Job 3:18

KJV

[There] the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

KJV (with Strong's)

There the prisoners {H615} rest {H7599} together {H3162}; they hear {H8085} not the voice {H6963} of the oppressor {H5065}.

Complete Jewish Bible

prisoners live at peace together without hearing a taskmaster's yells.

Berean Standard Bible

The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.

American Standard Version

There the prisoners are at ease together; They hear not the voice of the taskmaster.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 3:18 is a poignant expression within Job's profound lament, articulating a desperate longing for the ultimate cessation of suffering found in death. In this verse, Job envisions the grave as a place of universal tranquility where even the most afflicted—the prisoners—find collective rest, undisturbed by the relentless demands and cruelties of their earthly oppressors. It reflects a deep human cry for liberation from pain and injustice, portraying death not as an end to be feared, but as a desired refuge from life's relentless torment.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 3 marks a dramatic shift in the book, as Job breaks his seven-day silence (Job 2:13) to voice a passionate lament. Having lost everything—his children, wealth, and health (Job 1-2)—Job curses the day of his birth, wishing he had never existed or had died at birth (Job 3:1-10). His despair is profound, contrasting his present agony with the imagined peace of non-existence or the grave. Verse 18 specifically contributes to this theme by painting a picture of death as a universal equalizer and liberator, a place where the weary find solace, reinforcing his desire for an escape from his unbearable suffering. This lament sets the stage for the ensuing dialogues with his friends, who will attempt to explain his suffering through traditional theological frameworks.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, life was often harsh, marked by social stratification, slavery, and the constant threat of famine, disease, and warfare. The concept of "prisoners" (אֲסִירִים, _'asirim_) would have resonated deeply, referring not only to those literally incarcerated but also to individuals bound by debt, servitude, or the arbitrary power of rulers. The "oppressor" (נוֹגֵשׂ, _nogesh_) evokes the image of a harsh taskmaster, like those who drove the Israelite slaves in Egypt ([Exodus 3:7](/exodus/3-7 "God Hears the Cry of His People")), or any authority figure who exacted cruel demands. For many, death was seen as a release from such earthly burdens, a return to the dust from which they came. While the afterlife (Sheol) was often conceived as a shadowy, inactive realm, Job's longing here is for the cessation of pain, a stark contrast to the vivid and immediate suffering of his present existence.
* **Key Themes:** The verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Job and the broader biblical narrative. The most prominent is the **longing for rest from suffering**, a universal human desire amplified by Job's extreme pain. Death, for Job, is the ultimate cessation of physical and emotional torment, a profound peace (Job 3:17). This also highlights the theme of **equality in death**, where earthly distinctions of status, power, and freedom vanish; "prisoners rest together" with kings and counselors (Job 3:14-15), implying a leveling of all humanity in the grave. Furthermore, the phrase "they hear not the voice of the oppressor" underscores the theme of **liberation from tyranny and injustice**. It speaks to a deep yearning for freedom from external pressures, cruel authority, and the relentless demands of life, a theme echoed in other laments throughout the Psalms (e.g., [Psalm 55:2-3](/psalms/55-2 "Hear My Prayer, O God")). Finally, the verse encapsulates the raw **humanity of despair**, validating the profound emotional and spiritual crisis that can accompany immense suffering, challenging simplistic theological answers.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Rest (Hebrew, _nuakh'_):** The Hebrew word נוּחַ (_nuakh_) is rich in meaning, signifying not merely a cessation of activity but a profound sense of quietness, stillness, and ease. It conveys the idea of settling down, finding peace, or being at rest from trouble or labor. In Job 3:18, it implies a deep, undisturbed tranquility, a complete release from the relentless physical and emotional torment Job experiences. This "rest" is the antithesis of his current agony.
* **Prisoners (Hebrew, _'asirim'_):** The term אֲסִירִים (_'asirim_) refers to those who are bound, captives, or incarcerated. It denotes a state of extreme lack of freedom, vulnerability, and often, suffering. By specifically mentioning "prisoners," Job emphasizes the universal nature of death's tranquility, extending even to those who are most physically and socially constrained in life, highlighting the grave as the ultimate liberator.
* **Oppressor (Hebrew, _nogesh'_):** The word נוֹגֵשׂ (_nogesh_) describes a taskmaster, an exactor, or one who drives others with harsh demands. It carries connotations of cruelty, coercion, and relentless pressure. This term is notably used to describe the Egyptian taskmasters who afflicted the Israelites (e.g., [Exodus 3:7](/exodus/3-7 "God Hears the Cry of His People")). In Job's context, it represents any source of relentless pressure, tyrannical control, or demanding authority from which death offers a final, silent escape.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"[There] the prisoners rest together":** The adverb "there" points to the grave or the realm of death (Sheol), which Job has been describing as a place of peace and non-existence (Job 3:13-17). The phrase "the prisoners rest together" emphasizes the universal and leveling effect of death. In the grave, social distinctions vanish; those who were most oppressed and bound in life find the same undisturbed tranquility as others. It speaks to a profound longing for a place where all are equal in their release from earthly burdens.
* **"they hear not the voice of the oppressor":** This clause vividly portrays the ultimate liberation from torment. The "voice of the oppressor" symbolizes the constant, demanding, and often cruel external pressures that dominate the lives of the afflicted. In death, this voice is silenced, signifying a complete freedom from external control, exploitation, and the relentless demands of taskmasters or tyrannical authorities. The absence of this oppressive sound signifies a profound and final peace, a quietude that life could not offer.

