Job 3:14

With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;

With kings {H4428} and counsellors {H3289} of the earth {H776}, which built {H1129} desolate places {H2723} for themselves;

along with kings and their earthly advisers, who rebuilt ruins for themselves,

with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,

With kings and counsellors of the earth, Who built up waste places for themselves;

Context of Job 3:14

Job 3 marks a dramatic shift in the Book of Job. After seven days of silent mourning with his three friends, Job breaks his silence, not with a prayer of faith, but with a profound lament. He curses the day of his birth, expressing a deep desire for death as an escape from his unbearable suffering. In this chapter, Job articulates a longing for peace and rest, imagining himself in the grave, free from pain and the injustice he perceives. Verse 14 specifically places him among the powerful figures of the earth, highlighting the universality of death.

Meaning and Key Themes

  • The Great Equalizer: Job envisions himself resting "with kings and counsellors of the earth." This powerful imagery underscores death as the ultimate equalizer, stripping away all earthly distinctions of wealth, power, and status. No matter how mighty or influential one is in life, the grave brings all humanity to the same level. This theme resonates with the common human experience of mortality, where death is appointed for all.
  • Vanity of Earthly Ambition: The phrase "which built desolate places for themselves" is profoundly symbolic. It likely refers to the grand monuments, palaces, or even cities these rulers constructed during their lifetime. Yet, in death, these magnificent structures become empty tombs or ruins, desolate remnants of their former glory. This highlights the ultimate futility and vanity of earthly power and achievements when faced with the permanence of mortality. Their ambition to build a lasting legacy ironically results in "desolate places."
  • Rest from Toil and Suffering: For Job, death is not merely an end but a desired state of peace and rest, a cessation of the torment he endures. He imagines the grave as a place where the powerful and the lowly, the oppressed and the oppressor, finally find release from their labors and afflictions. This yearning for rest is a central part of Job's lament in this chapter.

Linguistic Insight

The Hebrew word translated "desolate places" is ḥorāvôt (חֳרָבוֹת), which means ruins, waste places, or deserted areas. The stark contrast between the grandeur of "kings and counsellors" and the desolation of what they built emphasizes the transient nature of human power and the ultimate fate of all earthly endeavors. It suggests that even the most impressive human constructions ultimately succumb to time and become ruins, mirroring the mortality of their builders.

Practical Application

Job 3:14 offers timeless insights for a contemporary audience:

  • Perspective on Earthly Power and Wealth: This verse challenges us to re-evaluate our pursuit of worldly possessions, fame, and power. It serves as a stark reminder that all earthly achievements are temporary. Regardless of one's status in life, death brings everyone to the same humble end. This encourages a focus on what truly lasts beyond this life.
  • Empathy for Suffering: Job's raw honesty about his desire for relief can help us understand and empathize with those experiencing profound physical or emotional suffering. While the Christian hope points to life, not death, as the ultimate answer, Job's lament reflects a deep human longing for an end to pain.
  • Focus on an Eternal Legacy: Instead of building "desolate places" of earthly ambition, this verse subtly encourages us to consider what truly endures. It prompts believers to focus on storing up treasures in heaven, which are eternal and not subject to the decay and desolation of this world. For those who die in the Lord, there is a promised rest from their labors.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Job 15:28

    And he dwelleth in desolate cities, [and] in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

  • Isaiah 14:10

    All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?

  • Isaiah 14:16

    They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, [and] consider thee, [saying, Is] this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

  • Psalms 49:6

    ¶ They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

  • Psalms 49:10

    For he seeth [that] wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

  • Isaiah 58:12

    And [they that shall be] of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

  • Ecclesiastes 8:8

    [There is] no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither [hath he] power in the day of death: and [there is] no discharge in [that] war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
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