Job 3:14

Job Laments His Birth · Job 3:1–26
Read Job 3

Translations

Modern
…with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,
Traditional
With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;
Literal
…with the kings and counselors of the earth, who built up ruins for themselves;
Latin
…cum regibus et consulibus terræ, qui ædificant sibi solitudines;

Original

Hebrew
English
…with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,

Notes

People believed the dead kept their identities and social status. Job might have wanted kings and prime ministers to recognize his status as a prince (1:3).

Job's language shifts from wishing he was never born to grief. He goes from hating life towards an attraction for death. Job asks "why" seven times, as he has grief for his situation (3:11, 12, 16, 20, 23; see Psalms 10:1; 22:1; Jeremiah 20:18; Lamentations 5:20).

Job's outbreak of emotion did not mean his integrity failed under pressure (42:7–8; James 5:11). The prophets Elijah and Jeremiah, both men of God, exaggerated with similar language (1 Kings 19:4; Jeremiah 20:14–18).

Theme notes and profiles

Complaints Life After Death

Events

Glossary

Book of Job Desert

Topics

Afflictions and Adversities: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Dead (People): Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Despondency: General Scriptures Concerning