Job 3 5

Job 3:5 kjv

Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

Job 3:5 nkjv

May darkness and the shadow of death claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it.

Job 3:5 niv

May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm it.

Job 3:5 esv

Let gloom and deep darkness claim it. Let clouds dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

Job 3:5 nlt

Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own.
Let a black cloud overshadow it,
and let the darkness terrify it.

Job 3 verses

Job 3 5 Meaning

Job 3:5 depicts Job's fervent desire for the day of his birth to be utterly negated and enveloped in ultimate darkness and chaos. He wishes for it to be covered by thick, oppressive gloom, resembling the primeval state before creation, and for it to be overwhelmed by terror, as if it never emerged into existence. This intense lament expresses Job's profound despair and his wish for non-being for that specific day, mirroring a reversal of the divine act of creation.

Job 3 5 Context

Job 3 marks the beginning of Job's profound and agonizing lament, his first words after seven days of silent mourning in the presence of his friends. Having lost his children, his wealth, and his health, Job is overwhelmed by his suffering. Rather than cursing God directly, he curses the day of his birth (Job 3:3), a highly potent expression of his wish for non-existence. He expresses a desire that this day had never dawned or that he had died at birth, so he could have remained at rest. Verse 5 is a detailed elaboration of this curse, vividly illustrating the type of profound darkness and terror Job wishes upon his very genesis, effectively wanting to reverse creation for his personal history. This lament contrasts starkly with ancient Near Eastern cultures which typically celebrated life and fertility, portraying Job's despair as extreme.

Job 3 5 Word analysis

• Let darkness (חֹשֶׁךְ - choshek): This Hebrew term primarily denotes the absence of light. In biblical theology, choshek can signify the physical darkness before creation (Gen 1:2), a state of chaos, ignorance, sin, or spiritual blindness. Here, Job invokes a primordial and ultimate form of darkness, suggesting a return to a state of formlessness and emptiness where the light of existence never breaks through. It’s more than just night; it’s an eternal abyss.
• and the shadow of death (וְצַלְמָוֶת - v'tzalmawet): This compound word, unique to biblical Hebrew, means "deep darkness," often intensified to "shadow of death." It describes the darkest, most terrifying, and impenetrable gloom, commonly associated with the grave (Sheol), extreme danger, despair, and spiritual oppression. It evokes an overwhelming, existential threat where there is no hope or escape, a darkness that actively obscures life.
• reclaim it (יִגְאָלֻהוּ - yigʾăluhu): The Masoretic Text here uses a verb from the root גאל (ga'al), typically meaning "to redeem," "to reclaim," or "to possess as kinsman-redeemer." In this context, it carries the sinister sense of darkness and death claiming ownership of or recovering that day, asserting dominion over it, perhaps drawing it back into its former chaotic state before light intervened. Some textual variants suggest 'make it black/gloomy.'
• let clouds (עֲנָנָה - ʿănānah) settle upon it (תִּשְׁכֹּן עָלָיו - tishkon ʿālāyw): Clouds (ʿănānah) in the Bible often represent God's presence, glory, or power, but can also signify ominous judgment or thick gloom. Here, they are envisioned as an oppressive, stagnant covering, blotting out any ray of light, symbolizing perpetual obscuration and a stifling, sorrowful atmosphere that allows no joy or vitality to penetrate. The verb "settle" (shakan) means to dwell or reside, implying a permanent, oppressive encampment of darkness.
• let the blackness of the day (קִדְרֵי יֹום - qidrei yôm): Qidrei denotes a gloomy, dark, or turbid state, like murky water or somber faces. When applied to "day" (yôm), which naturally signifies light, it becomes a stark oxymoron. It means an inherent, abnormal gloom that defines that day, robbing it of its essential nature, turning it into a source of oppressive, murky darkness. It’s not just a dark night but a perpetually gloomy, suffocating day.
• terrify it (יְבַעֲתֻהוּ - yəbaʿatuhū): This verb expresses the active and profound creation of dread, sudden alarm, or disruption. Job personifies the day itself, wishing for it to be constantly shaken and panicked by its own terrifying darkness. This points to the intense emotional and psychological horror Job wishes to inflict on the very moment of his birth, reflecting his internal state of overwhelming dread and existential fright.

Job 3 5 Bonus section

Job’s lament here showcases profound literary sophistication, using powerful metaphors and invoking cosmic imagery found throughout Scripture. The language echoes Genesis 1:2 ("darkness was over the surface of the deep") but fundamentally inverts it, seeking to return his day to a pre-creation state rather than embracing the divine act of bringing order and light from chaos. This is not simply a wish to die, but a desperate yearning for his origin in time to be eradicated and subsumed by utter nothingness, a rejection of the "light of life" itself (Job 3:16). The theological significance lies in the stark contrast this provides: Job's human anguish desires universal negation, while the rest of the biblical narrative continually affirms God's power to bring light out of darkness and life out of death. It also serves as a potent reminder of the extreme mental and spiritual anguish that suffering can bring, demonstrating that biblical figures grapple with deep despair, reflecting the complexity of the human experience.

Job 3 5 Commentary

Job 3:5 provides a visceral insight into the depth of Job's suffering, transcending mere pain to an existential anguish that curses the very notion of his existence. It’s a profound wish for un-creation for the day of his birth, invoking powerful images from the Genesis creation account but in reverse. Job desires that this day return to primordial chaos—to be claimed by impenetrable darkness (choshek) and the terrifying abyss (tzalmawet) from which the world was formed, long before light was separated from darkness. He wishes for it to be perpetually blanketed by dark, oppressive clouds, preventing any trace of light or joy from ever reaching it. Furthermore, he wishes for the intrinsic character of that day to be an enduring, horrifying gloom that actively terrifies and consumes it. This highly poetic and hyperbolic curse illustrates that Job’s torment is so overwhelming that he views his life not as a gift but as an affliction, wishing for its fundamental temporal marker to be swallowed by an eternal, frightful night.