Chapter 17

Job continues:

In 16, Job has been particularly, diagnosably depressed about his condition, as anyone in his circumstances would be.  He has spoken of how God seems to have become his enemy, his closest friends are of no help at all, and previously, we saw how his wife urged him to suicide.  He is truly alone in his pain.

In vs 1-3, Job is still speaking of an advocate, praying for an advocate in heaven, someone there to plead his case before God.  Someone to tell God that Job is being punished severely but without cause, and to pray for relief from the suffering - even if the relief is death.

In 4, 5, Job notes that God has made it impossible for Job's friends to see the truth of situation.  Job can't really see it either.  But Job realizes that his friends are not able to comfort him, but only to increase his misery as they accuse him of sin he didn't commit.  How can they possibly comfort him while they accuse him falsely?

Job laments his fall in the eyes of those around him.  He laments the sad state of his body.  He is very down, as would be normal for his situation, but still does not blame God, which is pretty abnormal for his situation.  At this point he is hoping for death:

13 If I hope for Sheol as my house, if I make my bed in darkness, 14 if I say to the pit, 'You are my father,' and to the worm, 'My mother,' or 'My sister,' 15 where then is my hope? Who will see my hope? [Job 17:13-15 ESV]