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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Job 7:1–6. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Job is here excusing what he could not justify, even his inordinate desire of death. Why should he not wish for the termination of life, which would be the termination of his miseries? To enforce this reason he argues,
I.From the general condition of man upon earth (Job 7:1):
"He is of few days, and full of trouble. Every man must die shortly, and every man has some reason (more or less) to desire to die shortly; and therefore why should you impute it to me as so heinous a crime that I wish to die shortly?" Or thus: "Pray mistake not my desires of death, as if I thought the time appointed of God could be anticipated: no, I know very well that that is fixed; only in such language as this I take the liberty to express my present uneasiness: Is there not an appointed time (a warfare, so the word is) to man upon earth? and are not his days here like the days of a hireling?" Observe,
1.Man's present place. He is upon earth, which God has given to the children of men, Psa 115:16. This bespeaks man's meanness and inferiority. How much below the inhabitants of yonder elevated and refined regions is he situated! It also bespeaks God's mercy to him. He is yet upon the earth, not under it; on earth, not in hell. Our time on earth is limited and short, according to the narrow bounds of this earth; but heaven cannot be measured, nor the days of heaven numbered.
2.His continuance in that place. Is there not a time appointed for his abode here? Yes, certainly there is, and it is easy to say by whom the appointment is made, even by him that made us and set us here. We are not to be on this earth always, nor long, but for a certain time, which is determined by him in whose hand our times are. We are not to think that we are governed by the blind fortune of the Epicureans, but by the wise, holy, and sovereign counsel of God.
3.His condition during that continuance. Man's life is a warfare, and as the days of a hireling. We are every one of us to look upon ourselves in this world,
(1.)As soldiers, exposed to hardship and in the midst of enemies; we must serve and be under command; and, when our warfare is accomplished, we must be disbanded, dismissed with either shame or honour, according to what we have done in the body.
(2.)As day-labourers, that have the work of the day to do in its day and must make up their account at night.
II.From his own condition at this time.
He had as much reason, he thought, to wish for death, as a poor servant or hireling that is tired with his work has to wish for the shadows of the evening, when he shall receive his penny and go to rest, Job 7:2. The darkness of the night is as welcome to the labourer as the light of the morning is to the watchman, Psa 130:6. The God of nature has provided for the repose of labourers, and no wonder that they desire it. The sleep of the labouring man is sweet, Ecc 5:12. No pleasure more grateful, more relishing, to the luxurious than rest to the laborious; nor can any rich man take so much satisfaction in the return of his rent-days as the hireling in his day's wages. The comparison is plain, the application is concise and somewhat obscure, but we must supply a word or two, and then it is easy: exactness of language is not to be expected from one in Job's condition. "As a servant earnestly desires the shadow, so and for the same reason I earnestly desire death; for I am made to possess, etc." Hear his complaint.
1.His days were useless, and had been so a great while. He was wholly taken off from business, and utterly unfit for it. Every day was a burden to him, because he was in no capacity of doing good, or of spending it to any purpose. Et vitae partem non attigit ullam - He could not fill up his time with any thing that would turn to account. This he calls possessing months of vanity, Job 7:3. It very much increases the affliction of sickness and age, to a good man, that he is thereby forced from his usefulness. He insists not so much upon it that they are days in which he has no pleasure as that they are days in which he does not good; on that account they are months of vanity. But when we are disabled to work for God, if we will but sit still quietly for him, it is all one; we shall be accepted.
2.His nights were restless, Job 7:3, Job 7:4. The night relieves the toil and fatigue of the day, not only to the labourers, but to the sufferers: if a sick man can but get a little sleep in the night, it helps nature, and it is hoped that he will do well, Joh 11:12. However, be the trouble what it will, sleep gives some intermission to the cares, and pains, and griefs, that afflict us; it is the parenthesis of our sorrows. But poor Job could not gain this relief.
