Job 33 15

Job 33:15 kjv

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

Job 33:15 nkjv

In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds,

Job 33:15 niv

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds,

Job 33:15 esv

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds,

Job 33:15 nlt

He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night,
when deep sleep falls on people
as they lie in their beds.

Job 33 verses

Job 33 15 Meaning

Job 33:15 describes the specific conditions under which God communicates with humanity through dreams and visions: during the tranquil hours of the night when individuals are in a state of profound, deep sleep upon their beds. Elihu, speaking to Job, highlights these subtle yet potent avenues of divine revelation, emphasizing that God speaks in ways that bypass normal waking consciousness and its distractions. These communications are not merely random occurrences but intentional divine interventions.

Job 33 15 Context

Job 33:15 is spoken by Elihu, the youngest of Job's four interlocutors, who enters the debate after the three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) have ceased their arguments and before God directly addresses Job. In chapter 33, Elihu presents his theological framework, contending that God speaks to humanity in multiple ways, even when He seems silent or inscrutable. He argues against Job's implicit charge that God does not respond or is treating him unjustly.

Verse 15 specifies one of God's primary modes of communication: through dreams (בַּחֲלוֹם - ba-khalom) and night visions (חֶזְיוֹן לַיְלָה - chez-yon lay-lah). Elihu posits that God uses these channels precisely "when deep sleep falls on men, while slumbering on their beds." This setting is crucial, as it suggests a time of vulnerability, quiet, and receptivity, when external distractions are minimized, allowing the divine message to penetrate the individual's consciousness directly. For the original ancient Near Eastern audience, dreams and visions were widely recognized and accepted as valid means of divine revelation, employed by gods to communicate warnings, instructions, and insights. Elihu leverages this cultural understanding to make his point that God is not absent or silent, but constantly at work to bring individuals to repentance and salvation, often using these less overt methods as a form of divine pedagogy and paternal discipline (Job 33:16-18). He contrasts this with the notion that God only speaks in overt judgments or remains silent, directly challenging the assumptions of both Job and his friends.

Job 33 15 Word analysis

• In a dream (בַּחֲלוֹם - ba-kha-lom):

  • Word: "dream" (חֲלוֹם - khalom).
  • Meaning: A sequence of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. In biblical context, often a direct channel for divine communication.
  • Significance: This emphasizes an internal, often symbolic, mode of revelation distinct from a waking vision or audible voice. Dreams in the Bible frequently convey prophecies, warnings, or instructions.
  • Database Insight: Khalom can refer to ordinary dreams but frequently points to divinely sent dreams, requiring interpretation (e.g., Joseph, Daniel).

• in a vision (חֶזְיוֹן - chez-yon):

  • Word: "vision" (חֶזְיוֹן - chez-yon).
  • Meaning: A distinct, often vivid, perception of something not physically present, but apprehended by the spirit, typically as a form of divine revelation.
  • Significance: Distinct from a dream; chez-yon often implies a clearer, more direct, and sometimes waking apprehension of divine reality. The pairing highlights a range of revelatory experiences, from subtle dreams to profound visions.
  • Database Insight: Chez-yon is closely related to "prophecy" (חָזוֹן - chazon), reinforcing its revelatory nature. It implies a divinely appointed sight or appearance.

• of the night (לַיְלָה - lay-lah):

  • Word: "night" (lay-lah).
  • Meaning: The period of darkness from sunset to sunrise.
  • Significance: The natural time for sleep and cessation of daily activities. Night provides an environment of quietness and reduced sensory input, making one more receptive to subtle, internal spiritual experiences. It symbolizes a time apart from worldly distractions.

• when deep sleep (בְּתַרְדֵּמָה - be-thar-de-mah):

  • Word: "deep sleep" (tardemah).
  • Meaning: A profound, trance-like, often supernaturally induced sleep or stupor.
  • Significance: This is a crucial term. Tardemah is more than ordinary sleep. It is often a state brought on by God to make the recipient fully passive and receptive to a revelation, as seen with Adam before Eve's creation (Gen 2:21) or Abraham during the covenant ceremony (Gen 15:12). It implies an overwhelming spiritual or divine influence, beyond the person's conscious control.
  • Database Insight: Tardemah often precedes or accompanies significant divine acts or revelations, highlighting the sovereignty of God in initiating the communication. It denotes an unusual, powerful, and God-given sleep.

