Job 3:20 kjv
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;
Job 3:20 nkjv
"Why is light given to him who is in misery, And life to the bitter of soul,
Job 3:20 niv
"Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul,
Job 3:20 esv
"Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,
Job 3:20 nlt
"Oh, why give light to those in misery,
and life to those who are bitter?
Job 3 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Job 3:11 | Why did I not die at birth... | Job's wish for death at conception. |
| Job 10:18-19 | Why then have you brought me out of the womb? Would that I had perished before any eye had seen me. | Job questions his birth, longing for non-existence. |
| 1 Kgs 19:4 | But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die... | Elijah's desire for death in despair. |
| Jon 4:3 | Therefore now, O Yahweh, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live. | Jonah's wish for death from bitterness. |
| Jer 20:14-18 | Cursed be the day in which I was born!... Why did I come out from the womb to see toil and sorrow...? | Jeremiah curses his birth, similar to Job's lament. |
| Eccl 7:1 | A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. | Wisdom teaching, highlighting preference for death in a fallen world. |
| Lam 3:1 | I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath. | A lament expressing deep, sustained suffering. |
| Ps 73:2 | But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. | Psalmist questioning divine justice in suffering. |
| Ruth 1:20 | She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” | Expression of "bitterness" in soul due to affliction. |
| Prov 17:22 | A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. | Highlights the physical effects of a bitter or despairing soul. |
| Isa 5:20 | Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! | Prophetic woe describing inversion of values, reflecting Job's internal perception of light/life as bitter. |
| Ps 107:10 | Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons. | Description of utter despair and confinement, resonating with Job's situation. |
| Ecc 9:4 | For him who is joined with all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. | Contrasts with Job's hopelessness where he finds death preferable. |
| Gen 3:17-19 | ...cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you... by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground... | The foundational curse bringing "toil" (עָמָל, 'amal') and the inevitability of death. |
| Jn 1:4 | In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. | Christ as the source of true life and spiritual light. |
| Jn 3:19 | And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light... | Mankind's aversion to divine light, contrasted with Job who wants his physical light removed. |
| Ps 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. | Light symbolizing guidance and truth from God's word. |
| Ps 30:5 | For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. | The biblical promise of hope after sorrow. |
| Ps 42:5 | Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God... | The psalmist's self-admonition to find hope despite inner turmoil. |
| Rom 8:18 | For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. | New Testament perspective on temporal suffering compared to eternal hope. |
| 2 Cor 4:17 | For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. | A Christian understanding of the purpose of tribulation. |
| Heb 12:11 | For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. | God's refining purpose through suffering, which Job cannot yet see. |
Job 3 verses
Job 3 20 Meaning
Job 3:20 is Job's lament, a desperate question posed from the depths of his intense suffering. It expresses his profound bewilderment and despair over why life and continued existence, symbolized by "light" and "life," are extended to those consumed by misery and bitterness. In his eyes, life itself has become a burden, and the gift of existence is now a cruel continuation of his anguish. He questions the divine wisdom and justice in preserving a life devoid of joy or purpose from his limited, suffering perspective.
Job 3 20 Context
Job 3:20 is situated at the climax of Job’s opening lament, following his protracted period of silence and his friends' arrival (Job 2:11-13). After seven days and nights of sitting in shared mourning, Job breaks the silence, not with words of patient endurance, but with a profound outpouring of despair. Chapter 3 begins with Job cursing the day of his birth (vv. 1-10), moving into an explicit wish for death as a release from suffering (vv. 11-19). Verse 20 further elaborates on this wish, highlighting the apparent contradiction of being forced to live while experiencing overwhelming pain and bitterness. This speech sets the tone for the entire book, establishing the central problem: why righteous suffering occurs, and how humans respond when their theological frameworks are shattered by raw experience. It challenges the simplistic retribution theology often held in the ancient Near East that directly equates suffering with sin.
Job 3 20 Word analysis
- לָמָּה (lamah): Translated as "Why?". This is not merely a request for information but a passionate lament, expressing bewilderment, protest, and a cry of deep injustice. It signifies a profound questioning of divine purpose and wisdom from the human perspective of unbearable anguish.
