Job 3:18

Job 3:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.
• New International Version (NIV)Captives also enjoy their ease; they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout.
• English Standard Version (ESV)There the prisoners are at ease together; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.
• New King James Version (NKJV)There the prisoners rest together; They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.

Context of Job 3:18

16My parents should have buried me, like a child that is born dead. I would never have seen the light of day. 17After death, wicked people can no longer cause any trouble. People who have become tired can rest. Even prisoners can enjoy a time of peace. No guards are there to shout at them. 19Great people and ordinary people are all there together. Slaves have no master that they must obey. 20I am suffering very much. Why does God let me wake up each day? I am very upset, so why does God continue to let me live?

Job 3:18 word by word

יַ֭חַד אֲסִירִ֣ים שַׁאֲנָ֑נוּ לֹ֥א שָׁ֝מְע֗וּ ק֣וֹל נֹגֵֽשׂ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• the prisonersאָסִיר'âsîyr · prisonerH615
• restשָׁאַןshâ'an · to restH7599
• togetherיַ֫חַדyachad · unitednessH3162
• they hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• not the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• of the oppressorנָגַשׂnâgaώ · to oppressH5065

Cross-references for Job 3:18

• Job 39:7They stay far away from the busy cities. They do not allow anyone to make them work.
• Exodus 5:6On that day, Pharaoh gave a command to the masters of the slaves, and to the leaders of the work.
• Judges 4:3He had 900 iron chariots for his army. He used his power to be cruel to the Israelites for 20 years. So they called out to the Lord for help.
• Isaiah 14:3At that time, the Lord will let you live safely, without trouble and without pain. You will no longer have to work for cruel people, as their slaves.

Commentaries on Job 3:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18The prisoners rest together - Those who were slaves, feeling all the troubles, and scarcely tasting any of the pleasures of life, are quiet in the grave together; and the voice of the oppressor, the hard, unrelenting task-master, which was more terrible than death, is heard no more. They are free from his exactions, and his mouth is silent in the dust. This may be a reference to the Egyptian bondage. The children of Israel cried by reason of their…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18There the prisoners rest together - Herder translates this, “There the prisoners rejoice in their freedom.” The Septuagint strangely enough, “There they of old ( ̔ ̓́ hoi aiōnioi ) assembled together ( ̔́ homothumadon ) have not heard the voice of the exactor.” The Hebrew word שׁאן shâ'an means “to rest, to be quiet, to be tranquil”; and the sense is, that they are in the grave freed from chains and oppressions. They hear not the voice of the oppressor…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-19Verses 11-19 Job complained of those present at his birth, for their tender attention to him. No creature comes into the world so helpless as man. God's power and providence upheld our frail lives, and his pity and patience spared our forfeited lives. Natural affection is put into parents' hearts by God. To desire to die that we may be with Christ, that we may be free from sin, is the effect and evidence of grace; but to desire to die, only that we may be…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-24Job's language shifts from wishing he was never born to grief. He goes from hating life towards an attraction for death. Job asks "why" seven times, as he has grief for his situation (3:11, 12, 16, 20, 23; see Psalms 10:1; 22:1; Jeremiah 20:18; Lamentations 5:20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. There the prisoners rest--from their chains.Read the comment

Topics related to Job 3:18

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Dead (People)
• Death
• Despondency

In the dictionaries

• Above
• Dig
• Roaring
• Safety
• Solitary
• Death
• Job, Book of
• Rest
• Sheol

Commentaries on Job 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings