Job 3:24

KJV

For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

KJV (with Strong's)

For my sighing {H585} cometh {H935} before {H6440} I eat {H3899}, and my roarings {H7581} are poured out {H5413} like the waters {H4325}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"My sighing serves in place of my food, and my groans pour out in a torrent;

Berean Standard Bible

I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.

American Standard Version

For my sighing cometh before I eat, And my groanings are poured out like water.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 3:24 captures the raw, unvarnished cry of a man overwhelmed by unimaginable suffering, marking a profound shift from his initial stoicism to an outpouring of deep despair. This verse, part of Job's first lament after enduring catastrophic losses and severe physical affliction, vividly portrays how his anguish has become so pervasive that it interrupts even the most basic human needs, preceding and dictating every aspect of his existence.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 3:24 is situated within Job's inaugural lament, which breaks a seven-day period of silent grief shared with his three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar). Following the devastating news of the loss of his children and possessions in [Job 1](/job/1 "Job 1 - Job's Character and Initial Trials"), and the onset of painful boils in [Job 2](/job/2 "Job 2 - Satan's Second Test and Job's Affliction"), Job's initial response was one of profound resignation and worship ([Job 1:21](/job/1-21 "Job 1:21 - Job's Response to Loss") and [Job 2:10](/job/2-10 "Job 2:10 - Job's Acceptance of God's Will")). Chapter 3, however, marks a dramatic pivot. Here, Job curses the day of his birth, wishing he had never been born or had died at birth ([Job 3:1-19](/job/3 "Job 3 - Job's Lament")). This lament sets the stage for the ensuing dialogues with his friends, where the nature of suffering, divine justice, and human righteousness are debated. Verse 24 specifically underscores the depth of his physical and emotional torment, manifesting as an inescapable, constant companion.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Job is set in the land of Uz, a location likely in Edom or northern Arabia, placing it within the ancient Near Eastern wisdom tradition. In this cultural milieu, suffering was often directly correlated with sin, a common theological framework that Job's friends rigidly adhere to. However, Job's experience challenges this simplistic retribution theology. Lamentation, as seen in this verse, was a recognized and accepted form of expressing profound grief and distress, often directed towards the divine. Ancient cultures understood that deep sorrow could manifest physically, disrupting daily routines like eating and sleeping. The imagery of "sighing" and "roarings" would have resonated with audiences familiar with the sounds of intense physical and emotional agony, often associated with a person on the verge of death or in extreme pain. Job's public lament, even before his friends, reflects a cultural expectation of expressing such deep distress, though the intensity here is extraordinary.

* **Key Themes:** Job 3:24 powerfully contributes to several key themes within the Book of Job and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights the **overwhelming nature of human suffering**, demonstrating how pain can consume every aspect of existence, even basic physiological needs like eating. This challenges simplistic notions of piety always leading to comfort. Secondly, it underscores the **validity and necessity of lament**, portraying Job's raw honesty in expressing his anguish to God, a theme echoed throughout the Psalms (e.g., [Psalm 22](/psalm/22 "Psalm 22 - A Psalm of Lament and Trust")). Thirdly, it touches upon the theme of **God's sovereignty in suffering**, as Job's ordeal is divinely permitted, even if its immediate cause is Satan ([Job 1:12](/job/1-12 "Job 1:12 - Satan's First Test")). Lastly, the verse contributes to the broader exploration of **retribution theology** versus **undeserved suffering**, as Job's cries are those of a righteous man who cannot comprehend the reason for his torment, setting the stage for the complex theological discussions that follow in the book.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Sighing (Hebrew, _’anḥāh'_):** This term denotes a deep groan, heavy breathing, or a sigh of profound sorrow, pain, or distress. It suggests an involuntary expression of inner anguish, a suppressed cry that precedes and accompanies every action. Unlike a mere sigh of weariness, _’anḥāh_ conveys a visceral, almost physical manifestation of an unbearable burden on the soul, often associated with lamentation and a sense of being utterly overwhelmed.
* **Roarings (Hebrew, _sha’agah'_):** This word typically refers to the roar of a lion, signifying a loud, guttural, and intense cry. When applied to a human, as it is here, it indicates an extreme, uncontrollable outburst of agony and despair, far beyond a simple cry or groan. It implies a sound born of deep physical and emotional torment, a primal scream that cannot be contained, reflecting the utter desolation of Job's spirit.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For my sighing cometh before I eat":** This clause vividly portrays the pervasive and inescapable nature of Job's suffering. His anguish is not an intermittent feeling but a constant companion, so profound that it precedes even the most fundamental and comforting human act of nourishment. It suggests that his internal groan, his deep sorrow, is the first thing he experiences, even before he can attend to his physical needs, highlighting the absolute consumption of his being by his pain.
* **"and my roarings are poured out like the waters":** This powerful simile emphasizes the continuous, uncontrollable, and overwhelming deluge of Job's lament. His cries are not mere trickles or occasional outbursts but a ceaseless flood, indicating an unending flow of distress and agony. The imagery of "poured out" suggests an involuntary, abundant outpouring, like a broken dam, signifying that his suffering has reached a point where it cannot be contained or controlled, spilling forth relentlessly.

