TRV
Translation
King James Version
Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
Complete Jewish Bible
They long for death, but it never comes; they search for it more than for buried treasure;
Berean Standard Bible
who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure,
American Standard Version
Who long for death, but it cometh not, And dig for it more than for hid treasures;
World English Bible Messianic
Who long for death, but it doesn’t come; and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
Geneva Bible (1599)
Which long for death, and if it come not, they would euen search it more then treasures:
Young's Literal Translation
Who are waiting for death, and it is not, And they seek it above hid treasures.
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In the KJVVerse 12,926 of 31,102
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Commentary on Job 3 verses 20–26
20 ¶ Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;
21 Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
22 Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?
24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.
25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
Job, finding it to no purpose to wish either that he had not been born or had died as soon as he was born, here complains that his life was now continued and not cut off. When men are set on quarrelling there is no end of it; the corrupt heart will carry on the humour. Having cursed the day of his birth, here he courts the day of his death. The beginning of this strife and impatience is as the letting forth of water.
I. He thinks it hard, in general, that miserable lives should be prolonged (Job 3:20-22): Wherefore is light in life given to those that are bitter in soul? Bitterness of soul, through spiritual grievances, makes life itself bitter. Why doth he give light? (so it is in the original): he means God, yet does not name him, though the devil had said, "He will curse thee to thy face;" but he tacitly reflects on the divine Providence as unjust and unkind in continuing life when the comforts of life are removed. Life is called light, because pleasant and serviceable for walking and working. It is candle-light; the longer it burns the shorter it is, and the nearer to the socket. This light is said to be given us; for, if it were not daily renewed to us by a fresh gift, it would be lost. But Job reckons that to those who are in misery it is dōron adōron - gift and no gift, a gift that they had better be without, while the light only serves them to see their own misery by. Such is the vanity of human life that it sometimes becomes a vexation of spirit; and so alterable is the property of death that, though dreadful to nature, it may become desirable even to nature itself. He here speaks of those, 1. Who long for death, when they have out-lived their comforts and usefulness, are burdened with age and infirmities, with pain or sickness, poverty or disgrace, and yet it comes not; while, at the same time, it comes to many who dread it and would put it far from them. The continuance and period of life must be according to God's will, not according to ours. It is not fit that we should be consulted how long we would live and when we would die; our times are in a better hand than our own. 2. Who dig for it as for hidden treasures, that is, would give any thing for a fair dismission out of this world, which supposes that then the thought of men's being their own executioners was not so much as entertained or suggested, else those who longed for it needed not take much pains for it, they might soon come at it (as Seneca tells them) if they are pleased. 3. Who bid it welcome, and are glad when they can find the grave and see themselves stepping into it. If the miseries of this life can prevail, contrary to nature, to make death itself desirable, shall not much more the hopes and prospects of a better life, to which death is our passage, make it so, and set us quite above the fear of it? It may be a sin to long for death, but I am sure it is no sin to long for heaven.
II. He thinks himself, in particular, hardly dealt with, that he might not be eased of his pain and misery by death when he could not get ease in any other way. To be thus impatient of life for the sake of the troubles we meet with is not only unnatural in itself, but ungrateful to the giver of life, and argues a sinful indulgence of our own passion and a sinful inconsideration of our future state. Let it be our great and constant care to get ready for another world, and then let us leave it to God to order the circumstances of our removal thither as he thinks fit: "Lord, when and how thou pleasest;" and this with such an indifference that, if he should refer it to us, we would refer it to him again. Grace teaches us, in the midst of life's greatest comforts, to be willing to die, and, in the midst of its greatest crosses, to be willing to live. Job, to excuse himself in this earnest desire which he had to die, pleads the little comfort and satisfaction he had in life.
1.In his present afflicted state troubles were continually felt, and were likely to be so. He thought he had cause enough to be weary of living, for, (1.) He had no comfort of his life: My sighing comes before I eat, Job 3:24. The sorrows of life prevented and anticipated the supports of life; nay, they took away his appetite for his necessary food. His griefs returned as duly as his meals, and affliction was his daily bread. Nay, so great was the extremity of his pain and anguish that he did not only sigh, but roar, and his roarings were poured out like the waters in a full and constant stream. Our Master was acquainted with grief, and we must expect to be so too. (2.) He had no prospect of bettering his condition: His way was hidden, and God had hedged him in, Job 3:23. He saw no way open of deliverance, nor knew he what course to take; his way was hedged up with thorns, that he could not find his path. See Job 23:8; Lam 3:7.
