Job 3:2
Job 3:2 in Multiple Translations
And this is what he said:
And Job spake, and said,
And Job answered and said:
Job made answer and said,
He said,
And Iob cryed out, and sayd,
And Job answereth and saith: —
Job answered:
And Job spoke, and said,
And he said:
He said,
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 3:2
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 3:2 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יַּ֥עַן
אִיּ֗וֹב
וַ/יֹּאמַֽר
וַ/יַּ֥עַן
ʻânâh
H6030
to dwell
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
אִיּ֗וֹב
ʼÎyôwb
H347
Job
N-proper
וַ/יֹּאמַֽר
ʼâmar
H559
to say
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 3:2
וַ/יַּ֥עַן
ʻânâh
H6030
"to dwell"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
This verb means to sing or make music, but also to respond or give an answer. In the Bible, it is used to describe praising God in song or responding to a question. The KJV translates it as 'sing' or 'answer'.
Definition: (Qal) to dwell
Usage: Occurs in 316 OT verses. KJV: give account, afflict (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), (cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), cry, hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, [idiom] scholar, (give a) shout, sing (together by course), speak, testify, utter, (bear) witness. See also H1042 (בֵּית עֲנוֹת), H1043 (בֵּית עֲנָת). See also: Genesis 18:27; 2 Samuel 14:19; Job 40:2.
אִיּ֗וֹב
ʼÎyôwb
H347
"Job"
N-proper
Job was a patriarch famous for his patience and is the subject of the book of Job, which explores his struggles and faith in God.
Definition: A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Job.1.1 Also named: Iōb (Ἰώβ "Job" G2492) § Job = "hated" a patriarch, the subject of the book of Job
Usage: Occurs in 52 OT verses. KJV: Job. See also: Job 1:1; Job 32:3; Ezekiel 14:20.
וַ/יֹּאמַֽר
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
Study Notes — Job 3:2
Show Verse Quote Highlights
Context — Job Laments His Birth
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Judges 18:14 | Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their brothers, “Did you know that one of these houses has an ephod, household gods, a graven image, and a molten idol? Now think about what you should do.” |
Job 3:2 Summary
This verse, 'And this is what he said:', introduces Job's heartfelt and emotional response to his suffering, which is a cry for understanding and a lamentation of his birth. Job's words show us that it's okay to express our emotions and doubts to God, as long as we approach Him with a humble and repentant heart (Psalms 51:17, Proverbs 15:33). In this verse, we see Job's raw emotion, but we also see his trust in God's sovereignty, which is a powerful example for us to follow (Romans 8:28, Psalm 37:3-7). By studying this verse, we can learn to cultivate a deeper sense of honesty and vulnerability in our relationship with God.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of Job's words in this verse?
Job's words in this verse, 'And this is what he said:', introduce his lamentation and cursing of the day of his birth, which is a drastic response to his suffering, as seen in Job 3:3, and is a cry for understanding, similar to the emotions expressed in Psalms 13:1-2 and Jeremiah 20:14-18.
Is Job's reaction to his suffering sinful?
While Job's reaction may seem extreme, it is a genuine expression of his emotions, and the Bible does not condemn him for it, as seen in Job 1:22 and Job 2:10, where Job's response to his suffering is deemed righteous by God, unlike his friends' accusations in Job 4:7-8 and Job 8:1-7.
How does this verse relate to the rest of the book of Job?
This verse sets the tone for the rest of the book of Job, which explores the themes of suffering, faith, and the nature of God, as seen in Job 38:1-7 and Job 42:1-6, and serves as a catalyst for the discussions and debates that follow in the book.
What can we learn from Job's example in this verse?
Job's example teaches us that it is okay to express our emotions and doubts to God, as seen in Psalms 42:1-11 and Lamentations 3:1-24, and that He can handle our honesty, as long as we approach Him with a humble and repentant heart, as seen in 1 John 1:9 and Proverbs 28:13.
Reflection Questions
- What are some times in my life when I have felt like cursing the day of my birth, and how did I respond to those feelings?
- How do I typically express my emotions to God, and what can I learn from Job's example in this verse?
- What are some ways that I can cultivate a deeper sense of honesty and vulnerability in my relationship with God, like Job exhibits in this verse?
- How can I balance my emotions and doubts with a steadfast trust in God's sovereignty and goodness, as seen in Romans 8:28 and Psalm 23:4?
Gill's Exposition on Job 3:2
And Job spake, and said. Or "answered and said" (t), though not a word was spoken to him by his friends; he answered to his own calamity, and to their silence, as Schmidt observes; and this word is
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 3:2
And Job spake, and said, Spake - Hebrew, answered - i:e., not to any actual question that preceded, but to the question virtually involved in the case. His outburst is singularly wild and bold (Jeremiah 20:14).
Trapp's Commentary on Job 3:2
Job 3:2 And Job spake, and said,Ver. 2. And Job spake, and said] Heb. Answered and said. Answered? Whom answered he? The Jewish doctors say, he answered his friends, who having hitherto said nothing to him, and heard as little from him, at length - rupere silentia voce, to destroy a silent voice, and asked him what he ailed? others more probably conceive that Job answered here to some dispute in his own mind, or rather with the devil. Some take this verse for a transition only. Others make it a preparation for Job’ s future discourse, to move expectation, and win attention. The discourse indeed is all along, to Job 42:7, poetical, and very accurate, made up in hexameters (as Jerome holdeth), not by Job and his friends at the first uttering, but afterwards by Job at better leisure; or, as some think, by Moses whilst a shepherd in Midian, for the comfort of his poor countrymen in Egypt, Sic et Ionas orationem suam in ventre balaenae habitam, et David plerosque Psalmos, &c. Mercer saith that his predecessor Vatablus (as he had heard) had found out a way of scanning these hexameters to others unknown, and to all the more obscure, because the verse causeth a cloud.
The first hexameter that ever was made in Greek is said to be this, Sυμφερετεπτερατοιωνοικηροντεμελισσαι. Birds, bring your plumes, and bees, your wax at once.
Cambridge Bible on Job 3:2
1–10. Would God I had never been conceived or born This is the idea really expressed when Job curses his day and wishes it blotted out of existence. First he curses the day of his birth and the night of his conception together, Job 3:3, and then each separately, the day in two verses and the night in four. Let darkness seize that day; let not God from above seek after it; let thick darkness and the shadow of death claim it as part of their heritage; let clouds and all that maketh black the day, eclipses, ominous obscurations, affright it, Job 3:4-5. Let darkness swallow up that night that it be not reckoned nor come in among the joyful troop of nights in their glittering procession; while other nights ring with birth-day gladness let it sit barren; let enchanters curse it; let it be endless, waiting always for a dawn that never breaks, Job 3:6-10.
Barnes' Notes on Job 3:2
And Job spake - Margin, as in Hebrew, “answered.” The Hebrew word used here ענה ‛ânâh “to answer,” is often employed when one commences a discourse, even though no question had preceded.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 3:2
2. Job spake — Hebrew, answered. Not their words, but their thoughts, as he had divined them. Or it may have respect to the occurrences of the last seven days (Comp.
Sermons on Job 3:2
| Sermon | Description | |
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Idolatry by J.C. Philpot | J.C. Philpot, in his sermon 'The History of an Idol, its Rise, Reign and Progress,' delves into the deep-rooted sin of idolatry in the human heart, tracing its prevalence from anci |
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The History of an Idol, Its Rise, Reign and Progress by J.C. Philpot | J.C. Philpot delivers a powerful sermon on idolatry, highlighting how it is deeply rooted in the human heart and can manifest in various forms, even among Christians. He emphasizes |