Job 7 4

Job 7:4 kjv

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

Job 7:4 nkjv

When I lie down, I say, 'When shall I arise, And the night be ended?' For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.

Job 7:4 niv

When I lie down I think, 'How long before I get up?' The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.

Job 7:4 esv

When I lie down I say, 'When shall I arise?' But the night is long, and I am full of tossing till the dawn.

Job 7:4 nlt

Lying in bed, I think, 'When will it be morning?'
But the night drags on, and I toss till dawn.

Job 7 verses

Job 7 4 Meaning

Job 7:4 conveys Job's profound and continuous suffering, manifesting as an unbearable restlessness that denies him any peace or rest. Each night brings no respite; instead of finding comfort in lying down, he is consumed by the desperate question of when the ordeal will end. The night's seemingly infinite duration exacerbates his agony, as he is trapped in a relentless cycle of tossing and turning until the faint hope of dawn. This verse starkly portrays his physical pain, mental anguish, and spiritual exhaustion.

Job 7 4 Context

Job 7:4 is part of Job’s second major speech, specifically his response to Bildad (chapters 6-7). Following the initial silence of his friends, they have begun to offer conventional explanations for his suffering, asserting it must be due to hidden sin and that repentance would lead to restoration. Job, however, steadfastly maintains his innocence and laments his intolerable physical pain and emotional distress. In chapter 7, he expresses utter weariness with life, likening it to a compulsory hard service or a hireling's unenviable existence. He dwells on the brevity of life, the swiftness of human days, and the inescapable nature of suffering and death. Within this broader context, verse 4 precisely captures his inability to find basic rest, symbolizing his overwhelming physical torment and mental agony, which deprive him of even the most fundamental comfort. He longs for sleep as a reprieve, but it eludes him, leaving him in perpetual unrest and a profound state of anguish from which there seems no escape.

Job 7 4 Word analysis

• When I lie down: (Hebrew: כִּֽי־אֶמָּה - kī-'emmāh from shākhaḇ - שָׁכַב, "to lie down, recline, sleep").
  • Word-level: The act of "lying down" should naturally lead to rest or sleep. For Job, it is ironically the start of greater torment, not peace. It signifies the attempt to find relief.
  • Significance: His posture of rest brings no comfort, highlighting the profundity of his distress. This physical action, which should precede solace, only ushers in a new cycle of misery.
• I say, ‘When shall I arise?’ (Hebrew: וְאָמַרְתִּי מָתַי אָקוּם - we'āmarətī māṯay 'āqūm - from māṯay, "when?"; qūm, "to rise, get up").
  • Word-level: "When" is a cry of desperate impatience. "Arise" implies escaping the horizontal position of suffering. This isn't about waking refreshed, but escaping a miserable state.
  • Significance: It's a lamentable question showing acute desire for the night's end, not for day's duties, but for relief from his excruciating discomfort. The repeated question shows relentless mental anguish, indicating that even in lying down, his mind races, tormented. This directly challenges the cultural expectation that night brings restorative rest.
  • Words-group: "When shall I arise?" articulates an existential plea. It mirrors a prisoner longing for release from his cell, a suffering person desperately waiting for an affliction to pass. This reveals that the entire night is consumed by restless torment and a longing for it to simply be over.
• And the night stretches on; (Hebrew: וְהָאֶרֶב נֶאְדַּד - wəhā’ereḇ ne'ddaḏ - ereḇ (אָרַךְ), "to stretch out, prolong"; ne'ddaḏ (נֶאְדַּד), literally "it is evening and it is measured/stretched out.")
  • Word-level: "Stretches on" conveys endlessness, a torturous prolongation of his agony. Time, which is supposed to bring change, for Job, seems stuck in an unyielding present of suffering.
  • Significance: It emphasizes the perception of time slowing down or standing still in moments of intense pain. The night becomes an oppressive, unyielding entity. This highlights the psychological toll, where even the perception of time is distorted by suffering. It is a polemic against simplistic views of suffering that imply a quick end to trials; for Job, the night offers no end.
• I am full of tossing until dawn. (Hebrew: שָׁבַעְתִּי נֵידִים עַד־שָׁחַר - śāḇa‘tī nēḏîm ‘aḏ-shāḥar - śāḇa‘ (שָׂבַע), "to be full, satiated"; nēḏîm (נֵידִים), "tossing, writhing, restless movement"; shāḥar (שָׁחַר), "dawn").
  • Word-level: "Full of tossing" implies saturation with restless movement. He is consumed by it. This is not passive lying; it's active, writhing agony. "Until dawn" underscores the entire duration of the night's relentless suffering, from dusk till light.
  • Significance: This paints a vivid picture of physical agony and profound discomfort, where the body seeks an elusive position of relief. It conveys extreme exhaustion coupled with an inability to find stillness. This relentless agitation speaks to a suffering so severe that even the basic biological need for sleep is thwarted. The longing for dawn is not for joy but merely for the cessation of the torment of darkness.
• Words-group: "I am full of tossing until dawn."
  • Significance: This phrase vividly portrays a continuous cycle of unmitigated pain. Job isn't just uncomfortable; he is utterly overwhelmed and "satiated" with his agony, expressing total bodily exhaustion from ceaseless, involuntary movement. The phrase embodies a life devoid of rest and peace, trapped in an unending present of suffering, a profound despair where hope for relief is continuously deferred until an ever-receding morning. It underscores the severity of the affliction: pain so great it actively prevents any repose.

Job 7 4 Bonus section

• This verse stands as a stark counterpoint to biblical themes of God giving His beloved sleep (Ps 127:2). Job's experience challenges simple notions of divine blessing and punishment, emphasizing that even the righteous can be denied basic comforts due to inexplicable suffering.
• The "tossing" (נֵידִים - nēḏîm) can also convey restless movement, almost like a ship at sea in a storm, reflecting internal and external agitation without anchor or stability.
• Job’s complaint about his restless night echoes ancient laments, where sleeplessness due to affliction was a common sign of divine displeasure or intense human suffering, highlighting his desperate state.

Job 7 4 Commentary

Job 7:4 is a powerful expression of utter misery, highlighting the complete absence of peace and rest in Job's life. His suffering is not merely passive endurance but an active torment that robs him of the most basic human comfort: sleep. He desires rest in lying down, but instead, he immediately yearns for its end, indicating intense physical pain that makes lying still unbearable. The night, universally awaited for respite, becomes an extended chamber of torture. His perception of time distorts, stretching the dark hours into an eternity of suffering, as he tosses endlessly, exhausted yet unable to find repose. This verse eloquently communicates the physical and psychological toll of prolonged anguish, showcasing Job's profound despair and the relentless, debilitating nature of his affliction that permeates every moment of his existence, day and night.