Job 7 13

Job 7:13 kjv

When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaints;

Job 7:13 nkjv

When I say, 'My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,'

Job 7:13 niv

When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,

Job 7:13 esv

When I say, 'My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint,'

Job 7:13 nlt

I think, 'My bed will comfort me,
and sleep will ease my misery,'

Job 7 verses

Job 7 13 Meaning

Job 7:13 expresses Job's profound and desperate hope that his physical resting place—his bed or couch—might offer him some comfort and alleviation from his severe emotional and physical suffering. He contemplates that the unconsciousness of sleep or the simple act of lying down could somehow dissipate his deep lament. However, this verse serves as a preamble to the immediate denial of this hope, as shown in the following verses (7:14-16), where his attempted rest turns into nightmares, illustrating that even this minimal escape from his torment is denied to him.

Job 7 13 Context

Job 7:13 is a verse embedded within Job's desperate response to his friend Eliphaz, comprising Job chapters 6 and 7. After losing his children, his vast wealth, and his health (being afflicted with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head), Job is sitting among ashes, scraping his sores with a potsherd. This speech is a profound lament where Job expresses the depths of his physical agony, emotional distress, and spiritual turmoil. He is completely exhausted and without hope, yearning for an end to his misery, even preferring death. This specific verse captures his longing for the simple comfort that a bed or sleep should bring, but in the verses immediately following (7:14-16), he tragically reveals that even this minimal hope is denied, as his nights are filled with terror and nightmares, compounding his suffering. Job's words starkly contrast the traditional belief of his friends (and much of ancient Near Eastern thought) that suffering is a direct result of sin, as Job maintains his integrity throughout his unbearable trial.

Job 7 13 Word analysis

• "If I say" (כִּֽי־אָמַרְתִּי֙ - ki 'amarti): This phrase literally translates as "For I said" or "When I said/thought." It represents Job's internal rumination, a desperate thought or a fragile hope he considers. It conveys a hypothetical scenario that Job fleetingly entertains, underscoring the deep longing for an outcome he fears will not materialize.
• "My bed" (מִשְׁכָּבִי - mishkavi): From mishkav, meaning a place of lying down, a bed, or a couch. This word universally connotes rest, sleep, intimacy, and a place of recuperation. For Job, however, the very concept of "bed" becomes fraught with irony, as it has become a space of unending torment rather than relief, contrasting its expected purpose.
• "will comfort me" (תְּנַחֲמֵ֣נִי - t'nachemēnī): Derived from the Hebrew root nacham (נָחַם), meaning to comfort, console, or soothe. Job expresses an intense yearning for solace, not merely from physical pain but also from the profound emotional and psychological distress he endures. This desire for genuine alleviation underscores the depth of his suffering.
• "my couch" (עַרְשִֽׂי - arsî): Refers to a couch, bedstead, or often a more ornate or elevated bed. Used in poetic parallelism with "my bed," this term further emphasizes the physical space dedicated to repose. Its inclusion highlights the comprehensive nature of the relief Job seeks, encompassing all possible avenues of rest from his torment.
• "will ease my complaint" (יִשָּׂא סִיחִ֣י - yissa sichi): Yissa is from the verb nasa (נָשָׂא), meaning "to lift," "to carry away," "to bear," or "to remove." Sichi (סִיחַ) denotes a complaint, lament, or even deep meditation or sigh. This powerful phrase captures Job's desire for his inner turmoil, his anguished groans, and the burden of his deep sorrow to be lifted or taken away, especially through the unconsciousness of sleep. It speaks directly to the mental and emotional burden of his affliction.
• Words-group by words-group analysis:
  • "My bed... will comfort me; my couch... will ease my complaint": This is an exemplary case of synonymous parallelism common in Hebrew poetry, where the second phrase reiterates or intensifies the meaning of the first, using different but related words. It underscores Job's desperate longing for holistic relief – not just physical rest but also profound emotional and spiritual solace. The parallel structure amplifies the tragic reality that even this fundamental human need for respite is utterly denied to him. It powerfully illustrates how his suffering has pervaded every aspect of his existence, transforming spaces of potential comfort into extensions of his agony.

Job 7 13 Bonus section

• Irony of the 'Sanctuary': The bed, a primal sanctuary and symbol of restoration and peace, becomes a place of continued torment for Job (as revealed in Job 7:14). This profound irony intensifies the audience's understanding of the depth and totality of Job's suffering, where even traditional sources of relief are inverted.
• Holistic Suffering: Job's lament in this verse illustrates a holistic nature of suffering. It is not just physical agony from the boils, nor just mental distress from loss, but a complete assault on his entire being, including the inability to find peace even in unconsciousness. This foreshadows a complete breakdown that challenges human resilience.
• Contrast to Divine Provision: In many biblical contexts, God provides sleep as a gift and comfort (e.g., Ps 3:5). Job's experience is the stark opposite, indicating a period where even common mercies seem withdrawn, pushing the limits of human endurance and questioning the traditional understanding of divine action in the lives of the righteous.

Job 7 13 Commentary

Job 7:13 serves as a heartbreaking prelude to the tragic reality of Job's suffering. In this verse, Job grasps at a last, fragile straw of hope: that the basic human act of lying down and entering sleep might somehow bring an escape, even if temporary, from his excruciating pain and overwhelming anguish. The bed, universally recognized as a sanctuary for rest and recuperation, is here invoked as a desperate wish for comfort. The profound irony, immediately made clear in the subsequent verses (7:14-16), is that even this minimal hope for respite is brutally dashed. His nights become more terrifying than his waking hours, haunted by dreadful dreams and visions. This reveals that Job's affliction is not merely superficial or physical; it has permeated his very being, denying him even the unconscious release of sleep. It underscores the complete desolation of Job's state, highlighting the utter inadequacy of any human or physical means to provide true comfort when one is enduring such profound, divinely permitted torment. His suffering is all-encompassing, leaving no refuge.