King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
For want and famine [they were] solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Worn out by want and hunger, they gnaw the dry ground in the gloom of waste and desolation.
Berean Standard Bible:
Gaunt from poverty and hunger, they gnawed the dry land, and the desolate wasteland by night.
American Standard Version:
They are gaunt with want and famine; They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of wasteness and desolation.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
For want{H2639} and famine{H3720} they were solitary{H1565}; fleeing{H6207} into the wilderness{H6723} in former time{H570} desolate{H7722} and waste{H4875}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Job 24:5
- Behold, [as] wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness [yieldeth] food for them [and] for [their] children.
Hebrews 11:38
- (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in] mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth.
Job 24:13
- ¶ They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
Job 24:16
- In the dark they dig through houses, [which] they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Job 30:3
Job 30:3 is a verse from the Book of Job, which is part of the Wisdom Literature in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament. The Book of Job deals with the themes of suffering, faith, and the nature of divine justice. It recounts the story of Job, a righteous man who loses everything—his wealth, his children, and his health—as a result of a divine bet between God and the Adversary (Ha-Satan).
In the verse, Job is lamenting his current state of misery and contrasting it with the respect and prosperity he once enjoyed. The verse speaks of individuals who, in times of want and famine, were forced to flee into the wilderness, a place previously desolate and waste. This wilderness is emblematic of a harsh, unforgiving environment where these individuals, likely outcasts or those on the fringes of society, sought refuge from the scarcity and hardship that afflicted their communities.
The historical context of the Book of Job is somewhat ambiguous, with scholars suggesting various periods for its composition, ranging from the time of the Patriarchs (circa 2000-1500 BCE) to the post-exilic period (after 539 BCE). The language and themes of the book reflect a deep engagement with the human condition and the struggle to understand the reasons for undeserved suffering.
In summary, Job 30:3 captures the despair of those who have been reduced to a solitary existence due to famine and want, highlighting the stark contrast between their former prosperity and their current plight, as they seek sanctuary in a barren wilderness. This verse contributes to the broader narrative of Job, which grapples with theodicy—the question of why a good God permits the suffering of the innocent.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H2639
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֶסֶר
Transliteration: cheçer
Pronunciation: kheh'-ler
Description: from חָסֵר; lack; hence, destitution; poverty, want. - Strong's Number: H3720
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כָּפָן
Transliteration: kâphân
Pronunciation: kaw-fawn'
Description: from כָּפַן; hunger (as making to stoop with emptiness and pain); famine. - Strong's Number: H1565
There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גַּלְמוּד
Transliteration: galmûwd
Pronunciation: gal-mood'
Description: probably by prolonged from גָּלַם; sterile (as wrapped up too hard); figuratively, desolate; desolate, solitary. - Strong's Number: H6207
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָרַק
Transliteration: ʻâraq
Pronunciation: aw-rak'
Description: a primitive root; to gnaw, i.e. (figuratively) eat (by hyberbole); also (participle) a pain; fleeing, sinew. - Strong's Number: H6723
There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צִיָּה
Transliteration: tsîyâh
Pronunciation: tsee-yaw'
Description: from an unused root meaning to parch; aridity; concretely, a desert; barren, drought, dry (land, place), solitary place, wilderness. - Strong's Number: H570
There are 264 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶמֶשׁ
Transliteration: ʼemesh
Pronunciation: eh'-mesh
Description: time past, i.e.; yesterday or last night; former time, yesterday(-night) - Strong's Number: H7722
There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שׁוֹא
Transliteration: shôwʼ
Pronunciation: sho
Description: or (feminine) שׁוֹאָה; or שֹׁאָה; from an unused root meaning to rush over; a tempest; by implication, devastation; desolate(-ion), destroy, destruction, storm, wasteness. - Strong's Number: H4875
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מְשׁוֹאָה
Transliteration: mᵉshôwʼâh
Pronunciation: meh-o-aw'
Description: or מְשֹׁאָה; from the same as שׁוֹא; (a) ruin, abstractly (the act) or concretely (the wreck); desolation, waste.