2.Even in his former prosperous state troubles were continually feared; so that then he was never easy, Job 3:25, Job 3:26. He knew so much of the vanity of the world, and the troubles to which, of course, he was born, that he was not in safety, neither had he rest then. That which made his grief now the more grievous was that he was not conscious to himself of any great degree either of negligence or security in the day of his prosperity, which might provoke God thus to chastise him. (1.) He had not been negligent and unmindful of his affairs, but kept up such a fear of trouble as was necessary to the maintaining of his guard. He was afraid for his children when they were feasting, lest they should offend God (Job 1:5), afraid for his servants lest they should offend his neighbours; he took all the care he could of his own health, and managed himself and his affairs with all possible precaution; yet all would not do. (2.) He had not been secure, nor indulged himself in ease and softness, had not trusted in his wealth, nor flattered himself with the hopes of the perpetuity of his mirth; yet trouble came, to convince and remind him of the vanity of the world, which yet he had not forgotten when he lived at ease. Thus his way was hidden, for he knew not wherefore God contended with him. Now this consideration, instead of aggravating his grief, might rather serve to alleviate it. Nothing will make trouble easy so much as the testimony of our consciences for us, that, in some measure, we did our duty in a day of prosperity; and an expectation of trouble will make it sit the lighter when it comes. The less it is a surprise the less it is a terror.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 20–26. Public domain.
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John ChrysostomAD 407
COMMENTARY ON JOB 3:20-23
“Why is light given,” Job asks, “to those whose soul dwells in bitterness, and life to those souls who are in pain?” Again this is not the language—God forbid!—of someone who makes rebukes, but of someone who searches and suffers. In fact, when words are spoken with a different spirit, they must not be interpreted in the same manner. Therefore, when a philosopher asserts, “Why does a senseless person have riches at his disposal?” he only shows that he is unworthy of riches. From this we learn that not only life but also death is useful, when it is more desired than evil. In this way Job speaks of “those who long for death,” but, he says, “it does not come.” That is why the Preacher in Ecclesiastes says, “For everything there is a season” and, in another passage, “O death, how your memory is sweet.” When you hear Job’s wife suggesting to him, “Curse God, and die,” you should not suppose that he did not answer because of his love of life but because of his piety. Indeed he who considered death to be very desirable and saw it as a real goodness when he was allowed to obtain it did not dare speak against God. “Death is rest for man.” This is what Job declares. Now if death brings rest, why don’t the majority of people rush to it? Because God has made life desirable in order to prevent us from running to death. “Its way is hidden.” In my opinion Job is speaking about death, but by pretending that his words are about the way of humankind. This indicates that Job’s words concerning death are what has been said before, especially in the expression, “they dig for it more than for hidden treasures,” things that are evidently hidden. Our future is unknown, Job says. We do not uncover it. Please do not speak to me about those who hang themselves, because Job speaks about what conforms to nature and the commandments of God. “God has surrounded it,” he says, “with a wall.” As the gospel states, “The day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night.” To avoid the response, “Why do you not choose death?” Job answers, “The Lord has surrounded it with a wall.” Its doors are closed.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
5. For they desire to mortify themselves wholly, and to be entirely extinct of the life of temporal glory, but by the secret appointments of God they are often forced either to take the lead in command, or to busy themselves with dignities imposed on them, and in these circumstances they unceasingly look for a perfect mortification, but this expected death cometh not; in that the use of them is still alive to temporal glory even against their will, though they submit to that glory from the fear of God, and while they inwardly retain their aim after piety, they outwardly discharge the functions of their station, that they should neither quit their perfection in their inward purpose, nor set themselves against the dispensations of their Creator in a spirit of pride. For by a marvellous pitifulness of the Divine Nature it comes to pass, that, when he, who aims at contemplation with a perfect heart, is busied with human affairs, his perfect mind at once profits many that are weaker, and in whatever degree he sees himself to be imperfect, he rises therefrom more perfect to the crowning point of humility. For sometimes by the very same means, whereby holy men suffer loss in their own longings, they bear off the larger profits by the conversion of others, for, while it is not permitted them to give themselves thereto as they desire, it is their grateful office to carry off along with themselves others, whom they are associated with. And so it is effected by a wonderful dispensation of pity, that by the same means, whereby they seem to themselves to be the more undone [destructiores], they rise with richer resources to the building up [constructionem] of their heavenly Country.
