Job is experiencing profound disappointment in his companions, comparing their unreliability to treacherous streams that change with the winter season. These streams serve as a metaphor for friends whose words have become cold, frozen, and entirely devoid of comfort.
As winter sets in, these streams undergo a dramatic transformation. The primary approach among commentators is that the waters turn dark and black due to the sheer depth of the liquid formed by melting ice and snow [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, אבן עזרא]. Others understand this change not as a shift in color, but as a physical freezing, where the water shrinks and hardens into solid blocks of ice [רש״י, שטיינזלץ]. A related perspective suggests the darkness is actually a result of extreme freezing temperatures, similar to frostbite. This physical darkening perfectly captures the emotional distance and chilling reception Job receives from his friends [תקות אנוש], a harsh change driven entirely by the freezing ice [מצודת ציון].
As the winter weather continues, falling snow meets the altered stream. The primary approach among commentators is that the snow is hidden or swallowed up as it falls onto the ice or into the deep, dark water [רש״י, מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא]. This disappearance of the snow and the freezing of the water represent a cruel betrayal to a thirsty traveler, who arrives hoping for a drink but finds the water entirely inaccessible [רש״י, רמב״ן]. Differing slightly, some suggest the snow does not disappear into the water but rather piles up directly on top of the ice [שטיינזלץ].
A unique approach views this winter scene through the lens of permanence rather than disappearance. When the stream freezes and darkens, it creates an illusion for the observer that the snow resting upon it will remain forever, even though it is destined to eventually melt [מלבי״ם]. Conversely, another perspective frames this environment as a desperate search for shelter. In this view, despite the freezing temperatures, a person caught in a storm might actually step into the stream. They do this so the falling snow will melt into the water rather than pile up and freeze on their own body [אלשיך].