(1.)His nights were wearisome, and, instead of taking any rest, he did but tire himself more with tossing to and fro until morning. Those that are in great uneasiness, through pain of body or anguish of mind, think by changing sides, changing places, changing postures, to get some ease; but, while the cause is the same within, it is all to no purpose; it is but a resemblance of a fretful discontented spirit, that is ever shifting, but never easy. This made him dread the night as much as the servant desires it, and, when he lay down, to say, When will the night be gone?
(2.)These wearisome nights were appointed to him. God, who determines the times before appointed, had allotted him such nights as these. Whatever is at any time grievous to us, it is good to see it appointed for us, that we may acquiesce in the event, not only as unavoidable because appointed, but as therefore designed for some holy end. When we have comfortable nights we must see them also appointed to us and be thankful for them; many better than we have wearisome nights.
3.His body was noisome, Job 7:5. His sores bred worms, the scabs were like clods of dust, and his skin was broken; so evil was the disease which cleaved fast to him. See what vile bodies we have, and what little reason we have to pamper them or be proud of them; they have in themselves the principles of their own corruption: as fond as we are of them now, the time may come when we may loathe them and long to get rid of them.
4.His life was hastening apace towards a period, Job 7:6. He thought he had no reason to expect a long life, for he found himself declining fast (Job 7:6): My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, that is, "My time is now but short, and there are but a few sands more in my glass, which will speedily run out." Natural motions are more swift near the centre. Job thought his days ran swiftly because he thought he should soon be at his journey's end; he looked upon them as good as spent already, and he was therefore without hope of being restored to his former prosperity. It is applicable to man's life in general. Our days are like a weaver's shuttle, thrown from one side of the web to the other in the twinkling of an eye, and then back again, to and fro, until at length it is quite exhausted of the thread it carried, and then we cut off, like a weaver, our life, Isa 38:12. Time hastens on apace; the motion of it cannot be stopped, and, when it is past, it cannot be recalled. While we are living, as we are sowing (Gal 6:8), so we are weaving. Every day, like the shuttle, leaves a thread behind it. Many weave the spider's web, which will fail them, Job 8:14. If we are weaving to ourselves holy garments and robes of righteousness, we shall have the benefit of them when our work comes to be reviewed and every man shall reap as he sowed and wear as he wove.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Not only is this life painful, but it is also frightful, because, after being wounded, I am now in the condition to fear the blows of the Lord. This is why I jump from one place to another in fright, like those slaves who are threatened by their master. In addition, every day, like laborers who wait for their wages—and the wages are all their wealth and hope for nourishment—I also wait for the reward of my endurance, but I never meet it, because a long time and many months have passed. In those days I have exhausted myself in waiting for an empty hope.
13. Since for ‘a servant to desire the shadow,’ is after the heat of trial and the sweat of labour to seek the cool of eternal repose. Which shadow that servant desired, who said, My soul thirsteth for God, the living God; when shall I come and appear before God? [Ps. 42, 2] And again, Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech. [Ps. 120, 5] Who as if after hard toil retreating from the heat, and seeking a covering that he might attain the rest of coolness, says again, For I will enter into the place of the wonderful Tabernacle, even to the house of God. [Ps. 42, 4] Paul panted to lay hold of this ‘shadow,’ having a desire to depart and to be with Christ. [Phil. 1, 23] This shadow they had already attained unto in the fulness of the desire of their hearts, who said, We which have borne the burthen and heat of the day. [Mat. 20, 12] Now he that is said to ‘desire’ the shadow, is rightly styled ‘a servant,’ in that each one of the Elect, so long as he is bound fast by the condition of frailty, is held in under the yoke of corruption, in its exercising dominion over him, as though under the harrassing effect of heat; which same person, when he is stripped of corruption, is then made known to himself as free and at rest. And hence it is well said by Paul also, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God. [Rom. 8, 21] For the Elect are now, pressed down by the penalty of a corrupt state, but then they are exalted high by the glory of an incorrupt. And in the same degree that, relatively to the burthens of our present constraint, there is nought of liberty now manifested in the sons of God, relatively to the glory of the liberty to ensue, nought of servitude will then appear in the servants of God. And so the servile garb of corruption being cast off, and the nobility of liberty bestowed, the creature is turned into the gloriousness of the sons of God, in that in being united to God by the Spirit, it is proved as it were to have surmounted and overcome this very thing, that it is a created being. Now he that still ‘desires the shadow’ is ‘a servant,’ in that so long as he is subject to the heat of temptation, he is bearing on his shoulders the yoke of a wretched condition, and it is rightly added there, and as an hireling looks for the reward of his work.
