Job 3 · Verse 6

Job 3:6

As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.
Job 3:6, King James Version

Job 3:6 in other translations

BSBIf only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year; may it never be entered in any of the months.
WEBAs for that night, let thick darkness seize on it. Let it not rejoice among the days of the year. Let it not come into the number of the months.
ASVAs for that night, let thick darkness seize upon it: Let it not rejoice among the days of the year; Let it not come into the number of the months.
YLTThat night--let thick darkness take it, Let it not be united to days of the year, Into the number of months let it not come.
DARBYThat night — let gloom seize upon it; let it not rejoice among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.
BBEThat night--let the thick dark take it; let it not have joy among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.
WebsterAs for that night, let 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.

What does Job 3:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
6. seize upon it--as its prey, that is, utterly dissolve it. joined unto the days of the year--rather, by poetic personification, "Let it not rejoice in the circle of days and nights and months, which form the circle of years."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 As for that night, let darkness seize upon it - I think the Targum has hit the sense of this whole verse: "Let darkness seize upon that night; let it not be reckoned among the annual festivals; in the number of the months of the calendar let it not be computed." Some understand the word אפל ophel as signifying a dark storm; hence the Vulgate, tenebrosus turbo, "a dark whirlwind." And hence Coverdale, Let the darck storme overcome that night, let it not be reckoned amonge the dayes off the yeare, nor counted in the monethes. Every thing is here personified; day, night, darkness, shadow of death, cloud, etc.; and the same idea of the total extinction of that portion of time, or its being rendered ominous and portentous, is pursued through all these verses, from the third to the ninth, inclusive. The imagery is diversified, the expressions varied, but the idea is the same.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 3:1-10

For seven days Job's friends sat by him in silence, without offering consolidation: at the same time Satan assaulted his mind to shake his confidence, and to fill him with hard thoughts of God. The permission seems to have extended to this, as well as to torturing the body. Job was an especial type of Christ, whose inward sufferings, both in the garden and on the cross, were the most dreadful; and arose in a great…

Read the full comment on Job 3:1-10 →

Job 3:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הַלַּ֥יְלָהha.Lay.lahthe nightH3915
הַהוּא֮ha.Hu'<the> thatH1931
יִקָּחֵ֪ה֫וּyi.ka.Che.Hulet it take itH3947
אֹ֥פֶל'O.feldarknessH652
אַל\־'al-may notH408
יִ֭חַדְּYi.chadit rejoiceH2302
בִּימֵ֣יbi.Meiamong [the] days ofH3117
שָׁנָ֑הsha.Nah[the] yearH8141
בְּמִסְפַּ֥רbe.mis.Parin [the] number ofH4557
יְ֝רָחִ֗יםye.ra.Chim[the] monthsH3391
אַל\־'al-may notH408
יָבֹֽא\׃ya.Vo'it comeH935

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
let it not be joined unto the days. or, let it not rejoiceamong the days.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 3:5

    Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

  • Job 3:6

    As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.

  • Job 3:7

    Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.

Read all of Job 3

Job 3:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Ocupe la oscuridad aquella noche; no sea contada entre los días del año, ni venga en el número de los meses.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Cette nuit-là, que l’obscurité s’en empare; qu’elle ne se réjouisse point parmi les jours de l’année, qu’elle n’entre pas dans le nombre des mois!
German
Elberfelder 1871
Jene Nacht, Dunkel ergreife sie; sie freue sich nicht unter den Tagen des Jahres, in die Zahl der Monde komme sie nicht!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Noctem illam tenebrosus turbo possideat; non computetur in diebus anni, nec numeretur in mensibus.