6. Now sometimes they fail to attain the desires, that they have conceived, for this reason, that by the very interposing of the delay, they may be made to expand to the same objects with an enlarged embrace of the mind, and by a striking dispensation it is effected that that, which if fulfilled might perhaps become thin and poor, being kept back, gains growth. For they desire so to mortify themselves that, if it may be vouchsafed, they may already perfectly behold the face of their Creator, but their desire is delayed that it may gain increase, and it is fostered in the bosom of its slow advancement that it may grow larger. Hence the Bride, panting with desire of her Bridegroom, justly cries out, By night on my bed I sought him, whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. [Cant. 3, 1] The Spouse hides himself when He is sought, that not being found He may be sought for with the more ardent affection, and she in seeking is withheld, that she cannot find Him, in order that being rendered of larger capacity by the delay she undergoes, she may one day find a thousandfold what she sought. Hence when blessed Job said, Which long for death, but it cometh not; that he might the more minutely particularize this very desire of those seekers, he thereupon adds;
And dig for it as for hid treasures.
7. For all men that seek for a treasure by digging, the deeper they have begun to go, kindle to the work with the greater energy; for in the same proportion that they reckon themselves to be now, at this moment, approaching the buried treasure, they strive with increased efforts in digging for it. They, then, that perfectly desire the mortification of themselves, seek it as they that dig for hid treasures, for the nearer they are brought to their object, the more ardent they show themselves in the work. Therefore they never flag in their labour, but increase the more in the exercise thereof; for that in the degree, that they reckon on their reward as now nearer at hand, they spend themselves the more gladly in the work. Hence Paul says well to some, that were seeking the hid treasure of the eternal inheritance, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is; but consoling [V. consolantes] one another, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching. [Heb. 10, 25] For to give consolation to the labourer, is to continue labouring in like manner to him, the sight of a fellow labourer being the alleviation of our own labour, as, when a companion joins us in a journey, the way itself is not shortened, yet the toilsomeness of the way is alleviated by the society of a companion. Therefore, whereas Paul looked for their consoling one another in their labours, he added these words, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching. As though he said, ‘let your labour increase the more, that now the reward of your labour itself is nigh at hand.’ As if he expressed himself in plain words, ‘Do ye seek a treasure? Then ye should dig for it with the greater ardour, that ye have by digging reached by this time close to the gold ye were in quest of.’
8. Though this, that he says, Which long for death and it cometh not; and dig for it as for hid treasures, may be taken in another sense also. For in that we cannot perfectly die to the world, unless we bury ourselves within the invisible depths of our own heart from all things visible, they that long for the mortifying of themselves, are well compared to those that dig for a treasure. For we die to the world by means of an unseen wisdom, of which it is said by Solomon, If thou seekest her as silver, and diggest for her as for hid treasures. [Prov. 2, 4] Since wisdom lieth not on the surface of things, for it is deep in the unseen. And we then lay hold on the mortification of ourselves, in attaining wisdom, if, relinquishing visible things, we bury ourselves in the invisible; if we so seek for her in the digging of the heart, that every imagination, which the mind conceives, of an earthly nature, she puts from her with the hand of holy discernment, and acquaints herself with the treasure of virtue which was hidden from her. For she soon finds a treasure in herself, if she thrust from her that heap of earthly thoughts, which lay as a wretched load upon her. Now because he describes death coveted as a treasure.