14. For an hireling, when he looks at the work to be done, at once resigns his spirit in consequence of the length and burthensomeness of the labour; but when he recalls his sinking spirit to take thought of the reward of his work, he immediately sets afresh his vigour of mind for the exercising of his labour, and what he reckoned a grievous burthen in respect of the work, he esteems light and easy on the grounds of the recompense. Thus, thus, do each of the Elect, when they meet with the crosses of this life, when insults upon their good name, losses in their substance, pains of the body are brought upon them, reckon the things grievous, which they are tried with; but when they stretch the eyes of the mind to the view of the heavenly country, by comparison with their reward they see how light is all they undergo. For that which is shown to be altogether insupportable for the pain, is by forecasting reflection rendered light for the recompense. It is hence that Paul is always being lifted up bolder than himself against adversities, in that ‘as an hireling he looketh for the end of his work.’ For he accounts what he undergoes to be a heavy burthen, but he reckons it light in consideration of the reward. For he does himself declare how great the burthen is of what he suffers, in that he bears record that he was ‘in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft,’ &c. who ‘of the Jews five times received folly stripes save one.’ [2 Cor. 11. 23. &c.] Who was ‘thrice beaten with rods, once stoned, thrice suffered shipwreck, a night and a day was in the deep of the sea; who endured perils of waters, of robbers, of his own countrymen, of the heathen, in the city, in the wilderness, in the sea, among false brethren; ‘who in weariness and painfulness, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness,’ had labour and toil, who sustained ‘fights without, within fears,’ who declares himself pressed down above strength, saying, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we were weary even of life. But in what sort he wiped off him the streams of this hard toil with the towel of his reward, he himself tells, when he says, For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared, with the glory to come, which shall be revealed in us. Thus, ‘as an hireling, he looketh for the end of his work,’ who while he considers the increase of the reward, reckons it of no account that he labours well nigh spent.
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Summary
Job 7:2 powerfully articulates Job's profound and desperate yearning for an end to his overwhelming suffering, drawing poignant comparisons to the universal human desires of a weary laborer. Through the vivid imagery of a servant intensely craving the cool respite of shade and a day laborer eagerly anticipating his earned wages, Job expresses a deep, immediate wish for cessation from his relentless physical pain and emotional torment, echoing a primal human cry for rest, relief, and just recompense amidst unbearable hardship.
Context
Literary Context
Job 7:2 is nestled within Job's impassioned and deeply personal lament, which serves as his initial response to the theological framework presented by Eliphaz (Job 4-5). Following the devastating loss of his children, wealth, and health, Job is submerged in profound physical agony and spiritual despair. Chapters 6 and 7 form a continuous, vehement defense of his integrity, a raw outpouring of his anguish, and a direct, often challenging, address to God concerning his suffering and perceived divine abandonment. This verse, therefore, transcends a mere statement of weariness; it is a poignant expression from a soul pushed to its absolute limit, longing for the most fundamental forms of relief—rest and justice—as a natural consequence of his "labor" in suffering. It sets the stage for his subsequent pleas for death or immediate cessation of his pain, echoing his earlier desire for rest from his troubles, as seen in Job 3:17.
