Job 3:9

9 Let the stars of that night be darkened; let it remain , and not come into light; and let it not see the morning star arise:

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Job 3:9 In-Context

7 But let that night be pain, and let not mirth come upon it, nor joy.

8 But let him that curses that day curse it, he that is ready to attack the great whale.

9 Let the stars of that night be darkened; let it remain , and not come into light; and let it not see the morning star arise:

10 because it shut not up the gates of my mother's womb, for it would have removed sorrow from my eyes.

11 For why died I not in the belly? and did I not come forth from the womb and die immediately?