Job 3:14 | KingComments | STEP | In Job asks God the first “why” question. More ‘why’ questions follow ( ). To none of them does God answer Job, for He is God. But He doesn’t blame Job for it either. God already sees the time as present that all ‘why’ questions have turned into praise. Then Job, and we, will see that every day, the happy and the sad, was there because He wanted it. And His will is good. Then we will praise Him retrospectively, as it were, for every day that has been given to us on earth. In Job has cursed his day of birth. However, he could not prevent his birth. ’But’, he exclaims, ’why did I not die immediately at my birth instead of giving me the spirit when I came out of the womb?’ (cf. ). Any love service after his birth, the care given to the infant Job, he sees as a cruel act. Job abhors the lovely sight of a mother who lovingly takes a newborn child to her knees and breastfeeds the baby ( ). Those knees or the womb on which he was laid and pampered and by which he was carried ( ; ) and the breasts that fed him have caused him so much misery now. Had they not done so, he would at least have died. Job prefers death to life. Compared to his present existence, death is an enviable fate for him. To describe the benefit of this situation he uses four expressions ( ). He would “lay down” “be quiet “sleep” “be at rest.” “Laying down” gives the thought of beneficent rest. “Be quiet” means not to be in trouble or to be afraid of them coming. “Sleep” is not only silence, but also not being aware that there might be danger somewhere. He would then “be at rest” instead of experiencing the present misery. He sees the realm of the dead as a dwelling place where he is together with kings and counselors who were so powerful that they rebuilt cities to keep their names alive ( ). He also sees himself together with princes, people who had succeeded in life and who had gold and abundance of silver ( ). Another option is that in case he was a miscarriage he would not be there, like a little child who never saw the light of day ( ; ; ). In any case, there is rest in the realm of the dead, both for the wicked and for those who are exhausted ( ). There is also rest for the prisoners there ( ). They no longer have to do forced labor. They don’t hear the voice of the slavedriver there. In the realm of the dead there is no distinction between large and small, old and young, considerable and despised ( ). Also the slave is free. For Job the realm of the dead is the liberation from all misery, unrest and bondage. But Job seeks in death what only God can give. What Job says of the realm of the dead in these verses, is only so externally. The Lord Jesus shows how it really is and that there is a distinction between believers and unbelievers in the realm of the dead (cf. ).

‏ Job 3:14

If Only I Had Died as a Baby!

In Job 3:11 Job asks God the first “why” question. More ‘why’ questions follow (Job 3:12 ; 20 ; Job 7:20 ; 21 ; Job 10:18 ; Job 13:14 ; 24 ; Job 21:7 ; Job 24:1). To none of them does God answer Job, for He is God. But He doesn’t blame Job for it either.

God already sees the time as present that all ‘why’ questions have turned into praise. Then Job, and we, will see that every day, the happy and the sad, was there because He wanted it. And His will is good. Then we will praise Him retrospectively, as it were, for every day that has been given to us on earth.

In Job 3:1-10 Job has cursed his day of birth. However, he could not prevent his birth. ’But’, he exclaims, ’why did I not die immediately at my birth instead of giving me the spirit when I came out of the womb?’ (cf. Gen 49:33). Any love service after his birth, the care given to the infant Job, he sees as a cruel act.

Job abhors the lovely sight of a mother who lovingly takes a newborn child to her knees and breastfeeds the baby (Job 3:12). Those knees or the womb on which he was laid and pampered and by which he was carried (Gen 50:23; Isa 66:12) and the breasts that fed him have caused him so much misery now. Had they not done so, he would at least have died.

Job prefers death to life. Compared to his present existence, death is an enviable fate for him. To describe the benefit of this situation he uses four expressions (Job 3:13). He would

“lay down”

“be quiet

“sleep”

“be at rest.”

“Laying down” gives the thought of beneficent rest. “Be quiet” means not to be in trouble or to be afraid of them coming. “Sleep” is not only silence, but also not being aware that there might be danger somewhere. He would then “be at rest” instead of experiencing the present misery.

He sees the realm of the dead as a dwelling place where he is together with kings and counselors who were so powerful that they rebuilt cities to keep their names alive (Job 3:14). He also sees himself together with princes, people who had succeeded in life and who had gold and abundance of silver (Job 3:15).

Another option is that in case he was a miscarriage he would not be there, like a little child who never saw the light of day (Job 3:16; Ecc 6:3-5; Psa 58:8). In any case, there is rest in the realm of the dead, both for the wicked and for those who are exhausted (Job 3:17). There is also rest for the prisoners there (Job 3:18). They no longer have to do forced labor. They don’t hear the voice of the slavedriver there. In the realm of the dead there is no distinction between large and small, old and young, considerable and despised (Job 3:19). Also the slave is free.

For Job the realm of the dead is the liberation from all misery, unrest and bondage. But Job seeks in death what only God can give. What Job says of the realm of the dead in these verses, is only so externally. The Lord Jesus shows how it really is and that there is a distinction between believers and unbelievers in the realm of the dead (cf. Lk 16:22-23).