Job 3:18 kjv
There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.
Job 3:18 nkjv
There the prisoners rest together; They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
Job 3:18 niv
Captives also enjoy their ease; they no longer hear the slave driver's shout.
Job 3:18 esv
There the prisoners are at ease together; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.
Job 3:18 nlt
Even captives are at ease in death,
with no guards to curse them.
Job 3 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Peace in Death | ||
| Isa 57:2 | "those who walk in uprightness, enter into peace; they find rest..." | Rest for the righteous in death. |
| Rev 14:13 | "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on... they will rest from their toil." | Rest for believers in death. |
| 2 Thess 1:7 | "when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven... you who are afflicted will rest with us." | Rest for the afflicted upon Christ's return. |
| Ps 132:14 | "This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell..." | God's promised eternal dwelling/rest. |
| Equality in the Grave | ||
| Ecc 9:2 | "All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad..." | Death as a universal equalizer. |
| Ecc 9:3 | "The same destiny overtakes all." | All face death regardless of status. |
| Gen 3:19 | "from dust you came and to dust you will return." | Common end for all humanity. |
| Ps 49:10-12 | "even the wise die, the fool and the senseless perish... though they named lands after themselves..." | Death makes rich and poor equal. |
| Freedom from Oppression/Suffering | ||
| Ps 9:9 | "The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble." | God as a protector from oppressors. |
| Ps 12:5 | "“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will protect them...”" | God hears and acts for the oppressed. |
| Ps 72:14 | "He will rescue them from oppression and violence..." | Divine deliverance from affliction. |
| Isa 14:3 | "On the day the Lord gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage," | Future relief from oppression. |
| Nah 1:7 | "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who trust in Him." | God's protection during distress. |
| Ps 107:41 | "But he lifts the needy out of their affliction and makes their families increase like flocks." | God delivers the needy from trouble. |
| Human Despair/Limited Understanding | ||
| Job 7:1-4 | "Do not mortals have hard service on earth? Are not their days like those of a hired laborer?... I dread my bones wasting away..." | Job's general despair of life. |
| Ps 6:5 | "For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will praise you?" | Early biblical view of lack of conscious activity in death. |
| Ps 88:10-12 | "Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you?..." | Questions about the dead praising God or receiving his wonders. |
| Isa 38:18-19 | "For Sheol does not thank you; Death does not praise you; those who go down to the pit do not hope for your faithfulness." | Lack of active praise or hope for the dead. |
| Hope Beyond the Grave | ||
| Job 19:25-27 | "I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth..." | Job's later declaration of hope in a resurrection. |
| Dan 12:2 | "Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt." | Future resurrection to differing fates. |
| 1 Cor 15:52-54 | "the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed... Death has been swallowed up in victory." | Christian hope of bodily resurrection and victory over death. |
| Php 1:21 | "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." | Death as a positive transition for the believer. |
Job 3 verses
Job 3 18 Meaning
Job 3:18 describes Job's longing for the cessation of suffering found in death. In his despair, he pictures the grave as a place of absolute quietude and equality, where those who were bound by chains or subjected to cruel masters in life finally find complete and undisturbed rest. The hierarchies and torments of earthly existence dissolve there, bringing peace from all forms of oppression and toil.
Job 3 18 Context
Job 3:18 is part of Job's initial lament after enduring immense suffering—the loss of his children, his possessions, and his health. Having remained silent for seven days with his friends, this chapter marks his breaking point, where he expresses the depths of his despair. He curses the day of his birth, wishing he had never existed or had died at birth. His longing for death in this passage is not a theological affirmation of the afterlife, but rather a profound cry for an end to his current torment. He envisions death not as annihilation, but as a state of perfect rest, a neutral zone where the weary, the wicked, the powerful, and the oppressed find a universal, undisturbed peace, free from all earthly distinctions and tribulations. This verse specifically highlights death as a universal leveller and a relief from physical and emotional burdens imposed by "oppressors" or "taskmasters" and earthly "bonds."
Job 3 18 Word analysis
- There (שָׁם - sham): Refers to the grave, Sheol, the realm of the dead. It points to a definitive place of cessation from earthly existence.
- the prisoners (אֲסִירִים - ʾăsîrîm): Literally, "those who are bound," "captives," or "prisoners." These are individuals whose freedom, movement, and life choices were severely restricted and painful. The word emphasizes their earthly suffering and bondage, which contrasts sharply with the "rest" found in death.
- rest (יָנוּחוּ - yānûḥû): From the root nûaḥ (נוּחַ), meaning "to rest," "settle down," "be at peace." It signifies a complete cessation of toil, movement, and distress. It is a profound, tranquil repose.
- together (יַחַד - yaḥad): Indicates unity, in unison, as one. It underscores the equality of all in death; prisoners and kings alike share the same fate of rest. All distinctions of earthly status dissolve in the grave.
- they hear not (לֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ - lōʾ yišmĕʿû): An absolute negative. This is not merely an absence of noise, but a freedom from external imposition, commands, or even disturbing taunts. It speaks of a sensory cessation that is deeply desired.
- the voice (קוֹל - qôl): A sound, voice, cry. Here, it refers to the authoritative, demanding, or abusive sounds associated with the oppressor. It represents external disturbances that command, compel, or criticize.
- of the oppressor (נוֹגֵשׂ - nōḡēś): A "taskmaster," "driver," or one who "exacts tribute." This term is often used in relation to forced labor, particularly the harsh taskmasters in Egypt (Exod 5:6-14). It evokes the image of cruel authority that forces, burdens, and torments. For Job, his "oppressor" might symbolize his immense pain, loss, or even perceived divine punishment.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "There the prisoners rest together": This phrase paints a picture of profound, communal peace for those who were once enslaved or imprisoned. It highlights the universality and leveling effect of death; those bound in life are finally unbound and share a common tranquility. The ultimate freedom from earthly chains is found in the grave.
- "they hear not the voice of the oppressor": This extends the concept of rest to include the cessation of all external sources of torment. It's not just physical relief, but mental and emotional peace from the sounds of tyranny, command, and relentless demands. The ultimate escape from the psychological and auditory harassment of power.
Job 3 18 Bonus section
The lament of Job in chapter 3, and specifically in verse 18, is profoundly anthropocentric, born of an immediate human suffering. It is a testament to the sheer desperation that can lead one to desire death as the only path to genuine rest and equality. Ancient Near Eastern views of the afterlife often depicted Sheol (the grave, underworld) as a shadowy, dust-filled place where all go, stripped of their earthly power and distinctiveness. Job's words align with this cultural understanding in terms of the leveling effect of death, but they apply it uniquely to his desire for personal relief from oppression. His view of the grave as a place free from the "voice of the oppressor" reflects a deep-seated human yearning for liberation from tyrannical control, a universal plea found across cultures. This perspective of "peace in death" highlights the sharp contrast with the later revelation of resurrection and active rest in the presence of God for believers, underscoring the limited theological understanding of the afterlife present during Job's time and his intense emotional state.
Job 3 18 Commentary
Job 3:18 expresses Job's deep longing for the universal and leveling peace found in death. From his agonizing perspective, death is a final emancipation, a place where earthly status, suffering, and external torments—be it the physical bonds of a prisoner or the coercive commands of a taskmaster—all cease. It is not an articulation of a developed doctrine of the afterlife, but rather a profound human desire for an ultimate quietus, a total freedom from pain, distress, and the tyranny of life's circumstances. In this lament, the grave represents an accessible refuge from a life that has become unbearable.