Job 7:2 — Word Study
WLCכְּעֶ֥בֶד יִשְׁאַף־ צֵ֑ל וּ֝כְשָׂכִ֗יר יְקַוֶּ֥ה פָעֳלֽוֹ׃
BSALike a slaveʻebed [faithful, obedient, servant, bondservant] he longs forshâʼaph▸ [yearns, earnestly desires] shadetsêl [shadow, protection] like a hirelingsâkîyr [daily, temporary, laborer, worker] he waits forqâvâh▸ [expects, looks forward to] his wagespôʻal [reward, payment]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כְּעֶ֥בֶד | like a slave | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יִשְׁאַף־ | [who] he pants for | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| צֵ֑ל | shade | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וּ֝כְשָׂכִ֗יר | and like a hired laborer | Conjunction, preposition |
| יְקַוֶּ֥ה | [who] he longs for | Verb, Piel, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| פָעֳלֽוֹ׃ | wage[s] his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages. |
| KJV | As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: |
| ASV | As a servant that earnestly desireth the shadow, And as a hireling that looketh for his wages: |
| YLT | As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage, |
| WEB | As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages, |
| BBE | As a servant desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment: |
Where they part company is פָעֳלֽוֹ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence features a main clause and a simile, illustrating Job's feelings through comparison.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁאַף
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 7:2
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Lamentgenerated
Job 7:2 reflects Job's anguish as he compares his longing for relief to that of a slave yearning for shade and a hired worker awaiting his wages. This passage highlights the intense desire for comfort and the hope for recompense amidst suffering, illustrating the broader human experience of seeking respite from toil and hardship.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 119:131 | I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commandments. |
| 2 | Psalm 143:6 | I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah |
| 3 | Jeremiah 6:4 | ‘Prepare for battle against her; rise up, let us attack at noon. Woe to us, for the daylight is fading; the evening shadows grow long. |
| 4 | Leviticus 19:13 | You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him. You must not withhold until morning the wages due a hired hand. |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 24:15 | You are to pay his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and depends on them. Otherwise he may cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יִשְׁאַף, yish.'af-generated
The verb שָׁאַף (*sha'aph*) means 'to long for' or 'to pant,' conveying a strong emotional intensity. It is derived from a root that implies both a physical action of gasping and an emotional state of yearning. In this context, Job expresses a deep desire for relief from his suffering, akin to a slave's longing for the comfort of shade.
The imperfect tense indicates an ongoing action, emphasizing Job's persistent longing. This word captures the essence of his emotional state, as he yearns for a break from his pain, similar to how one might eagerly await something essential.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs יִשְׁאַף and יְקַוֶּ֥ה govern the two main clauses of the verse, each linked to a noun phrase that serves as their object. The structure emphasizes the parallelism between Job's longing for shade and his expectation of wages.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions of longing and waiting, with the prepositional phrases providing context for each subject's desire.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, יִשְׁאַף is rendered as ἐπιθυμεῖ (to desire), which narrows the focus to a strong emotional craving. This choice highlights the intensity of Job's longing.
The Greek word μισθωτὸς for שָׂכִיר (hired laborer) emphasizes the transactional nature of labor, aligning with Job's expectation for compensation.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 7:2 compares his longing for relief to that of a slave who desires shade and a hired worker who waits for his wages. Job expresses his deep need for comfort and the hope for reward amidst his suffering.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job uses these comparisons to illustrate his deep longing for relief from his suffering, expressing how he feels trapped and in need of comfort.
Shade represents relief and protection from the harshness of life, symbolizing Job's desire for respite from his pain.
Waiting for wages signifies the hope for reward and justice after enduring hardship, reflecting Job's expectation for relief from his suffering.
This verse encapsulates the theme of suffering in Job, highlighting the intense emotional struggle and the desire for relief that permeates the entire book.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel like Job, longing for relief or comfort?
- How can I better understand the struggles of others who are suffering?
- What does waiting for a reward or relief look like in my own life?
- How can I find hope in my own trials, similar to Job's longing for shade and wages?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Gregory the Dialogist references this verse to discuss the human experience of longing for relief, drawing parallels between Job's suffering and the nature of work.
As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the end of his work, so am I made to possess months of vanity, and I have numbered me wearisome nights.Early Church Fathers on Job 7 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 7:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAs a servant earnestly desireth the shadow,.... Either the shadow of some great rock, tree, or hedge, or any shady place to shelter him from the heat of the sun in the middle of the day, which in
Read John Gill on Job 7 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAs a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: Earnestly desireth - Hebrew, pants for the (evening) shadow [ yish'ap (H7602) tseel (H6738)].
