Job 3:17 kjv
There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.
Job 3:17 nkjv
There the wicked cease from troubling, And there the weary are at rest.
Job 3:17 niv
There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest.
Job 3:17 esv
There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.
Job 3:17 nlt
For in death the wicked cause no trouble,
and the weary are at rest.
Job 3 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 57:1-2 | The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart... they enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds. | Rest in death for the righteous |
| Rev 14:13 | Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. | Ultimate rest for believers |
| Mat 11:28 | Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. | Christ offers rest for the weary |
| Heb 4:9 | There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. | Promise of eternal rest for God's people |
| Ps 37:10 | For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. | The short-lived existence of the wicked |
| Ps 73:17-19 | Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end... How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! | The ultimate end and downfall of the wicked |
| Eccl 9:10 | whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. | Cessation of all earthly activity in death |
| Ps 116:7 | Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. | The soul finds rest in God's provision |
| Ps 62:1 | Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. | Finding rest and salvation in God alone |
| Jer 6:16 | Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. | Finding rest by following God's ways |
| Job 21:30 | that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. | Wicked cease troubling for their judgment day |
| Job 14:7-12 | For there is hope of a tree... But man dieth... so man lieth down, and riseth not... till the heavens be no more. | Job's early bleak view of finality in death |
| Job 17:16 | They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when once our rest together is in the dust. | Reinforces rest in the grave |
| Ps 46:9 | He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. | God's ultimate cessation of earthly strife |
| Ps 55:6 | And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. | A desire for escape and rest from distress |
| Job 30:23 | For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. | Acknowledgment of universal destination |
| Lam 1:3 | Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest. | The pain of no rest due to oppression |
| Isa 14:3 | And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve. | Prophecy of God bringing rest from oppression |
| Isa 28:12 | To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing. | God's promised rest and refreshing |
| Num 10:33 | ...the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them... to search out a resting place for them. | God guiding to a physical place of rest |
Job 3 verses
Job 3 17 Meaning
Job's profound lament in Job 3:17 articulates a yearning for death as a place of ultimate respite and tranquility. In this envisioned state of being beyond life's tribulations, all forms of earthly unrest and oppression cease. The verse suggests that death levels all distinctions: the active tormentors will no longer be able to inflict harm, and those who have suffered from relentless toil and affliction will finally find release from their burdens, entering into a quiet and undisturbed rest.
Job 3 17 Context
Job 3 is Job's initial lament after enduring catastrophic loss—his possessions, his children, and his health. Having remained silent for seven days, Job finally breaks his silence by cursing the day of his birth, wishing he had never been born or had died at birth. His desire for death is not driven by hope for an active afterlife or reunion, but rather by an intense longing for escape from his excruciating physical and emotional pain. He views death, and the grave (Sheol), as a final, quiet realm where all earthly struggles, injustices, and suffering cease. This verse specifically articulates a universal relief found in the quietude of death, portraying it as an equalizer where oppressors no longer disturb, and the exhausted find their peace. It is a testament to the depth of human despair when the very end of life appears as the most desirable form of solace.
Job 3 17 Word analysis
- There: Hebrew: sham (שָׁם). Refers specifically to the place of death, the grave, or Sheol. In Job's ancient Near Eastern context, Sheol was conceived as a shadowy, quiet, subterranean realm where all the dead, irrespective of their earthly status, resided. It is a destination of stillness, void of the active striving of the living.
- the wicked: Hebrew: rĕshā‘îm (רְשָׁעִים). Refers to those who are unjust, godless, impious, or act as oppressors and disturbers. Job himself has been afflicted by calamities orchestrated by an external power (Satan), but in his lament, "the wicked" can encompass anyone who causes distress or pain. The use of this term highlights Job's sense of earthly injustice and the torment caused by others or by the conditions they impose.
- cease: Hebrew: ḥāḏᵉlû (חָדְלוּ). Means "to stop," "to desist," "to leave off," or "to come to an end." It conveys a final cessation of activity. Here, it is the wicked's active capacity for malice or disruption that comes to an irreversible end.
- from troubling: Hebrew: rōḡez (רֹגֶז). Refers to agitation, trembling, unrest, disturbance, or disquiet. It denotes the violent or disruptive activity that the wicked inflict. Job yearns for a place where the turmoil caused by their oppressive or disturbing actions simply vanishes.
- and there: Hebrew: wĕsham (וְשָׁם). The conjunction "and" introduces a parallel thought, reinforcing the singular location (the grave) where this universal truth applies. It emphasizes the symmetrical benefit of death for different groups.
- the weary: Hebrew: yāgî'î koaḥ (יָגִיעַי כֹּחַ). Literally "those whose strength is exhausted" or "wearied ones." This refers to those burdened by relentless labor, suffering, pain, and life's harshness. Job squarely places himself among this group. It encompasses physical exhaustion but also the deep soul weariness of perpetual distress.
- be at rest: Hebrew: yānûḥû (יָנוּחוּ). From the root nûaḥ (נוּחַ), meaning "to rest," "to settle down," "to be quiet." It signifies a state of complete peace, cessation from effort, freedom from burden, and quiet repose. This is the desired state of blessed stillness Job craves, a stark contrast to his living anguish.
Job 3 17 Bonus section
The longing for rest in death expressed in Job 3:17 stands in poignant contrast to later biblical revelations about an active, conscious afterlife, especially in the New Testament with the hope of resurrection and eternal life with God (e.g., Php 1:21-23). Job's perspective here reflects a common ancient Near Eastern understanding of Sheol as a realm of shadows and inactivity rather than a vibrant conscious existence. While this verse highlights a profound human craving for peace, Job's own journey will eventually lead him to a higher, more hopeful understanding of God and a potential life beyond the grave (Job 19:25-27), demonstrating the progressive revelation of God's truth throughout the Scriptures. This verse reminds us that true, ultimate rest is not merely cessation from earthly woes but a deeper rest found in relationship with the Almighty.
Job 3 17 Commentary
Job 3:17 distills Job's desperate longing for ultimate cessation from suffering. It paints a picture of the grave not as a place of judgment or reward, but as a sanctuary where life's profound imbalances are rectified through universal quietude. For the "wicked," their capacity to stir trouble is extinguished, implying an end to their earthly influence and oppression. For the "weary," like Job himself, it signifies a much-needed and deeply desired reprieve from the unrelenting burdens of life, providing a perfect peace where strength is no longer drained. This verse powerfully conveys the human desire for escape when pain becomes unbearable, seeking solace even in the finality of death.