#### Literary Devices
Job 3:24 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the depth of Job's despair. The most prominent is **Simile**, evident in "my roarings are poured out like the waters." This comparison vividly illustrates the overwhelming, continuous, and uncontrollable nature of Job's grief, likening his cries to a deluge that cannot be stemmed. The verse also utilizes **Hyperbole**, as Job's claim that his sighing comes "before I eat" is an exaggeration designed to emphasize the absolute pervasiveness of his suffering, suggesting it's the very first sensation he experiences. Furthermore, the use of **Imagery** is potent, evoking the sounds of deep groans ("sighing") and primal screams ("roarings"), coupled with the visual of water being "poured out," creating a sensory experience that allows the reader to viscerally connect with Job's profound anguish. These devices collectively amplify the intensity and inescapable nature of Job's suffering, making his lament profoundly impactful.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 3:24 serves as a profound theological statement on the reality of human suffering and the validity of lament. It challenges any simplistic theology that suggests righteous individuals are immune to profound pain, demonstrating that even the most upright can experience depths of despair that disrupt basic life functions. The verse underscores that expressing raw, unvarnished grief is not a sign of spiritual weakness but a legitimate human response to overwhelming affliction, and a form of honest communication with God. It invites us to consider the mystery of suffering and God's presence within it, even when His purposes are hidden. The intensity of Job's lament also foreshadows the deep cries found throughout Scripture from those in distress, validating the human experience of anguish and the need to voice it.

* [Psalm 42:3](/psalm/42-3 "Psalm 42:3 - Tears as Food")
* [Lamentations 3](/lamentations/3 "Lamentations 3 - Jeremiah's Lament")
* [Romans 8:26-27](/romans/8-26-27 "Romans 8:26-27 - The Spirit's Intercession")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 3:24 offers a vital permission slip for those experiencing profound grief: it is permissible, even human, to lament intensely in times of great sorrow. Job's raw honesty in this verse provides a model for expressing pain to God without pretense or spiritualized platitudes. It teaches us that suffering can be so consuming that it affects every part of life, including our physical well-being and daily routines, and that such disruption is a valid indicator of deep distress. For those ministering to the suffering, this verse calls for profound empathy and patience, reminding us that sometimes the most compassionate response is simply silent presence and allowing the afflicted to express their pain without judgment or immediate attempts to "fix" it. It encourages us to acknowledge the reality of overwhelming sorrow and to trust that even in the midst of such "roarings," God hears the cries of His people, even if His answers are not immediately apparent.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Job's raw lament in this verse challenge or affirm your understanding of how believers should express suffering?**
* **In what ways might overwhelming grief manifest physically or disrupt daily life, as seen in Job's experience?**
* **How can we cultivate a spiritual environment that allows for honest, intense lament, both individually and communally, without fear of judgment?**
* **What does Job 3:24 teach us about empathizing with others who are experiencing profound, consuming sorrow?**

### FAQ
**Why does Job lament so intensely after initially accepting his fate in Job 1 and 2?**

Answer: Job's initial responses in [Job 1:21](/job/1-21 "Job 1:21 - Job's Acceptance of Loss") and [Job 2:10](/job/2-10 "Job 2:10 - Job's Endurance") demonstrate remarkable piety and resignation to God's will. However, this initial acceptance was likely a shock response, a testament to his deep faith even in the face of sudden, overwhelming loss. The seven-day silence with his friends, during which his physical affliction worsened, provided time for the full weight of his suffering to settle in. Job 3 marks the breaking point where the sustained, cumulative agony—physical, emotional, and spiritual—becomes unbearable. His lament is not a rejection of God, but a desperate, honest cry from the depths of a soul pushed to its absolute limit, a transition from initial shock to the raw, visceral experience of prolonged, inexplicable pain. It reveals the human capacity for endurance, but also the breaking point where even the most righteous can express profound despair.

**Does this verse encourage despair or complaining against God?**

Answer: While Job's words are undeniably despairing, this verse does not encourage a spirit of complaining against God in a sinful sense. Instead, it validates the human experience of profound suffering and the legitimacy of expressing that pain honestly. Job's lament is a cry *to* God, or at least *in the presence of* God, even if it expresses a wish for non-existence. The Book of Job, in its entirety, demonstrates that God allows such raw expressions of grief and does not condemn Job for them. Rather, it models a form of "protest prayer" or lament that is deeply rooted in biblical tradition (e.g., many Psalms of lament like [Psalm 88](/psalm/88 "Psalm 88 - A Psalm of Utter Despair")). It teaches that true faith can wrestle with God in the midst of pain, bringing one's deepest anguish before Him rather than suppressing it.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job's profound lament in [Job 3:24](/job/3-24 "Job 3:24 - Job's Deep Despair") finds its ultimate fulfillment and empathetic resonance in the person of Jesus Christ. While Job's suffering was a consequence of a cosmic test, Christ's suffering was redemptive, willingly undertaken to bear the sins of humanity. Yet, in His humanity, Jesus experienced a depth of anguish that parallels and surpasses Job's. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus' soul was "overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" ([Matthew 26:38](/matthew/26-38 "Matthew 26:38 - Jesus' Anguish in Gethsemane")), and His "sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground" ([Luke 22:44](/luke/22-44 "Luke 22:44 - Jesus' Agony")). This intense physical and emotional agony, preceding His ultimate sacrifice, echoes Job's "sighing" that came "before I eat." Furthermore, Christ's cry from the cross, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")), is the ultimate "roaring poured out like the waters," a divine lament that absorbed the full torrent of humanity's sin and its consequent separation from God. Jesus, as our great High Priest, is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, having been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet without sin ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Christ Our Sympathetic High Priest")). Thus, Job's cries of despair, while human, point forward to the divine suffering of Christ, who not only understands our deepest anguish but has overcome it, offering ultimate comfort and hope to all who lament.

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

Psalms 102:9

For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,

Psalms 80:5

Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.

Psalms 42:3

My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where [is] thy God?

Psalms 42:4

When I remember these [things], I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

Psalms 38:8

I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

Isaiah 59:11

We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but [there is] none; for salvation, [but] it is far off from us.

Job 7:19

How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?