Ishodad of MervAD 850
COMMENTARY ON JOB 3:22
A person’s actions are veiled and hidden by his death. God covers his way. The word covers means that God spares some afflictions through death, because the action of covering on God’s part is an aid.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Job 3:21 encapsulates the profound depth of Job's despair, where the cessation of existence is longed for with an intensity surpassing the pursuit of the most coveted earthly treasures. Following a series of unimaginable losses—his children, wealth, and health—Job breaks his seven-day silence with a bitter lament, articulating a desperate yearning for death as the ultimate refuge from his excruciating physical and emotional torment, yet even this desired release is agonizingly withheld.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 3:21 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the depth of his despair. The most prominent is Metaphor, where Job's longing for death is equated with "digging for hid treasures." This comparison is not literal but draws a striking parallel between the intense human pursuit of wealth and Job's equally intense, yet tragically inverted, pursuit of non-existence. This is further amplified by Hyperbole, which exaggerates the intensity of Job's desire, emphasizing that his anguish is so absolute that his yearning for death transcends all conventional human aspirations and values. There is also a strong element of Irony, as the ultimate "treasure" Job seeks is not life or prosperity, but oblivion—a state typically feared or mourned by humanity. The verse functions as a key component within Job's larger Lament, a poetic form expressing profound sorrow, complaint, and petition, which allows him to voice his raw and unfiltered anguish to God and the world.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 3:21 offers a stark glimpse into the human experience of suffering so profound that it eclipses the natural will to live. Theologically, it confronts us with the reality of despair within a biblical framework, reminding us that even the most righteous individuals can reach a point of such agony where death seems preferable to life. This verse challenges simplistic notions of faith as always leading to joy and contentment, revealing the raw, honest cries of a soul in torment. It implicitly raises questions about the nature of divine sovereignty and human free will, as Job's desired release is withheld, underscoring that the timing and manner of life and death ultimately rest in God's hands, not our own.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 3:21 serves as a powerful reminder of the crushing weight of profound despair and the desperate cries it can elicit from the human heart. It calls us to cultivate deep empathy for those enduring extreme physical, emotional, or spiritual suffering, recognizing that their longing for an end to pain, even through death, is a genuine expression of their agony, not necessarily a lack of faith. This verse challenges us to move beyond superficial comfort and to simply be present with those who suffer, listening without judgment and acknowledging the reality of their pain. It underscores the limits of human endurance and the crucial need for compassion, understanding, and sustained support for those navigating the darkest valleys of life. Ultimately, while Job's lament is a cry for oblivion, the broader narrative of the book points to the enduring hope found in God's ultimate sovereignty and wisdom, even when His ways are inscrutable and His purposes hidden.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is it sinful to wish for death when suffering?
Answer: Job 3:21 reflects a raw, honest expression of profound human despair, not necessarily a sinful rejection of God. The Bible frequently records the laments of righteous individuals (e.g., Elijah in 1 Kings 19:4, Jeremiah in Jeremiah 20:14-18). These are cries for relief from unbearable pain, not typically a deliberate act of rebellion against God's will. God understands human frailty and the limits of endurance, as Psalm 103:14 reminds us, "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." While the Christian hope points to life, acknowledging and processing such deep grief is a part of the human experience, and God is compassionate towards those in such distress.
How does Job's desire for death relate to the ancient Israelite concept of Sheol?
Answer: Job's longing for death and the rest it might bring aligns with the ancient Israelite understanding of Sheol as the common destination for all the dead—a shadowy, silent realm where earthly activity ceases. For Job, death is not a transition to a vibrant afterlife, but a cessation of consciousness and pain, a place of quiet and stillness, as he articulates in verses like Job 3:13 and Job 3:17-19. He seeks the "rest" of the grave, a release from his torment, which is consistent with the pre-resurrection understanding of Sheol as a place where the weary are at peace and the wicked cease troubling. His desire is for oblivion from suffering, rather than a conscious existence elsewhere, reflecting the common ancient Near Eastern perspective on the afterlife.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job's desperate longing for death in Job 3:21 foreshadows, in a profoundly inverted way, the ultimate reality of suffering and its resolution found in Jesus Christ. While Job sought death as an escape into oblivion, Christ embraced death on the cross, not as an escape, but as an act of redemptive love to conquer suffering and death itself. Jesus, the Suffering Servant, truly knew what it meant to be "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3), and His cry from the cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46), echoes the depths of Job's despair, yet with a divine purpose. Through Christ's death and resurrection, the meaning of death is transformed from a feared end or a desired oblivion into a passage to eternal life. For the believer, death is no longer a final defeat but a transition into the glorious presence of God, where "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain" (Revelation 21:4). Thus, the true rest and ultimate treasure Job desperately sought are found not in the grave, but in union with the resurrected Christ, who declares, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live" (John 11:25-26). For the Christian, to "live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21), offering a hope far beyond Job's anguished cry for mere cessation.