The Meaning of Job 3:9 Explained

Job 3:9

KJV: Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

YLT: Let the stars of its twilight be dark, Let it wait for light, and there is none, And let it not look on the eyelids of the dawn.

Darby: Let the stars of its twilight be dark; let it wait for light, and have none, neither let it see the eyelids of the dawn:

ASV: Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark: Let it look for light, but have none; Neither let it behold the eyelids of the morning:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Let the stars  of the twilight  thereof be dark;  let it look  for light,  but [have] none; neither let it see  the dawning  of the day: 

What does Job 3:9 Mean?

Study Notes

dawning
Heb. "the eyelids of the morning." Job 41:18 .

Context Summary

Job 3:1-26 - Is Life Worth Living?
In the closing paragraphs of the previous chapter three friends arrive. Teman is Edom; for Shuah see Genesis 25:2; Naamah is Arabia. The group of spectators, gathered round Job's mound, reverently make way for them.
Job opens his mouth in a curse. But it was not, as Satan had expected, against God. The Hebrew word is different from that used in Job 2:9. He does not curse God, but the day of his birth, and asks that his stripped and suffering existence may be brought to as speedy an end as possible. Job's words are very profitable for all whose way is hid. Is the joy of life fled? Yet its duties remain. Continue in these and the path will lead back to light.
This opening elegy consists of two parts: the first, Job 3:1-10, calls on darkness to blot out the day which witnessed the beginning of so sad a life; the second, Job 3:11-26, inquires why, if he were doomed to be born, the luxury of instant death had not been also granted. Oh, human heart, of what sore anguish art thou not capable! [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 3

1  Job curses the day and services of his birth
13  The ease of death
20  He complains of life, because of his anguish

What do the individual words in Job 3:9 mean?

May be dark the stars of its morning May it look for light but [have] none and not see the dawning of the day
יֶחְשְׁכוּ֮ כּוֹכְבֵ֪י נִ֫שְׁפּ֥וֹ יְקַו־ לְא֥וֹר וָאַ֑יִן וְאַל־ יִ֝רְאֶ֗ה בְּעַפְעַפֵּי־ שָֽׁחַר

יֶחְשְׁכוּ֮  May  be  dark 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָשַׁךְ 
Sense: to be or become dark, grow dim, be darkened, be black, be hidden.
כּוֹכְבֵ֪י  the  stars 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כֹּוכָב  
Sense: star.
נִ֫שְׁפּ֥וֹ  of  its  morning 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶשֶׁף  
Sense: twilight.
יְקַו־  May  it  look 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: קָוָה 
Sense: to wait, look for, hope, expect.
לְא֥וֹר  for  light 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common singular
Root: אֹור  
Sense: light.
וָאַ֑יִן  but  [have]  none 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
וְאַל־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
יִ֝רְאֶ֗ה  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בְּעַפְעַפֵּי־  the  dawning 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, mdc
Root: עַפְעַפַּיִם  
Sense: eyelid.
שָֽׁחַר  of  the  day 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁחַר  
Sense: dawn.

What are the major concepts related to Job 3:9?

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