Job 4:13 Meaning and Explanation
“In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The experience came amid troubled night visions, when deep sleep falls upon people.
What Does Job 4:13 Mean?
Eliphaz sets the scene of his vision. It came in disquieting thoughts amid the visions of the night, in that hour when deep sleep falls upon people. This is the heavy, dreamlike sleep that overtakes the mind when the world is still and the soul is most open to fear and wonder. The same kind of deep sleep elsewhere in Scripture accompanies moments when God draws near to act.
The night can be a place of unusual awareness, when distractions fall away and the heart hears what daylight drowns out. Eliphaz describes a genuine and unsettling experience. Yet the mood of dread he recounts is worth noting, for the God who speaks to His people often calms their fear rather than leaving them trembling. The verse sets the stage for a message that will sound true and yet be turned to a flawed end.
Job 4:13 in the Original Language
tardemah (תַּרְדֵּמָה), 'deep sleep' -- the same profound, divinely sent slumber that fell upon Adam and upon Abraham at solemn moments.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 4:13
What does Job 4:13 mean?
The experience came amid troubled night visions, when deep sleep falls upon people.