Albert Barnes Commentary Job 13

Behold, my eye has seen all this—I have seen illustrations of all that I have said, or that you have said about the methods of divine providence.

What you know ... - See the note at Job 12:3.

Surely I would speak to the Almighty - I would desire to carry my cause directly to God and spread out my reasons before him. This Job often professed to desire; see Job 9:34-35. He felt that God would appreciate the arguments which he would urge and would do justice to them.

His friends he felt were censorious and severe. They neither did justice to his feelings, nor to his motives. They perverted his words and arguments; and instead of consoling him, they only aggravated his trials, and caused him to sink into deeper sorrows.

But he felt that if he could carry his cause to God, he would do ample justice to him and his cause. The views which he entertained of his friends he proceeds to state at considerable length, and without much reserve, in the following verses.

But you are forgers of lies - The word "lies" here seems to be used in a broad sense, to denote sophisms, false accusations, and errors. They maintained false positions; they did not see the exact truth regarding the divine dealings and the character of Job. They maintained strenuously that Job was a hypocrite and that God was punishing him for his sins. They maintained that God deals with people in exact accordance with their character in this world, all of which Job regarded as false doctrine, and asserted that they defended it with sophistical arguments invented for the purpose, and thus they could be spoken of as "forgers of lies."

Physicians of no value - The meaning is that they had come to give him consolation, but nothing that they had said had imparted comfort. They were like physicians sent for to visit the sick, who could do nothing when they came; compare (Job 16:2).

Oh that you would altogether hold your peace! - You would show your wisdom by silence. Since you can say nothing that is adapted to give comfort, or to explain the true state of the case, it would be wise to say nothing; compare (Proverbs 17:28): Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise.