Job 3:5 Meaning and Explanation
“Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Job piles up images of gloom and death, asking them to claim and terrify the day of his birth.
What Does Job 3:5 Mean?
Building on the previous verse, Job summons every shade of darkness he can name, the shadow of death, a heavy cloud, a blackness so total it terrifies. He wants this day reclaimed by the gloom, stained beyond recognition, as if the natural order should recoil from it. The poetry intensifies, each phrase deepening the shadow.
The shadow of death is a phrase that runs through Scripture, most tenderly in the psalm that promises God walks with us even through that valley. Job stands in that valley now, naming its terror without pretense. His honesty assures us that faith does not require us to dress up our pain. The Lord who is the shepherd of His people does not abandon them in the dark, but walks beside them through it.
Job 3:5 in the Original Language
tsalmaveth (צַלְמָוֶת), 'shadow of death' -- deep gloom or darkness, the same word in the valley of Psalm 23.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 3:5
What does Job 3:5 mean?
Job piles up images of gloom and death, asking them to claim and terrify the day of his birth.