Historical & Cultural Context
The powerful imagery of the "servant" ('ebed) and "hireling" (sâkîyr) would have resonated profoundly with Job's ancient Near Eastern audience. Servants, often bound to their masters and without personal freedom, endured relentless toil under the scorching sun, making "shadow" (shade) a potent symbol of profound, longed-for relief, protection, and a complete cessation from grueling labor. The "hireling" was a day laborer, typically paid at sunset, whose very survival depended on receiving his wages immediately (Deuteronomy 24:15). This created an intense, immediate anticipation for the "reward of his work." By employing these common societal figures, Job taps into universal human experiences of arduous labor and the natural expectation of rest and just recompense, making his personal anguish relatable and emphasizing the urgency and legitimacy of his desire for an end to his affliction.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes woven throughout the book of Job. Firstly, it highlights the intensity of human suffering and the natural, legitimate desire for relief. Job's longing for shade and wages underscores that prolonged agony exhausts the human spirit and body, validating the human inclination to seek comfort and an end to affliction. Secondly, it touches upon the theme of justice and recompense. Just as a laborer expects payment for his work, Job, who believes himself righteous, implicitly feels he has "labored" through immense, undeserved suffering and now anticipates a "reward" in the form of release or divine intervention. This reflects the ancient understanding of a just world where deeds are met with appropriate outcomes. Finally, it speaks to human frailty and dependence, portraying humanity as inherently limited, weary, and in need of external provision—whether that be rest from toil or divine mercy to end pain. Job's comparison emphasizes his utter weariness and his desperate hope for a sovereign hand to bring his ordeal to a close, echoing his earlier lament about his inability to endure his suffering in Job 6:11.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From the root meaning "to serve," this term (H5650) refers to one who is bound in service, often for life, implying continuous, arduous labor, sometimes even bondage. In Job's context, it emphasizes the relentless and inescapable nature of his suffering, which he perceives as a form of unending, oppressive toil. The servant's desire for shade is not a fleeting wish but a deep, existential yearning for respite from an oppressive reality.
This word (H6738), literally meaning "shade," carries rich metaphorical weight, especially in a hot climate. Shade represents not just coolness but also protection, refuge, and a complete cessation of the grueling effects of the sun. For Job, "shadow" symbolizes the profound and immediate relief he craves from his physical pain and mental anguish, a shelter from the scorching intensity of his affliction. It signifies a complete cessation of his "work" of suffering.
This term (H7916) denotes a man at wages, typically a day laborer, whose work is compensated daily. The key aspect of the sâkîyr is the immediacy and necessity of their payment; their livelihood depends on it. Their anticipation for wages is intense because their survival hinges on receiving their due. Job uses this to convey the urgency and legitimacy of his expectation for an end to his suffering, feeling that he has "worked" through his pain and is now due his "reward" of peace or release.
Verse Breakdown
"As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow"
This clause establishes the first poignant simile, comparing Job's intense longing for relief to a servant's deep, almost physical yearning for shade. The phrase "earnestly desireth" (from the Hebrew root שָׁאַף, shâʼaph, H7602, meaning "to pant after," "to gasp for," or "to inhale eagerly") conveys a desperate, almost visceral craving. The servant's life is one of constant, often relentless labor under harsh conditions, and the "shadow" represents a complete break, a moment of profound rest and relief from the oppressive heat and toil. Job sees his suffering as an unending, grueling labor, and he yearns for a similar, immediate cessation and respite.
"and as an hireling looketh for [the reward of] his work"
The second simile reinforces and expands upon the first, intensifying the urgency and legitimacy of Job's desire. A "hireling" (day laborer) works with the explicit, immediate expectation of payment at the end of the day. The phrase "[the reward of] his work" (Hebrew: פֹּעַל, pôʻal, H6467, meaning "an act or work," implying its result or wages) highlights the principle of recompense. Just as a laborer expects a just return for his effort, Job, having endured immense and seemingly undeserved suffering, feels he is due a "reward"—an end to his pain, justice, or even death as a release. This reflects a natural human expectation that effort (even suffering) will eventually lead to a just outcome. The word "looketh" (from the Hebrew root קָוָה, qâvâh, H6960, meaning "to bind together," "to expect," or "to wait patiently") implies a focused, patient, yet intense anticipation.