#### Literary Devices
Job 3:18, within Job's larger lament, employs several powerful **literary devices**. The most prominent is **Imagery**, painting a vivid picture of the grave as a sanctuary, a place of ultimate refuge and quietude where even the most tormented find peace. This creates a stark **contrast** between the relentless suffering of life and the imagined tranquility of death. There is also an element of **Irony**, as Job, a righteous man, longs for death, which is typically viewed as a curse or a consequence of sin, not a desired escape. His desire for death as a release highlights the extreme nature of his suffering. Furthermore, the specific mention of "prisoners" and "oppressor" uses **Synecdoche**, where these specific figures represent all those who suffer under harsh conditions, making the longing for rest universal. The entire lament can also be seen as a form of **Hyperbole**, as Job expresses his despair in the most extreme terms possible, wishing for non-existence rather than continued agony.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 3:18, while born of profound despair, resonates with deep theological truths about suffering, justice, and the human longing for ultimate peace. It acknowledges the harsh reality of oppression and the profound human cry for relief from relentless pain, a cry often directed towards God in the biblical laments. While Job's understanding of the afterlife is limited to the shadowy Sheol, his longing for rest foreshadows a deeper, more complete rest offered in God's redemptive plan. The verse implicitly raises questions about divine justice—why the righteous suffer and the wicked often prosper—a central theme of the book of Job. Ultimately, it points to a universal human desire for a world free from pain, injustice, and the tyranny of others, a desire that finds its ultimate fulfillment not in death itself, but in the New Creation.

* [Ecclesiastes 9:5-6](/ecclesiastes/9-5 "The Dead Know Nothing")
* [Revelation 14:13](/revelation/14-13 "Blessed Are the Dead Who Die in the Lord")
* [Psalm 73:3-12](/psalms/73-3 "The Prosperity of the Wicked")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job's raw honesty in Job 3:18 provides a powerful validation for the experience of deep suffering and despair. It reminds us that it is permissible to lament, to express the full depth of our pain and longing for relief, even to the point of wishing for escape from life's burdens. In a world still plagued by injustice, oppression, and relentless pressures, Job's cry resonates with those who feel bound by circumstances, exploited by others, or simply overwhelmed by the demands of existence. This verse invites us to cultivate deep empathy for the suffering, to acknowledge the reality of human brokenness, and to recognize the universal human yearning for peace and freedom. For the believer, while death is not the ultimate answer to suffering, Job's lament can prompt us to consider where our true rest and liberation are found, directing our hope towards God's ultimate victory over sin, suffering, and death, and reminding us of the blessed hope of eternal life where all tears will be wiped away.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Job's raw lament in this verse challenge our typical understanding of "faith" in the midst of suffering?**
* **In what ways do we, like Job, sometimes long for escape or rest from the pressures and pains of our lives?**
* **How does the Christian hope, rooted in Christ's resurrection, transform our perspective on death and suffering compared to Job's despairing view?**

### FAQ
**Is Job's desire for death sinful?**

Answer: Job's desire for death, as expressed in Job 3:18 and throughout his lament, is not presented as sinful but as a raw, honest, and deeply human expression of despair in the face of overwhelming suffering. It is a cry for relief from unbearable pain, a common theme found in many biblical laments, particularly in the Psalms (e.g., [Psalm 88:1-5](/psalms/88-1 "A Prayer in Deep Distress")). The Bible validates the full spectrum of human emotion, including profound grief and despair, without condemning the expression of such feelings. Job is not rebelling against God's sovereignty but expressing the agony of his soul, seeking an end to his torment.

**Does this verse promote suicide?**

Answer: Absolutely not. Job 3:18, and Job's lament as a whole, is a poetic and deeply personal expression of a wish for non-existence or relief through natural death, not an endorsement or promotion of self-harm. Job is longing for the peace he imagines in the grave, a state of being undisturbed by the pains of life, rather than actively seeking to end his life. The context is one of profound suffering leading to a wish for the *cessation* of life, not the *active termination* of it. The biblical narrative consistently upholds the sanctity of life, and Job's lament should be understood as a cry for deliverance from suffering, not a call to suicide.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job longed for the grave as a place of ultimate rest and liberation from the oppressor, the New Testament reveals that true and ultimate rest, peace, and freedom from all forms of oppression are found not in death itself, but in Christ. Jesus, the true [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "Jesus, the Lamb of God"), entered our suffering world, bore the ultimate oppression of sin and death on the cross, and through His resurrection, triumphed over all the powers of darkness. He is the one who offers the weary and burdened a rest far deeper than the grave could provide, inviting all to [come to Him and find rest for their souls](/matthew/11-28 "Come to Me, All Who Are Weary"). The "voice of the oppressor"—whether it be sin, Satan, or the relentless demands of a fallen world—is ultimately silenced by Christ's victory. Believers are delivered from the dominion of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son ([Colossians 1:13-14](/colossians/1-13 "Delivered from the Dominion of Darkness")), experiencing a spiritual rest now and anticipating the glorious Sabbath rest that awaits the people of God in the new heavens and new earth ([Hebrews 4:9-10](/hebrews/4-9 "A Sabbath Rest for the People of God")). In that coming reality, God Himself will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, for the former things will have passed away ([Revelation 21:4](/revelation/21-4 "No More Death or Mourning")), fulfilling Job's deepest longing for ultimate peace and freedom.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Job 39:7

He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.

Judges 4:3

And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

Isaiah 14:3

And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

Isaiah 14:4

¶ That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

Exodus 5:6

And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

Exodus 5:8

And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish [ought] thereof: for they [be] idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go [and] sacrifice to our God.

Exodus 5:15

¶ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?