• falls on men (עַל־אֲנָשִׁים - al a-na-shim):

  • Words: "falls on" (al) "men" (anashim).
  • Meaning: Occurs or descends upon human beings generally.
  • Significance: This indicates that such divine communication through dreams and deep sleep is a general phenomenon available to all men (humanity), not just select prophets. This counters Job's sense of unique isolation from God and implies God's universal attempts to communicate.

• while slumbering (בְּתְנוּמוֹת - bi-thnu-mot):

  • Word: "slumbering" (thnu-mot).
  • Meaning: Light or natural sleep, a state of dozing or drousing.
  • Significance: Reinforces the state of rest and physical inactivity. It describes the general condition that precedes or is part of the deep sleep (tardemah). The repetition emphasizes the quiet, resting posture conducive to revelation.

• on their beds (עַל־מִשְׁכָּב - al-mish-kav):

  • Words: "on" (al) "their beds" (mishkav).
  • Meaning: Upon their resting places, their couches or beds.
  • Significance: The private, personal space where one is most at ease, vulnerable, and free from external obligations. It's a universal and relatable image, further underscoring that God's communication reaches people in their ordinary, personal moments of rest.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "In a dream, in a vision of the night": This phrase clusters two primary modes of non-auditory divine revelation common in the ancient world. The sequence may imply different levels of clarity or impact, but together they demonstrate God's readiness to communicate subtly in the dark, silent hours, providing an internal witness or warning. It suggests God is not limited to audible pronouncements.

• "when deep sleep falls on men, while slumbering on their beds": This descriptive clause sets the precise physiological and environmental context. The emphasis on "deep sleep" (tardemah) signifies a profound, often supernaturally induced state, indicating a heightened spiritual receptivity and an incapacity for the recipient to resist or actively participate in the initiation of the revelation. It points to God's sovereignty in initiating communication precisely when human faculties are at their lowest point of conscious control, thereby ensuring the message's divine origin and clarity, free from waking bias or skepticism. It illustrates God's gentle, yet powerful, approach to instruct humanity.

Job 33 15 Bonus section

Elihu's discourse in Job 33 represents a significant theological development in the book of Job, shifting the focus from God's justice in suffering (the primary concern of the three friends) to God's pedagogical and redemptive purposes. The concept of God communicating in dreams and visions for correction and salvation is a powerful antidote to Job's despair that God is unreachable or merely punitive. This perspective resonates throughout the Bible, emphasizing God's omnipresence and His continuous efforts to engage with humanity, not just in dramatic, public displays, but also in the quietest, most private moments of human existence. The very privacy of the "bed" setting underscores God's personal attention to the individual. This also prefigures the New Covenant idea that God would pour out His Spirit and people would see visions and dream dreams (Joel 2:28-29, fulfilled in Acts 2:17), broadening the scope of divine revelation beyond an exclusive prophetic class.

Job 33 15 Commentary

Job 33:15 captures Elihu's insightful perspective on God's active, yet often unseen, involvement in human lives, directly addressing Job's lament that God has remained silent or distant. Elihu proposes that God frequently speaks not through thunderous pronouncements or visible appearances, but through the intimate and often ignored avenues of dreams and night visions. The imagery of "deep sleep" (Hebrew: tardemah) is key, pointing to a profound, divinely induced state of unconsciousness, where the soul is most receptive and free from the clamor of the waking world. It is a moment of vulnerability where God can bypass human rationalization or resistance and impress His message directly onto the spirit.

Elihu suggests that these divine communications are purposeful, acting as warnings and corrections (as subsequent verses like Job 33:16-18 make clear) intended to turn a person from destructive paths and prevent them from succumbing to the "pit" – both physically (premature death) and spiritually (destruction). This challenges Job's understanding of God's ways, presenting God not merely as a Judge but as an ever-present Physician and Teacher, who endeavors to save and instruct humanity even in their unconscious moments. Elihu’s discourse offers a redemptive interpretation of divine revelation, arguing that God's aim is not condemnation but the restoration and well-being of the individual.

• Example 1: A believer receives a vivid dream after much prayer, leading them to reconsider a detrimental business decision and find a better path.
• Example 2: A person tormented by guilt has a dream revealing God's forgiveness, leading to deep spiritual peace and a renewed commitment to walk with God.