Job 3:9

9 May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn,

Job 3:9 in Other Translations

KJV
9 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:
ESV
9 Let the stars of its dawn be dark; let it hope for light, but have none, nor see the eyelids of the morning,
NLT
9 Let its morning stars remain dark. Let it hope for light, but in vain; may it never see the morning light.
MSG
9 May its morning stars turn to black cinders, waiting for a daylight that never comes, never once seeing the first light of dawn.
CSB
9 May its morning stars grow dark. May it wait for daylight but have none; may it not see the breaking 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 barren; may no shout of joy be heard in it.
8 May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.
9 May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn,
10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide trouble from my eyes.
11 “Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?

Cross References 1

  • 1. Job 41:18; Habakkuk 3:4
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