Job 3:9

9 may the stars of its twilight be dark, may it look for light but get none, may it never see the shimmer of dawn

Job 3:9 Meaning and Commentary

Job 3:9

Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark
Either of the morning or evening twilight; both may be meant, rather the latter, because of the following clause; the sense is, let not these appear to adorn the heavens, and to relieve the darkness of the night, and make it more pleasant and delightful, as well as to be useful to travellers and sailors:

let it look for light, but [have] none;
that is, either for the light of the moon and stars, to shine in the night till daybreak, or for the light of the sun at the time when it arises; but let it have neither; let the whole time, from sun setting to sunrising, from one twilight to another, be one continued gross and horrible darkness; here, by a strong and beautiful figure, looking is ascribed to the night:

neither let it see the dawning of the day;
or, "let it not see the eyelids of the morning" F12, or what we call "peep of day"; here, in very elegant language, the dawn of morning light is expressed, which is like the opening of an eye and its lids, quick and vibrating, when light is let in and perceived; or this may be interpreted of the sun, the eye of the morning and of light, and of its rays, which, when first darted, are like the opening of the eyelids.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 (rxv ypepe) "palpebras aurorae", Montanus, Mercerus

Job 3:9 In-Context

7 may that night be desolate, may no cry of joy be heard in it;
8 may those who curse days curse it, those who[se curses] could rouse Livyatan;
9 may the stars of its twilight be dark, may it look for light but get none, may it never see the shimmer of dawn
10 because it didn't shut the doors of the womb I was in and shield my eyes from trouble.
11 "If I had been stillborn, if I had died at birth,
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.