Job 3:19

The small and great are there; and the servant [is] free from his master.

The small {H6996} and great {H1419} are there; and the servant {H5650} is free {H2670} from his master {H113}.

Great and small alike are there, and the slave is free of his master.

Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.

The small and the great are there: And the servant is free from his master.

Commentary

Job 3:19 KJV: "The small and great are there; and the servant [is] free from his master."

Context of Job 3:19

This verse is part of Job's profound lament in chapter 3, where he curses the day of his birth after experiencing unimaginable suffering—the loss of his children, wealth, and health. Overwhelmed by grief and physical pain, Job expresses a desperate wish for death, viewing it not as an end to existence, but as a peaceful refuge from the troubles of life. He contrasts his agonizing present with the tranquility he imagines in death, where all earthly distinctions and oppressions cease. Verses 17 and 18 precede this, describing how the wicked cease troubling and the weary find rest, and prisoners are free from their oppressors.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Equality in Death: The phrase "The small and great are there" powerfully conveys that death levels all social hierarchies. Whether rich or poor, powerful or weak, slave or free, all individuals ultimately share the same fate in the grave. This underscores the transient nature of earthly status and possessions.
  • Liberation from Oppression: "and the servant [is] free from his master" highlights death as the ultimate release from all forms of earthly bondage, servitude, and tyranny. For those who suffer under harsh masters or oppressive systems, death offers a final, undeniable freedom that life could not provide. This speaks to the universal human desire for liberty and rest from burdens.
  • Rest from Suffering: Underlying Job's words is the profound longing for rest and peace from his overwhelming physical and emotional pain. Death, in his perspective, is the only true escape from the relentless torment of his affliction.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew words for "small" (*qaton*) and "great" (*gadol*) literally denote differences in size, but here are used metaphorically to represent social standing, from the lowest to the highest. The term for "servant" (*'eved*) refers to a bondservant or slave, a common societal role in ancient times. The word "free" (*chafshi*) signifies absolute liberation or release, emphasizing the complete cessation of one's obligations or bondage in death. This freedom is not just from a specific master, but from the entire system of servitude.

Practical Application and Reflection

While Job's words stem from despair, they offer a timeless truth about mortality and the ultimate equality of all humanity before God. This verse can serve as a reminder that earthly distinctions are temporary and that true worth is not found in social standing or power. For believers, it also points to a deeper hope: that for those who die in the Lord, there is not just the cessation of earthly burdens, but a blessed rest and eternal peace. It encourages us to look beyond temporary struggles and remember that God is no respecter of persons, valuing all equally.

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Cross-References

  • Job 30:23

    For I know [that] thou wilt bring me [to] death, and [to] the house appointed for all living.

  • Hebrews 9:27

    And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

  • 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.

  • Ecclesiastes 12:7

    Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

  • Luke 16:22

    And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

  • Luke 16:23

    And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

  • Psalms 49:6

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