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 7 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe shadow, i.e. the sun-set, or the night, the time allotted for his rest and repose, . And why may not I also desire the time of my rest? The reward of his work, Heb. his work; which is oft put for the reward of it, as 49:4. Or, the end of his work.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 7 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 7:2 As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for [the reward of] his work:Ver. 2. As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, &c.] Heb. Gapeth after, or gaspeth for his shadow; that is, for some place of cool repose after his hard labour in the hot sunshine, as in harvest; or for the shadow, that is, for dark night, or for the evening. Cum Sol crescentes discedens duplicet umbras (Virg. Eclog.). And as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work] Heb. Expecteth his work, that is, his wages. God’ s work is its own wages; and in doing thereof (not only for doing thereof) there is great reward, Psalms 19:11. Righteousness is its own recompense; but a poor…
Read John Trapp on Job 7 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 2. Earnestly desireth the shadow] As a man who labours hard in the heat of the day earnestly desires to get under a shade, or wishes for the long evening shadows, that he may rest from his labour, get his day's wages, retire to his food, and then go to rest. Night is probably what is meant by the shadow; as in VIRGIL, AEn. iv., ver. 7: Humentemque Aurora polo dimoverat UMBRAM. "The morning had removed the humid shadow, i.e., night, from the world." Where SERVIUS justly observes: Nihil interest, utrum UMBRAM an NOCTEM dicat: NOX enim UMBRA terrae est, "It makes no difference whether he says shadow or night; for night is the shadow of the earth."
Read AdamClarke on Job 7 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges2. With slight change the verse reads, As a slave who panteth for the shadow, And as an hireling who looketh, &c. The slave in the heat and under his hard toil pants for the shadow of evening, the day’s end; and the hireling looks for his wages, that is, the close of the day; cf. Proverbs 21:6.
Read Cambridge on Job 7 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAs a servant earnestly desireth - Margin, gapeth after. The word here שׁאף shâ'aph means to breathe hard, to pant, to blow, and then to desire earnestly.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 7 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible2. Earnestly desireth the shadow — Rather, longs for, ωׁ ?ΰ, a word that in several oriental languages expresses strongest desire. See chap. Job 5:5.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 7 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.
As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,
Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.
Like a servant longing for the evening shadow, and like a hired man looking for his wages,
Tyndale line
As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
As a servant that earnestly desireth the shadow, And as a hireling that looketh for his wages:
As a servant that earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling that looketh for his wages:
As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as a hireling looketh for the reward of his work;
As a seruant longeth for the shadowe, and as an hyreling looketh for the ende of his worke,
Strictly literal
As a bondman earnestly desireth the shadow, and a hireling expecteth his wages,
As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage,
As a servant desires the shadow, || And as a hired worker expects his wage,
As a servant eagerly longeth for the shadow, and as a hired laborer hopeth for his reward:
Like a slave earnestly desires the shadows of evening, like a hired man looks for his wages—
From the Latin
As a servant longeth for the shade, as the hireling looketh for the end of his work;
Simplified
Like some slave longing for a bit of shade, like a hired hand anxiously waiting for pay day,
As a servant desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment:
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text of Job 7:2 reads, "כְּעֶ֥בֶד יִשְׁאַף־ צֵ֑ל וּ֝כְשָׂכִ֗יר יְקַוֶּ֥ה פָעֳלֽוֹ׃" which translates to, "Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages." The Septuagint, while not providing the exact text, shows a strong correspondence with five out of six words from the Masoretic Text, indicating agreement in the overall meaning, though the specific wording and structure differ due to the nature of translation. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide a direct comparison for this verse in the available records, so their agreement or disagreement with the Masoretic Text remains undetermined.
כְּעֶ֥בֶד יִשְׁאַף־ צֵ֑ל וּ֝כְשָׂכִ֗יר יְקַוֶּ֥ה פָעֳלֽוֹ׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 7:2
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.
עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant
slave, servant of household
Subjects, of chief
Servants, worshippers of God
Servant of י׳, in a special sense
Israel as a people is servant of י׳
In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I
Phrases
base
H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household
. Subjects, of chief
. Servants, worshippers of God
. Servant of י׳, in a special sense
. Israel as a people is servant of י׳
. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I
. Phrases
5650 `ebed eh'-bed
from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,
(man-)servant.
see HEBREW for 05647
עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.
1) slave, servant
1a) slave, servant, man-servant
1b) subjects
1c) servants, worshippers (of God)
1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)
1e) servant (of Israel)
1f) servant (as form of address between equals)
Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
Slave
Jer. 2:14 (A.V.), but not there found in the original. In Rev. 18:13 the word “slaves” is the rendering of a Greek word meaning “bodies.” The Hebrew and Greek words for slave are usually rendered simply “servant,” “bondman,” or “bondservant.” Slavery as it existed under the Mosaic law has no modern parallel. That law did not originate but only regulated the already existing custom of slavery (Ex. 21:20, 21, 26, 27; Lev. 25:44-46; Josh. 9:6-27). The gospel in its spirit and genius is hostile to slavery in every form, which under its influence is gradually disappearing from among men.
