Job 7:2

KJV

As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for [the reward of] his work:

KJV (with Strong's)

As a servant {H5650} earnestly desireth {H7602} the shadow {H6738}, and as an hireling {H7916} looketh {H6960} for the reward of his work {H6467}:

Complete Jewish Bible

like a slave longing for shade, like a worker thinking only of his wages.

Berean Standard Bible

Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.

American Standard Version

As a servant that earnestly desireth the shadow, And as a hireling that looketh for his wages:

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 7:2 vividly encapsulates Job's profound and desperate longing for relief from his overwhelming suffering, likening his plight to the universal human desires of a weary laborer. Through the imagery of a servant yearning for the cool respite of shade and a day laborer eagerly anticipating his earned wages, Job articulates a deep, immediate wish for an end to his relentless physical pain and emotional torment, expressing a natural human cry for rest and recompense amidst unbearable hardship.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 7:2 is situated within Job's first extended lament, following the initial, somewhat accusatory, speech of Eliphaz (Job 4-5). Having endured the catastrophic loss of his children, wealth, and health, Job is in a state of profound physical and spiritual agony. Chapter 6 and 7 comprise Job's passionate response, where he vehemently defends his integrity, expresses his deep despair, and directly addresses God with complaints about his suffering and perceived abandonment. This verse, therefore, is not merely a statement of weariness but a poignant expression of a soul pushed to its absolute limit, longing for the most basic 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, as seen in his earlier longing for rest in [Job 3:17](/job/3-17 "Job 3:17 - Job's Desire for Rest").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The imagery of the "servant" (`'eved`) and "hireling" (`sachir`) would have resonated deeply with Job's ancient Near Eastern audience. Servants, often bound to their masters, experienced relentless toil under the harsh sun, making the "shadow" (shade) a symbol of profound, longed-for relief, protection, and cessation from grueling labor. The "hireling" was a day laborer, typically paid at sunset (cf. [Deuteronomy 24:15](/deuteronomy/24-15 "Deuteronomy 24:15 - Wages for the Hired Servant")), whose very survival depended on receiving his wages immediately. 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 in 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 in [Job 6:11](/job/6-11 "Job 6:11 - Job's Endurance and Hope").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Servant (Hebrew, _'eved'_):** This term refers to one who is bound in service, often for life, implying continuous, arduous labor. In Job's context, it emphasizes the relentless and inescapable nature of his suffering, which he perceives as a form of unending toil. The servant's desire for shade is not a fleeting wish but a deep, existential yearning for respite from an oppressive reality.
* **Shadow (Hebrew, _tsel'_):** Literally meaning "shade," this word carries rich metaphorical weight. 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.
* **Hireling (Hebrew, _sachir'_):** This denotes a day laborer, someone whose work is compensated daily. The key aspect of the _sachir_ is the immediacy and necessity of their payment. Their anticipation for wages is intense because their livelihood depends on it. 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 simile, comparing Job's intense longing for relief to a servant's deep yearning for shade. The "earnest desire" (from the root שָׁאַף, _sha'aph_, meaning "to pant after," "to gasp for") conveys a desperate, almost physical craving. The servant's life is one of constant labor, 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 relentless labor, and he yearns for a similar, immediate cessation.
* **"and as a hireling looketh for [the reward of] his work":** The second simile reinforces and expands upon the first. 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, _po'al_, meaning "work" or "deed," 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.

#### Literary Devices
Job 7:2 is rich in **Simile**, employing two distinct comparisons to convey Job's profound longing: his suffering is like the relentless toil of a "servant" yearning for "shadow," and his expectation for relief is like a "hireling" awaiting his "reward." This use of familiar human experiences makes Job's abstract agony concrete and relatable. The verse also demonstrates **Parallelism**, specifically **synonymous parallelism**, where the second clause ("as a 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 powerful **Imagery**, painting vivid 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 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 part of a faith journey, a theme echoed throughout the Psalms.

* [Psalm 42:1](/psalms/42-1 "Psalm 42:1 - The Soul's Thirst for God")
* [Psalm 69:3](/psalms/69-3 "Psalm 69:3 - Weariness in Waiting")
* [Revelation 21:4](/revelation/21-4 "Revelation 21:4 - God Wipes Away Tears")

### 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. 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 come, God's ultimate justice and comfort 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.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways do you identify with Job's longing for "shadow" (rest) or "reward" (resolution) in your own life or current circumstances?**
* **How does Job's honest expression of weariness challenge or affirm your understanding of what it means to suffer faithfully?**
* **What does this verse teach us about the importance of empathy for those who are enduring prolonged hardship?**
* **How can we balance our natural desire for immediate relief with a patient trust in God's sovereign timing and ultimate purposes?**

### FAQ

**Does Job 7:2 imply that suffering is a "work" for which God owes us a "reward"?**

Answer: 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, 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. 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 plane than human quid pro quo, yet He is still the source of all true comfort and ultimate vindication, as seen in [Job 42:10](/job/42-10 "Job 42:10 - God Restores Job").

### 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 [Matthew 11:28-30](/matthew/11-28 "Matthew 11:28-30 - Come to Me, All Who Are Weary"). 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, as foreshadowed in [Isaiah 53:11](/isaiah/53-11 "Isaiah 53:11 - The Suffering Servant's Reward"). 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 inheritance in [1 Peter 1:3-5](/1_peter/1-3 "1 Peter 1:3-5 - A Living Hope").

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

Leviticus 19:13

Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob [him]: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.

Deuteronomy 24:15

At his day thou shalt give [him] his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he [is] poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.

James 5:4

Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

Malachi 3:5

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in [his] wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger [from his right], and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

Jeremiah 6:4

Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

Psalms 143:6

I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul [thirsteth] after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

Psalms 119:131

¶ I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.