow-creatures, he turns, like many others, to God as his only hope, although it is rather from God than in God that his hope lies. However exceptional Job's trials, yet his language is the common language of all sufferers who think that relief, if it comes, must come through change of circumstances rather than in themselves in relation to circumstances. Thus Job looks forward to death as his only hope; whereas with God and in God there were many years of life and prosperity in store for him. So strong is this feeling in him, that he calls death the thing that he longs for, his hope or expectation. (Comp. Job 17, where even the hope that he had in death seems to have passed away and to have issued in blank hopelessness.)
Verse 8. -
Oh that I might have my request! Here the second point is taken up. Eliphaz has threatened Job with death, representing it as the last and most terrible of punishments (
Job 4:9, 20, 21;
Job 5:2). Job's reply is that there is nothing he desires so much as death. His primary wish would have been never to have been born (
Job 3:3-10); next to that, he would have desired an early death - the earlier the more acceptable (
Job 3:11-19). As both these have been denied him, what he now desires, and earnestly asks for, is a speedy demise. It is not as yet clear what he thinks death to be, or whether he has any hope beyond the grave. Putting aside all such considerations, he here simply balances death against such a life as he now leads, and must expect to lead, since his disease is incurable, and decides in favour of death. It is not only his desire, but his "request" to God, that death may come to him quickly.
And that God would grant me the thing that I long for; literally,
my expectation or
wish. The idea of taking his own life does not seem to have occurred to Job, as it would to a Greek (Plato, 'Phaedo,' § 16) or a Roman (Pithy, 'Epist.,' 1:12). He is too genuine a child of nature, too simple and unsophisticated, for such a thought to occur, and, if it occurred, would be too religious to entertain it for a moment. Like Aristotle, he would feel the act to be cowardly (Aristotle, 'Eth. Nic.,' 5,
sub fin.); and, like Plato (
l.s.c.), he would view it as rebellion against the will of God.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
If onlyמִֽי־(mî-)Interjection
Strong's 4310:Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffixmy requestשֶֽׁאֱלָתִ֑י(še·’ĕ·lā·ṯî)Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 7596:Request, thing asked forwere grantedתָּב֣וֹא(tā·ḇō·w)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 935:To come in, come, go in, goand Godאֱלֽוֹהַּ׃(’ĕ·lō·w·ah)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 433:God -- a deity, the Deitywould fulfillיִתֵּ֥ן(yit·tên)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414:To give, put, setmy hope:וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י(wə·ṯiq·wā·ṯî)Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8615:A cord, expectancy
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OT Poetry: Job 6:8 Oh that I might have my request (Jb) 
