Albert Barnes Commentary Job 8:6

"If thou wert pure and upright: Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous." — Job 8:6 (ASV)

If you were pure and upright - There is something especially severe and caustic in this whole speech of Bildad. He first assumes that Job's children were cut off for impiety, and then takes it for granted that Job himself was not a pure and upright man. This inference he seems to have derived partly from the fact that he had been visited with such heavy calamities, and partly from the sentiments Job himself had expressed.

Nothing could be more unjust and severe, however, than to take it for granted that he was a hypocrite, and then proceed to argue as if that were a settled point. He does not make it a supposition that Job might possibly have erred—which would not have been improper—but he proceeds to argue as if it were a point about which there could be no hesitation.

He would awake for you - He would arouse or excite Himself, יעיר yā‛ı̂r, on your account.

The image is that of arousing oneself from sleep or inactivity to aid another. The idea is that God had, as it were, slumbered over Job's calamities or had allowed them to come without interposing to prevent them. However, if Job were pure and would call upon Him for aid, He would arouse Himself.

And make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous - That is, if your habitation should become righteous now, He would make it prosperous. Bildad's idea is that, until now, it has been a habitation of wickedness. Your children have been wicked and are now cut off. You yourself have been a wicked man and, in consequence, are afflicted. If now you would become pure and seek God, then God would make your habitation prosperous.

What could more try the patience of a sufferer than such cold and unfeeling insinuations? And what could more beautifully illustrate the nature of true courtesy than to sit unmoved and hear such remarks? It was by forbearance in such circumstances, eminently, that Job showed his extraordinary patience.