Literary Devices
Job 7:2 is rich in Simile, employing two distinct comparisons to convey Job's profound longing: his suffering is likened to the relentless toil of a "servant" yearning for "shadow," and his expectation for relief is compared to a "hireling" awaiting his "reward." This use of familiar human experiences makes Job's abstract agony concrete and universally relatable. The verse also demonstrates powerful Parallelism, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the second clause ("and as an hireling looketh for [the reward of] his work") echoes and intensifies the sentiment of the first ("As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow"). Both images speak to an intense, legitimate yearning for cessation from labor and the expectation of a just outcome. Furthermore, the verse employs vivid Imagery, painting evocative pictures of a parched, weary servant seeking refuge and a diligent laborer anticipating his due, effectively communicating the depth of Job's physical and emotional exhaustion and his desperate hope for an end to his ordeal.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Job 7:2 speaks to the universal human experience of suffering and the inherent longing for relief and justice. Theologically, it affirms that such desires are not unspiritual but are natural, legitimate cries from a finite, weary human being. It underscores the biblical theme of God's sovereignty over suffering, even when its purpose is inscrutable to the sufferer. While Job's immediate desire is for an end to his pain, the broader narrative of Job ultimately points to a divine wisdom that transcends human understanding and a God who is faithful to His creation, even in the midst of profound mystery. This verse provides a window into the raw, honest lament that is a legitimate and often necessary part of a faith journey, a theme richly echoed throughout the Psalms, where the righteous often express their deepest anguish and longing to God.
Reflection and Application
Job 7:2 offers a profound validation of the human experience of suffering. It reminds us that it is not a sign of weakness or lack of faith to feel utterly exhausted by prolonged hardship and to earnestly long for relief. In a world that often pressures individuals to maintain a façade of strength, Job's raw honesty gives permission to express deep weariness and a natural desire for rest and recompense. This verse calls us to cultivate profound empathy for those enduring prolonged trials, understanding their desperate yearning for an end to their pain and recognizing the legitimacy of their emotional and physical exhaustion. It also invites us to reflect on our own expectations of "reward" for our "work" or suffering, reminding us that while immediate relief may not always come, God's ultimate justice, comfort, and vindication are promised. We are encouraged to bring our deepest laments and most desperate longings before God, trusting that He hears and understands the cries of His weary children, even when His timing or methods are beyond our comprehension. This passage champions the authenticity of human lament in the presence of a sovereign God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Job 7:2 imply that suffering is a "work" for which God owes us a "reward"?
While Job uses the imagery of a "hireling" looking for the "reward of his work," it's crucial to understand this within the context of his lament and the ancient Near Eastern understanding of justice. Job is not asserting a legal claim against God in a transactional sense, but rather expressing a deep, natural human expectation that effort, even the "effort" of enduring immense suffering, should logically lead to some form of positive outcome or cessation. He feels he has "labored" under extreme duress and naturally anticipates relief or an explanation for his plight. The verse reflects Job's human perspective and his desperate longing for a just resolution, not a theological statement that God is indebted to us for our suffering. Ultimately, the book of Job teaches that God's ways are beyond human reckoning and that His justice operates on a different, higher plane than human quid pro quo. Yet, He is still the source of all true comfort and ultimate vindication, as seen in the restoration and blessings Job receives at the end of the narrative in Job 42:10.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Job's desperate longing for "shadow" (rest) and "reward" (justice/recompense) in Job 7:2 finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Job, as a weary servant, yearned for respite from his relentless toil of suffering; Christ is the true "shadow" and refuge for all who are weary and burdened, inviting them to find rest for their souls in His gracious invitation: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". The hireling's intense anticipation of his wages speaks to the universal human desire for justice and recompense for labor. Jesus, the perfect Servant, endured unimaginable suffering and "work" on the cross, not for His own reward, but to secure the ultimate "reward" of salvation and eternal life for all who believe. His suffering and the fruit of His labor are prophesied in Isaiah 53:11, where it is said, "Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied." His finished work on Calvary is the definitive payment for sin, satisfying divine justice and offering the true "wages" of grace and peace that Job could only dimly long for. Through Christ, the weary find eternal rest, and the righteous receive a reward far greater than any earthly recompense, a glorious and imperishable inheritance kept in heaven, as described in 1 Peter 1:3-5.