Job 42 14

Job 42:14 kjv

And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.

Job 42:14 nkjv

And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch.

Job 42:14 niv

The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch.

Job 42:14 esv

And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch.

Job 42:14 nlt

He named his first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch.

Job 42 verses

Job 42 14 Meaning

Job 42:14 describes Job's divinely granted new beginning, specifically through the birth of three daughters after his period of intense suffering and restoration. The verse records the unique names he gave them: Jemima, Kezia, and Kerenhappuch. These names are symbolic of renewed beauty, grace, and value, contrasting sharply with the desolation and shame Job experienced, signifying God's complete and abundant blessing upon him.

Job 42 14 Context

Job 42:14 appears in the final chapter of the Book of Job, detailing the restoration of Job after his period of profound suffering, dialogue with his friends, and encounter with God. Chapters 1 and 2 established Job's righteousness and the initial calamity. Chapters 3-37 record the intense debate with his friends. Chapters 38-41 describe God's powerful speeches from the whirlwind, challenging Job's understanding of creation and divine sovereignty. In Job 42:1-6, Job humbly repents for presuming to understand God's ways. Immediately following this submission, God restores Job's fortunes, doubling his previous possessions (Job 42:10-12). Job also receives new children—seven sons and three daughters—exactly mirroring the number he lost (Job 42:13). Within this context, verse 14 highlights the specific naming of his daughters, which carries immense significance. The meticulous naming and their extraordinary beauty and unique inheritance rights (v. 15) underscore the exceptional nature of God's blessing, moving beyond mere material restoration to a profound renewal of dignity, joy, and familial blessing. This detail provides a stark contrast to Job's earlier lamentation over the loss of his children and his disgraced state.

Job 42 14 Word analysis

• And he called: Refers to Job. In ancient cultures, naming children was a significant paternal act, often reflecting circumstances, hopes, or prophecies for the child. Job's agency in naming, rather than leaving it implicit, underscores his restored position and renewed sense of purpose.
• the name: In Hebrew thought, a name (שֵׁם - shem) was often seen as intrinsically linked to a person's character, reputation, or destiny. To "call the name" was to establish identity and meaning.
• of the first, Jemima: (יְמִימָה - Yemimah). Meaning "dove" or "fair as the day/daylight" (derived from the word for "day"). The dove symbolizes peace, purity, new beginnings, and freedom from turmoil (Gen 8:8-12). "Fair as the day" suggests clarity, beauty, and light returning after Job's dark night of affliction. This name powerfully represents the tranquility and new dawn in Job's life after his ordeal.
• and the name of the second, Kezia: (קְצִיעָה - Qetzi'ah). Meaning "cassia." Cassia is an aromatic bark, similar to cinnamon, prized as a fragrant spice and often used in perfumery and ointments (Ps 45:8, Exod 30:24 for anointing oil). This name evokes beauty, preciousness, fragrance, and delight. It symbolizes the sweetness and honor that God poured out upon Job after his bitter experience, bringing pleasantness out of sorrow.
• and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch: (קֶרֶן הַפּוּךְ - Qeren Happukh). Meaning "horn of antimony" or "horn of eye-paint/cosmetic." Antimony, in powdered form (kohl), was used as a cosmetic for the eyes in ancient times to enhance beauty, particularly the eyelashes and eyelids. The "horn" could refer to a small container for the cosmetic, or metaphorically to a "horn of plenty" associated with beauty. This name speaks of remarkable, striking beauty and radiance. It signifies the complete reversal of Job's disfigurement and shame, implying not just physical beauty but also restored honor, brilliance, and adornment.
• Words-group analysis:
  • The naming of the three daughters: The fact that only the daughters are named, and their names are highly descriptive and symbolic, is unique. Usually, only significant sons or a firstborn receive special names recorded in biblical genealogies. This highlights their extraordinary value, beauty, and the profound nature of Job's blessing, underscoring that his restoration was not merely economic but profoundly personal and deeply joyful, bringing a radiant newness into his household.
  • The cumulative significance of the names (Jemima, Kezia, Kerenhappuch): These names, interpreted collectively, paint a picture of extraordinary grace, transformation, and God-given beauty rising from ashes. They move from peace/new dawn (Jemima) to fragrant pleasantness/preciousness (Kezia) to radiant, captivating beauty/honor (Kerenhappuch). They convey Job's complete recovery from shame, ugliness, and despair to a state of blessedness, dignity, and flourishing that exceeds his former state.

Job 42 14 Bonus section

The mention of Job's daughters receiving an inheritance "among their brothers" (Job 42:15) is extremely significant and unparalleled in ancient Israelite custom for the time. Normally, daughters inherited only if there were no sons (Num 27:8), but here, they inherit alongside their brothers. This underscores the radical nature of Job's blessing and God's justice that extended beyond conventional social norms. It highlights Job's ultimate dignity and the exceptional favor God bestowed upon his entire household, emphasizing that God's restoration transcends societal limitations and values individuals uniquely. The beauty of these daughters (explicitly mentioned as unmatched "in all the land") combined with their equal inheritance paints a picture of comprehensive and unreserved divine blessing, revealing a holistic restoration that affected every aspect of Job's life, including family honor and gender equity under God's hand. This further illustrates that Job's ending was not merely a return to what he lost, but an elevation to an even greater status of honor and blessedness.

Job 42 14 Commentary

Job 42:14 records Job's naming of his three daughters following his miraculous restoration by God. This detail is not trivial but profoundly symbolic. While his sons were replaced in number, the naming of only the daughters, and their specific, beautiful, and significant names, underlines the extraordinary nature of Job's blessing. These names—Jemima ("dove," "fair as the day"), Kezia ("cassia," a fragrant spice), and Kerenhappuch ("horn of eye-paint," beautiful cosmetic)—collectively convey a message of profound peace, preciousness, radiance, and restoration of honor. In a patriarchal society, the emphasis on daughters, especially their renowned beauty (v. 15), was unusual and underscored God's abundant, non-conventional blessing upon Job. This act signifies the transformation from Job's prior suffering, disfigurement, and despair into a life of complete and unparalleled flourishing, reflecting God's glorious reversal of his circumstances. The names stand as enduring testaments to the beautiful outcome God wrought from Job's suffering and endurance.