Job 3 13

Job 3:13 kjv

For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

Job 3:13 nkjv

For now I would have lain still and been quiet, I would have been asleep; Then I would have been at rest

Job 3:13 niv

For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest

Job 3:13 esv

For then I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then I would have been at rest,

Job 3:13 nlt

Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace.
I would be asleep and at rest.

Job 3 verses

Job 3 13 Meaning

Job 3:13 expresses Job's deep despair and his profound desire for the quietude and relief that he perceives only death could offer. He longs for the state of having never existed to avoid his current unbearable suffering, viewing death not as an end into oblivion, but as a peaceful cessation of all pain, toil, and anguish. It represents a wish for tranquil repose and undisturbed silence, a stark contrast to his living torment.

Job 3 13 Context

Job 3 marks the beginning of Job's response after seven days of silent mourning with his friends. It's a deeply emotional and personal lament, a profound expression of his agony and frustration with his existence. Having lost his children, his wealth, and his health, Job curses the day of his birth (vv. 1-10) and wishes he had died at birth or in the womb (vv. 11-12). Verse 13 articulates why he wished for such an outcome: the perceived benefits of death as a place of undisturbed tranquility, a stark contrast to his present tormented reality. This wish reveals his intense desire for relief, even if it meant non-existence or eternal stillness, underscoring the severity of his suffering.

Job 3 13 Word Analysis

• For now (כִּי־עַתָּה ki-`attah):

  • ki (כִּי): "for," "surely," "if only." It introduces the reason or explanation for Job's lament in the preceding verses. Here, it functions more as an emphatic "Oh, if only" or "Surely then," conveying a strong desire.
  • `attah (עַתָּה): "now," "at this time." Indicates a present longing or a hypothetical situation related to his current state. Together, ki-`attah means "Oh, that now!" or "Indeed, even now," intensifying his wish. Its significance is the immediate, desperate nature of his yearning.

• I would have lain down (שָׁכַבְתִּי shakhavti):

  • From the root שָׁכַב (shakhav), meaning "to lie down," often in the context of rest, sleep, or death. The suffix indicates "I."
  • In this context, it primarily refers to the posture of a dead body and is a common euphemism for death in the Old Testament. Its significance lies in representing a passive state, a complete cessation of activity and struggle, directly opposing Job's current restlessness.

• and been quiet (וָאֶשְׁקֹטָה wa'eshqota):

  • wa (וָ): "and."
  • eshqota (אֶשְׁקֹטָה): From שָׁקַט (shaqat), "to be quiet, tranquil, at ease, undisturbed, repose." The first common singular prefix indicates "I."
  • This term directly conveys the absence of disturbance, agitation, or pain. It emphasizes the peace and stillness that Job craves, a mental and physical tranquility absent in his living condition. It speaks of the inner peace and relief from anguish.

• I would have been asleep (יָשֵׁן yashen):

  • From יָשֵׁן (yashen), "to sleep." This is a participle used as a verb.
  • "Sleep" is a prevalent biblical metaphor for death, particularly highlighting unconsciousness and the temporary nature of this state before a potential awakening (e.g., in resurrection). For Job, at this moment, it signifies relief from consciousness and sensation of pain. It is an end to his wakeful suffering.

• then I would have been at rest (אָז יִשְׁקֹט 'az yishqot):

  • 'az (אָז): "then," "at that time." Introduces the consequence or result of the preceding hypothetical action.
  • yishqot (יִשְׁקֹט): From שָׁקַט (shaqat), the same root as "been quiet," but here in the third person masculine singular imperfect. However, given the subject (Job), it refers to "I would be at rest." The repetition of the root shaqat is significant, acting as an intensifier.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "For now I would have lain down and been quiet": This phrase establishes the immediate, profound longing for death as a means of escaping the present torment. "Lain down" points to the physical posture of death, while "been quiet" speaks to the internal and external peace. The combined expression signifies a longing for absolute cessation of physical and mental turmoil.
  • "I would have been asleep; then I would have been at rest": These parallel phrases reinforce and intensify Job's wish for the profound tranquility of death. "Asleep" (יָשֵׁן) highlights the state of unconsciousness and lack of sensation, while "at rest" (יִשְׁקֹט), repeating the idea of undisturbed tranquility, emphasizes the complete freedom from the agony that grips him. The use of parallel synonymous expressions deepens the pathos and emphasizes the desired state of undisturbed serenity. It highlights the profound stillness Job desires as a complete end to his unbearable active suffering.

Job 3 13 Bonus section

The ancient worldview, particularly of Job's time and culture, often saw death as a descent into "Sheol," a shadowy realm (though not necessarily punitive or tormenting for all), but in Job's immediate expression, it is the relief from the living world's troubles that is paramount. Job's articulation of death as profound rest may also implicitly contrast with chaotic views of the underworld held by some surrounding cultures, emphasizing stillness rather than ongoing activity or disturbance. This verse underscores the very real human struggle with profound suffering, where even non-existence or oblivion is preferable to present torment. It sets the stage for the book's larger themes of suffering, divine justice, and hope beyond immediate circumstances, though Job himself has yet to grasp such hope fully at this juncture. His immediate focus is solely on cessation of pain.

Job 3 13 Commentary

Job 3:13 distills Job's immediate wish after his deep curse of his birth. It's not a theological treatise on the afterlife, but a desperate cry from an anguished soul seeking surcease from intolerable suffering. Job envisions death as an ultimate sanctuary where the tormented find repose. He uses imagery common in the ancient Near East and throughout the Bible—death as "sleep" and "rest"—to convey an end to struggle, wakefulness, and pain. His lament is raw and personal, a vivid picture of human extremity, contrasting his current restlessness and pain with the imagined profound stillness of death. He wishes for death at birth to have entirely bypassed life's suffering, not simply to end current suffering. This shows the depth of his brokenness.