איוב, פרק י״ט, פסוק י״ד

Job endures the deep pain of total social and familial isolation. This isolation does not happen all at once, but rather unfolds as a painful chain reaction where one loss directly causes the next. First, his family members pull away. His closest relatives simply disappear, no longer coming to visit or check on him [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Following this initial rejection, his wider circle of friends, loved ones, and acquaintances completely forget about him [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

There is a direct connection between these two stages of abandonment. The absence of Job's family is exactly what causes his friends to turn away. His acquaintances observe the situation and make a simple, harsh deduction. They reason that if Job's own brothers and family members hate him enough to abandon him, there is even more reason for his friends to distance themselves and erase him from their memories [אלשיך].