D G¹ 3:1-26. Jobs lamentations. Introduction.
H¹ J¹ 4:1-5:27. Eliphaz's 1st address.
K¹ 6:1-7:21. Job's reply to Eliphaz.
J² 8:1-22. Bildad's 1st address.
K² 9:1-10:22. Job's reply to Bildad.
J³ 11:1-24. Zophar's 1st address.
K³ 12:1-14:22. Job's reply to Zophar.
H² J4 15:1-35. Eliphaz's 2nd address.
K4 16:1-17:16. Job's reply to Eliphaz.
J5 18:1-21. Bildad's 2nd address.
K5 19:1-20. Job's reply to Bildad.
J6 20:1-29. Zophar's 2nd address.
K6 21:1-34. Job's reply to Zophar.
H³ J7 22:1-30. Eliphaz's rd address.
K7 23:1-24:25. Job's reply to Eliphaz.
J8 25:1-6. Bildad's 3rd address.
K8 26:1-27:10. Job's reply to Bildad.
J9 27:11-28:28. Zophar's 3rd address.
G² 29:1-31:40. Job's self-justification. Conclusion.
G¹ L¹ 3:1-9. Birth lamented.
M¹ 10. Reasons.
L² 11,12. Infancy lamented.
M² 13-19. Reasons.
L³ 20-23. Manhood lamented.
M³ 24-26. Reasons.
1656 B.C.
Job 3)
1 After this (i.e. after his long restraint) opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day. (I.e. his birthday.)
2 And Job answered (i.e. began, or lamented. See Deut. 1:41), and said,
3 "Let the day perish wherein I was born, or the night in which it was said (he knew not which it was. Cp. Judg. 11:31), 'There is a man child conceived.'
4 Let that day be darkness; let not GOD (Eloah is Elohim, Who is to be worshiped. Eloah is God in connection with His will rather than His power. Eloah is essentially "the living God" in contrast to inanimate idols.) regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.
5 Let darkness and the darkness of death pollute it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.
6 As for that night, let thick darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined to the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.
7 Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.
8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up a dragon. (Referring probably to what the constellation signified.)
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:
10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.
11 Why died I not within the womb? why did I not die when I came out of the belly?
12 Why did the knees [of the mother] come before (so as to meet) me? or why the breasts that I should suck?
13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
14 With kings and counselors of the earth, which build ruins (i.e. laces [tombs or monuments] already gone to ruins) for themselves;
15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:
16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.
17 There the lawless agitators cease from troubling; and there the worn out [of strength] be at rest.
18 There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.
19 The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his masters.
20 Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul;
21 Which wait for death, but it comes not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
22 Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the sepulcher?
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom GOD has hedged in?
24 For my sighing comes before my food, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.
25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come to me.
26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came."