The institution of slavery was recognized, though not established, by the Mosaic law with a view to mitigate its hardship and to secure to every man his ordinary rights. I. Hebrew slaves. -- The circumstances under which a Hebrew might be reduced to servitude were-- (1) poverty; (2) the commission of theft; and (3) the exercise of paternal authority. In the first case, a man who had mortgaged his property, and was unable to support his family, might sell himself to another Hebrew, with a view both to obtain maintenance and perchance a surplus sufficient to redeem his property. (Leviticus 25:25,39) (2) The commission of theft rendered a person liable to servitude whenever restitution could not be made on the scale prescribed by the law. (Exodus 22:1,3) The thief was bound to work…
שָׁאַף (sha'aph) is a Hebrew verb with two primary meanings: to gasp or pant, often in a context of longing or desire, and to crush or trample. The word conveys both a sense of eager inhalation and a physical act of crushing. It appears in various forms, indicating both emotional and physical intensity.
שָׁאַף vb. gasp, pant, pant after, long for
base
[שָׁאַף] vb. crush, trample on
base
H7602a שָׁאַף gasp, pant, pant after, long for H7602b שָׁאַף crush, trample on
7602 sha'aph shaw-af'
a primitive root; to inhale eagerly; figuratively, to cover;
by implication, to be angry; also to hasten:--desire
(earnestly), devour, haste, pant, snuff up, swallow up.
שָׁאַף (sha.aph) — to long for.
1) to gasp, pant, pant after, long for, breathe heavily
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to gasp, pant after, snuff up
1a2) to gasp or pant (with desire), pant after, be eager for
1a3) to thirst for one's blood (from actions of animals) (fig)
שָׁאַף (sha.aph) — to crush.
1) to crush, trample, trample upon
1a) (Qal) to trample upon, crush
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.
In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…
צֵל (tsel) means 'shadow' or 'shade,' encompassing both literal and figurative uses. It can refer to a physical shadow, as well as a protective shade or a symbol of life's transience. The word is derived from a root meaning to shade, and it is related to another term, צֵלֶל (tselel), which also means 'shadow.'
H6738 צֵל shadow
6738 tsel tsale
from 6751; shade, whether literal or figurative:--defence,
shade(-ow).
see HEBREW for 06751
צֵל (tsel) — shadow.
1) shadow, shade
1a) shadow (on dial)
1b) shadow, shade (as protection)
1c) shadow (symbolic of transitoriness of life)
Also means: tse.lel (צֵלֶל "shadow" H6752)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
שָׂכִיר (sakiyr) refers to someone who is hired, typically as a laborer or servant. The term can also apply to animals that are hired for work. It is derived from a root meaning 'to hire' and is used in contexts involving daily or yearly wages.
שָׂכִיר adj. hired
hired, of beast
usu. as subst. hireling, hired labourer
base
H7916 שָׂכִיר hired . hired, of beast
. usu. as subst. hireling, hired labourer
7916 sakiyr saw-keer'
from 7936; a man at wages by the day or year:--hired (man,
servant), hireling.
see HEBREW for 07936
שָׂכִיר (sa.khir) — hired.
1) hired
1a) hired (of animal)
1b) hireling, hired labourer (subst)
1b1) mercenary
Conj | Prep | N-ms — Conjunction · prepositionHC/R/Aamsa
קָוָה (qavah) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses the meanings of waiting, expecting, and collecting. It can refer to eagerly waiting or lying in wait, as well as the act of gathering together. The word appears in different forms, including Qal and Piel, indicating various nuances of waiting and collecting.
[קָוָה] vb. wait for
Qal those waiting for
Pi.
wait, or look eagerly, for
lie in wait for
wait (linger) for
base
[קָוָה] vb. collect;—Niph. be collected
base
H6960a קָוָה wait for . wait, or look eagerly, for
. lie in wait for
. wait (linger) for
H6960b קָוָה collect;—Niph. be collected
6960 qavah kaw-vaw'
a primitive root; to bind together (perhaps by twisting),
i.e. collect; (figuratively) to expect:--gather (together),
look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon).
קָוָה (qa.vah) — to await.
1) to wait, look for, hope, expect
1a) (Qal) waiting (participle)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to wait or look eagerly for
1b2) to lie in wait for
1b3) to wait for, linger for
קָוָה (qa.vah) — to collect.
1) to collect, bind together
1a) (Niphal) to be collected
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine singularHVpi3ms
for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.
In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…
פֹּ֫עַל (po'al) refers to an act or work, encompassing meanings like deed, thing done, and wages of work. It is noted as poetic and late in usage. The word is built from the root associated with action, and it can also imply acquisition, particularly of treasures.
פֹּ֫עַל 37 n.m. doing, deed, work (poet. and late)
deed, thing done
work, thing made
wages of work
acquisition of treasures
base
H6467 פֹּ֫עַל doing, deed, work (poet. and late)
6467 po`al po'-al
from 6466; an act or work (concretely):--act, deed, do,
getting, maker, work.
see HEBREW for 06466
פֹּ֫עַל (po.al) — work.
1) work, deed, doing
1a) deed, thing done
1b) work, thing made
1c) wages of work
1d) acquisition (of treasure)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms