Job 3 22

Job 3:22 kjv

Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?

Job 3:22 nkjv

Who rejoice exceedingly, And are glad when they can find the grave?

Job 3:22 niv

who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave?

Job 3:22 esv

who rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they find the grave?

Job 3:22 nlt

They're filled with joy when they finally die,
and rejoice when they find the grave.

Job 3 verses

Job 3 22 Meaning

Job chapter 3, verse 22 expresses the profound despair of Job, who states that he would welcome the grave with immense joy and gladness, contrasting his intense suffering with the peace that he believes death offers. For him, the prospect of "finding the grave" represents a deeply longed-for release and ultimate rest from the excruciating physical and emotional torment he endures.

Job 3 22 Context

Job 3 marks the beginning of Job's profound lamentation, following seven days of silent mourning with his friends. After the intense suffering inflicted by Satan—the loss of his children, possessions, and physical health—Job finally breaks his silence to express his wish that he had never been born, or had died at birth. He questions why he was given life only to endure such agonizing pain. Verse 22 amplifies this yearning for oblivion, illustrating his preference for the tranquility of death, seeing it as the ultimate escape and a haven where the suffering ends. This isn't a suicidal impulse, but an expression of profound despair where the state of being dead is far preferable to his current unbearable existence.

Job 3 22 Word analysis

• who rejoice exceedingly (הַשָּׂמֵחִים שָׂשׂוֹן - haśśāmēḥîm śāśôn):

  • Haśśāmēḥîm is a participle from the root śāmaḥ, meaning "to rejoice," "be glad."
  • Śāśôn is a noun, "joy" or "exultation." The combination of the verb and its cognate noun (śāmaḥ śāśôn) is a Hebrew idiom used for emphasis, meaning "to rejoice with great joy" or "to rejoice exceedingly."
  • This emphasizes an extreme, almost paradoxical, joy felt by those in utter distress at the thought of death, highlighting the depth of their suffering that makes death seem like a relief.

• and are glad (וְיָשִׂישׂוּ - wəyāśîśū):

  • This is another verb meaning "to be glad," "exult," or "rejoice." It is related to the root śîs.
  • Its use alongside "rejoice exceedingly" further stresses the intense welcome and active pleasure people would take in finding death under such circumstances. It reinforces the previous expression, making the desire for death emphatic.

• when they find (כִּי־יִמְצְאוּ - kî-yimṣəʼū):

  • Kî is a conjunction often translated as "when," "that," "because."
  • Yimṣəʼū is from the root māṣāʼ, meaning "to find," "discover," "obtain."
  • This implies a discovery or a welcomed outcome, as if the grave is a longed-for solution or a prize for those in severe pain. It suggests that death is not a terrifying end but a destination actively sought or greeted.

• the grave (קָבֶר - qāver):

  • Refers specifically to a burial place, tomb, or physical grave.
  • While often associated with Sheol (the realm of the dead), qāver emphasizes the concrete, physical place of rest.
  • For Job, the grave is viewed as a sanctuary from the burdens of life, a final resting place free from torment, signifying peace and stillness.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "rejoice exceedingly and are glad": This phrase powerfully conveys an abnormal or inverted sense of joy. The usual human aversion to death is reversed for those enduring insufferable pain. This hyperbolic expression reflects Job's psychological state—a yearning for cessation that overrides the instinct for self-preservation.
  • "when they find the grave": The action of "finding" suggests discovery or encounter rather than creation or mere resignation. It portrays death not as something to be passively awaited or resisted, but as something to be actively embraced and welcomed as a resolution.

Job 3 22 Bonus section

• Ancient Near Eastern Perspective: In much of the ancient Near East, the afterlife (Sheol/Underworld) was often seen as a dark, shadowy, and somewhat inactive place for all, regardless of earthly status or righteousness. Job's longing for the qāver and the state it leads to (Sheol) aligns with the common understanding of Sheol as a realm where toil, pain, and struggle cease. It is distinct from the later more developed concepts of eternal bliss or punishment.
• Not an Endorsement of Suicide: Job's expressions, while intense and dramatic, are understood as a deep lament to God and a plea for relief, rather than an active plan or endorsement of self-harm. He wishes he had never lived, or had died instantly, rather than seeking to end his own life actively in the present. This differentiates his cry from the concept of suicide, highlighting his desperation but leaving his fate in God's hands.
• The Problem of Suffering: This verse underscores one of the central themes of the book of Job: the inscrutability of suffering. Why must someone righteous endure such unbearable pain that they wish for death, even joyful at its prospect? This question deeply challenges traditional theological frameworks (like the prosperity theology held by Job's friends) and forces a deeper reflection on God's ways.

Job 3 22 Commentary

Job 3:22 lays bare the extent of Job's anguish, portraying a mind so tormented that death is not a terrifying prospect but a delightful escape. He observes or imagines that for those steeped in overwhelming suffering, the physical grave, and by extension the stillness of Sheol, becomes the greatest source of comfort, eagerly anticipated as a haven of rest. This is not a generalized statement about joy in death, but a specific lament born from profound despair, highlighting the absolute limits of human endurance when confronted with unrelenting pain and loss. Job views the grave as a place of equality and quietude (as elaborated in Job 3:17-19), providing relief where his living torment is perpetual.