Job 36 20

Job 36:20 kjv

Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.

Job 36:20 nkjv

Do not desire the night, When people are cut off in their place.

Job 36:20 niv

Do not long for the night, to drag people away from their homes.

Job 36:20 esv

Do not long for the night, when peoples vanish in their place.

Job 36:20 nlt

Do not long for the cover of night,
for that is when people will be destroyed.

Job 36 verses

Job 36 20 Meaning

Job 36:20 serves as Elihu's warning to Job not to desire or crave the night, a period often associated with darkness, inactivity, and the unknown. In this context, the "night" likely symbolizes a time of swift judgment, unexpected calamity, or the quiet embrace of death, implying a longing for a quick, even destructive, end to suffering. Elihu points out that even in such darkness, God's sovereign hand is active, causing people to "vanish from their place" – implying they are suddenly removed, snatched away, or brought to an end by divine power. It's a caution against despairing, presumptuous desires for an escape from affliction, reminding Job that God is still in control even over life and death in seemingly hidden times.

Job 36 20 Context

Job 36:20 is spoken by Elihu, the youngest of Job's four companions. In his extended discourse (chapters 32-37), Elihu positions himself as an arbiter, claiming a fresh understanding of God's ways beyond what Job or the other three friends have presented. He attempts to defend God's justice and sovereignty, often by suggesting that God uses suffering for instruction, purification, or warning, rather than solely as punishment for specific sin. This particular verse comes during a passage where Elihu expounds on God's absolute power and omniscience. He is trying to correct Job's bitter complaints and implied desire for an end to his suffering—perhaps even death—as a way of escape or a means to confront God. Elihu warns against such a morbid desire for the 'night', reminding Job that God is active even in hidden times, and calamity or death can strike anyone at any moment, even the 'peoples' who are seemingly secure in their 'place'. The broader historical context is a poetic dialogue reflecting on suffering and divine justice in ancient Israel/near east, likely after the Patriarchal period, where individuals sought to reconcile personal suffering with God's perceived character and power.

Job 36 20 Word analysis

• Do not long: The Hebrew phrase is לֹא תִשְׁכָּה (lo' tishka), a negative command meaning "do not crave" or "do not yearn." It denotes an illicit, ill-advised, or desperate desire, warning against seeking an end to one's woes through improper means or at an unfitting time. This reflects Elihu's rebuke of Job's previous laments which sometimes bordered on a desire for death as escape.

• for the night: The Hebrew is לַלָּיְלָה (la'lāyelāh), literally "to the night." In biblical idiom, "night" (layelah) often symbolizes a period of darkness, confusion, inactivity, sorrow, or a time when judgment and evil deeds occur. Here, it could signify the night of death, the night of a sudden, dark calamity, or the night of divine judgment, which comes unexpectedly. Elihu emphasizes that even in times that appear secure or veiled in darkness, God's actions are unimpeded.

• when peoples vanish: The original Hebrew phrase is בַּעֲלוֹת עַמִּים (ba'ălōt 'ammīm).

  • בַּעֲלוֹת (ba'ălōt): This is from the root עָלָה ('alah), which primarily means "to go up, ascend, rise." In various contexts, it can also mean to disappear, be carried away, or perish, especially when combined with a notion of being taken from one's place. Here, it implies people are suddenly and powerfully "taken up" or "removed," which is understood as perishing or disappearing, rather than a peaceful ascent. The KJV's "cut off" captures this sense of sudden destruction. It suggests a divine removal.
  • עַמִּים ('ammīm): This word means "peoples" or "nations," not just individuals. The plural form signifies a broad, widespread effect, impacting communities or large numbers of people. It underlines that God's power extends universally and can affect groups, not just isolated persons.

• from their place: The Hebrew is מִמְּקוֹמָם (mim'qōmām). This signifies removal from one's secure, established dwelling, position, or familiar environment. It emphasizes a complete disruption or displacement, suggesting that neither place nor position can offer security from divine actions. It denotes loss of safety and identity.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Do not long for the night": This warns against an impatient, potentially faithless, desire for escape from suffering. It cautions against morbid cravings or wishing for a divinely unsanctioned end. Such a desire neglects God's purposes in allowing affliction and demonstrates a lack of trust in His timing and wisdom.
  • "when peoples vanish from their place": This phrase highlights God's sovereignty over life and death and the unpredictable nature of His judgment or divine action. Even during the seemingly quiescent "night," individuals and communities can be suddenly and utterly removed by divine decree, underscoring that no time or location provides immunity from God's reach. It also implies that darkness offers no cover from God's presence or power.

Job 36 20 Bonus section

The "night" here can be understood both literally as nighttime and metaphorically as a time of obscurity, deep distress, or judgment. Elihu's warning contrasts with Job's own desires for death expressed earlier in the book (e.g., Job 3), asserting that even a wished-for demise would be by God's decree, not an act of escape from Him. This verse further establishes Elihu's emphasis on God's omnipresence and omnipotence; there is no place, even in the deepest dark or most secure dwelling, where humans can hide or be exempt from His will. The vanishing of "peoples" emphasizes not just individual death, but potentially the widespread impact of divine judgment or plague that can strike whole communities unexpectedly in the depths of night.

Job 36 20 Commentary

Elihu, in Job 36:20, issues a stern caution against Job's implicit or explicit desire for death or an immediate end to his trials. He warns Job not to "long for the night," a time which might seem to offer release, rest, or obscurity. Elihu explains that the night is not a sanctuary from God's sovereign power; instead, it can be a time when divine judgment or swift, inexplicable ends befall people. The imagery of "peoples vanishing from their place" vividly conveys the sudden and unpreventable nature of God's action, demonstrating that neither the cover of darkness nor a seemingly secure position can shield anyone from His decree. Elihu's point is that desiring death or an escape through means outside God's will is misguided, as God remains actively in control, even in what seems like passive darkness or unseen moments of the night. His control over life, death, and circumstance is absolute and immediate, negating any hope for an unbidden or unwitnessed escape. This calls Job to patiently endure, acknowledging God's wise and just governance over all of life, including suffering and its duration.