translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: JOB

label: NET study note

text: The previous chapters (1-2) were prose narrative, this chapter, however, commences the poetic section of the book (chs. 3-41 ) containing the cycles of speeches.


text: The detailed introduction to the speech with “he opened his mouth” draws the readers attention to what was going to be said. As the introduction to the poetic speech that follows ( 3:3-26 ), vv. 1-2 continue the prose style of chapters 1-2 . Each of the subsequent speeches is introduced by such a prose heading.


text: The announcement at birth is to the fact that a male was conceived. The same parallelism between “brought forth/born” and “conceived” may be found in Ps 51:7 HT ( 51:5 ET). The motifs of the night of conception and the day of birth will be developed by Job. For the entire verse, which is more a wish or malediction than a curse, see S. H. Blank, “‘Perish the Day!’ A Misdirected Curse ( Job 3:3 ),” Prophetic Thought , 61-63.


text: This expression by Job is the negation of the divine decree at creation – “Let there be light,” and that was the first day. Job wishes that his first day be darkness: “As for that day, let there be darkness.” Since only God has this prerogative, Job adds the wish that God on high would not regard that day.


text: The translation of צַלְמָוֶת ( tsalmavet , “shadow of death”) has been traditionally understood to indicate a dark, death shadow (supported in the LXX), but many scholars think it may not represent the best etymological analysis of the word. The word may be connected to an Arabic word which means “to be dark,” and an Akkadian word meaning “black.” It would then have to be repointed throughout its uses to צַלְמוּת ( tsalmut ) forming an abstract ending. It would then simply mean “darkness” rather than “shadow of death.” Or the word can be understood as an idiomatic expression meaning “gloom” that is deeper than חֹשֶׁךְ ( khoshekh ; see HALOT 1029 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת ). Since “darkness” has already been used in the line, the two together could possibly form a nominal hendiadys: “Let the deepest darkness….” There is a significant amount of literature on this; one may begin with W. L. Michel, “SLMWT, ‘Deep Darkness’ or ‘Shadow of Death’?” BR 29 (1984): 5-20.


text: The choice of this word for “moons,” יְרָחִים ( yÿrakhim ) instead of חֳדָשִׁים ( khodashim ) is due to the fact that “month” here is not a reference for which an exact calendar date is essential (in which case חֹדֶשׁ [ khodesh ] would have been preferred). See J. Segal, “‘ yrh ’ in the Gezer ‘Calendar,’” JSS 7 (1962): 220, n. 4. Twelve times in the OT יֶרַח ( yerakh ) means “month” ( Exod 2:2 ; Deut 21:13; 33:14 ; 1 Kgs 6:37, 38; 8:2 ; 2 Kgs 15:13 ; Zech 11:8 ; Job 3:6; 7:3; 29:2; 39:2 ).


text: Job employs here the mythological figure Leviathan, the monster of the deep or chaos. Job wishes that such a creation of chaos could be summoned by the mourners to swallow up that day. See E. Ullendorff, “ Job 3:8 ,” VT 11 (1961): 350-51.


text: The expression is literally “the eyelids of the morning.” This means the very first rays of dawn (see also Job 41:18 ). There is some debate whether it refers to “eyelids” or “eyelashes” or “eyeballs.” If the latter, it would signify the flashing eyes of a person. See for the Ugaritic background H. L. Ginsberg, The Legend of King Keret (BASORSup), 39; see also J. M. Steadman, “‘Eyelids of Morn’: A Biblical Convention,” HTR 56 (1963): 159-67.


text: This use of doors for the womb forms an implied comparison; the night should have hindered conception (see Gen 20:18 and 1 Sam 1:5 ).


text: Job follows his initial cry with a series of rhetorical questions. His argument runs along these lines: since he was born (v. 10 ), the next chance he had of escaping this life of misery would have been to be still born (vv. 11-12, 16 ). In vv. 13-19 Job considers death as falling into a peaceful sleep in a place where there is no trouble. The high frequency of rhetorical questions in series is a characteristic of the Book of Job that sets it off from all other portions of the OT. The effect is primarily dramatic, creating a tension that requires resolution. See W. Watson, Classical Hebrew Poetry , 340-41.


text: The commentaries mention the parallel construction in the writings of Ashurbanipal: “You were weak, Ashurbanipal, you who sat on the knees of the goddess, queen of Nineveh; of the four teats that were placed near to your mouth, you sucked two and you hid your face in the others” (M. Streck, Assurbanipal [VAB], 348).


text: The reference seems to be death, or Sheol, the place where the infant who is stillborn is either buried (the grave) or resides (the place of departed spirits) and thus does not see the light of the sun.


text: The wicked are the ungodly, those who are not members of the covenant (normally) and in this context especially those who oppress and torment other people.


text: See further J. C. de Moor, “Lexical Remarks Concerning yahad and yahdaw ,” VT 7 (1957): 350-55.


text: Since he has survived birth, Job wonders why he could not have died a premature death. He wonders why God gives light and life to those who are in misery. His own condition throws gloom over life, and so he poses the question first generally, for many would prefer death to misery (20-22); then he comes to the individual, himself, who would prefer death (23). He closes his initial complaint with some depictions of his suffering that afflicts him and gives him no rest (24-26).


text: In v. 10 the word was used to describe the labor and sorrow that comes from it; here the one in such misery is called the עָמֵל (’ amel , “laborer, sufferer”).


text: The expression “when they find a grave” means when they finally die. The verse describes the relief and rest that the sufferer will obtain when the long-awaited death is reached.


text: After speaking of people in general (in the plural in vv. 21 and 22 ), Job returns to himself specifically (in the singular, using the same word גֶּבֶר [ gever , “a man”] that he employed of himself in v. 3 ). He is the man whose way is hidden. The clear path of his former life has been broken off, or as the next clause says, hedged in so that he is confined to a life of suffering. The statement includes the spiritual perplexities that this involves. It is like saying that God is leading him in darkness and he can no longer see where he is going.


text: The line means that Job’s sighing, which results from the suffering (metonymy of effect) is his constant, daily food. Parallels like Ps 42:3 which says “my tears have been my bread/food” shows a similar figure.