- יִתֵּן (yitten): Translated as "is given" or "does He give". This is an imperfect verb from the root נָתַן (nathan), meaning "to give" or "to place." It implies an active divine agent, reflecting Job's understanding that his life, even in misery, is sustained by God. This word highlights divine sovereignty even in the midst of the perceived meaninglessness of Job's existence.
- לָעָמֵל (la-amel): "to him who is in misery" or "to the afflicted." The root עָמָל ('amal) denotes "toil," "trouble," "misery," or "affliction." It conveys a state of exhaustive physical and emotional suffering, often associated with a curse or oppressive labor (as seen in Gen 3:17-19). This emphasizes that Job's pain is not fleeting but a burdensome state of being.
- אוֹר ('or): "light." A rich biblical symbol, light often represents life, well-being, joy, understanding, salvation, and divine presence (e.g., Ps 36:9; Isa 9:2). For Job, the continued existence represented by "light" has lost its positive connotation, becoming a continuation of suffering. He sees it not as a blessing but as an undesired prolongation of his anguish.
- וְחַיִּים (v'chayyim): "and life." The word for "life" (חַיִּים, chayyim) is typically plural in Hebrew to denote comprehensive, ongoing vitality. For Job, this fundamental blessing is inverted; continued "life" now signifies sustained pain and distress, making existence itself a burden rather than a gift.
- לְמָרֵי נָפֶשׁ (l'marei nefesh): "to the bitter in soul."
- לְמָרֵי (l'marei): "to the bitter." From the root מָרָה (marah), meaning "to be bitter," "to be grieved." It implies a pervasive, acrid sense of distress and indignation.
- נָפֶשׁ (nefesh): "soul," "self," "innermost being." This term signifies the totality of one's inner being, including emotions, will, and spiritual life. "Bitter in soul" indicates that the suffering has penetrated to the core of Job's existence, making his entire person deeply distressed and emotionally tormented.
Words-group Analysis:
- "Why is light given... and life": This pairing encapsulates Job's central complaint. He questions why God continues to bestow the very elements that are universally regarded as blessings—existence and vitality—upon one who desires their cessation due to overwhelming pain. The gift is now a torment.
- "to him who is in misery, and to the bitter in soul": These two phrases serve as a powerful parallel description of Job's condition. "In misery" highlights his external circumstances and physical distress (toil), while "bitter in soul" depicts his internal emotional and spiritual anguish. Together, they emphasize the comprehensive nature of his suffering, encompassing both physical agony and profound inner despair. This duality underscores that Job's torment is not superficial but penetrates to the very core of his being.
Job 3 20 Bonus section
This verse initiates Job's direct challenge to the traditional wisdom that prosperity follows righteousness and suffering indicates sin. Job's question ("Why?") demands an answer for apparently arbitrary suffering, setting the stage for the intense theological dialogue that dominates the book. His lament reflects a profound sense of abandonment or misunderstanding from God, articulating a state of being where existence itself becomes the primary pain. It’s a biblical portrait of severe depression and suicidal ideation, showcasing the rawness of human anguish when faced with the inexplicable. Furthermore, the irony lies in God being the giver of life, yet for Job, this gift has transformed into an unwanted burden. The book of Job will ultimately reveal that God's ways are beyond human comprehension and that His purposes, though often hidden, are ultimately good. This lament serves as a stark contrast to the divine light and abundant life found in Christ (Jn 1:4, 10:10), which offer true hope and solace amidst worldly affliction.
Job 3 20 Commentary
Job 3:20 encapsulates the existential cry of one pushed to the brink of despair. Job is not questioning God's existence, but rather the logic and justice behind divine providence when suffering is intense and prolonged. Having endured unthinkable losses and agonizing physical torment, Job perceives "light" (life, awareness) and "life" (continued existence) not as blessings, but as prolonged punishments. His rhetorical question reveals a soul deeply distressed and confounded, struggling to reconcile his experience with his prior understanding of God’s benevolent rule. The bitterness he describes is not just sadness; it is a profound, penetrating grief that renders the gift of life itself repugnant. This verse powerfully articulates the human desire for cessation of pain when life's perceived value evaporates. It challenges simplistic views of suffering and highlights the human longing for an answer when God's ways appear inscrutable, a lament echoed throughout scripture, finding ultimate understanding only in Christ's triumph over death and suffering.