Job 3:16 Meaning and Explanation
“Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Job wishes he had been like a stillborn child, hidden away and never seeing the light of life.
What Does Job 3:16 Mean?
Job offers one more image of the nonexistence he longs for, that of a hidden untimely birth, a child who never drew breath, an infant that never saw the light. He imagines that such a one is spared the sorrow he now carries, having passed straight into the rest without ever knowing the world's grief.
This is among the most tender and sorrowful of Job's laments, spoken from a place of profound exhaustion. Scripture holds his words with compassion rather than reproach. And though Job sees only the absence of suffering in such a child, the Lord who forms each life in the secret place sees more, holding even the smallest and most hidden in His care. In Christ, every life is precious to God, and none is forgotten before Him.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 3:16
What does Job 3:16 mean?
Job wishes he had been like a stillborn child, hidden away and never seeing the light of life.