My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
My friends have been dishonest with me like a brook that dries up, and like seasonal streams that disappear when you need them most.
Job is saying his friends have let him down and abandoned him when he needed them most, just like streams that dry up during drought.
📚 Historical Context
Job is responding to his friend Eliphaz, who had just accused him of being wicked and deserving his suffering. In the ancient Middle East, seasonal streams (wadis) would flow during rainy seasons but completely dry up during summer droughts, leaving travelers without the water they desperately needed. Job uses this familiar image to describe how his friends appeared supportive at first but failed him in his greatest time of need.
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