Job 3:5
New International Version
May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm it.

New Living Translation
Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own. Let a black cloud overshadow it, and let the darkness terrify it.

English Standard Version
Let gloom and deep darkness claim it. Let clouds dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

Berean Standard Bible
May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it.

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

New King James Version
May darkness and the shadow of death claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it.

New American Standard Bible
“May darkness and black gloom claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it.

NASB 1995
“Let darkness and black gloom claim it; Let a cloud settle on it; Let the blackness of the day terrify it.

NASB 1977
“Let darkness and black gloom claim it; Let a cloud settle on it; Let the blackness of the day terrify it.

Legacy Standard Bible
Let darkness and shadow of death redeem it; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let the blackness of the day terrify it.

Amplified Bible
“Let darkness and gloom claim it for their own; Let a cloud settle upon it; Let all that blackens the day terrify it (the day that I was born).

Christian Standard Bible
May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it. May what darkens the day terrify it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it. May an eclipse of the sun terrify it.

American Standard Version
Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let all that maketh black the day terrify it.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Let darkness and the shadow of death cover it. Let a cloud sink upon it and let the bitterness of the day terrify it

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But let darkness and the shadow of death seize it; let blackness come upon it;

Contemporary English Version
and send thick, gloomy shadows to fill it with dread.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Let darkness, and the shadow of death cover it, let a mist overspread it, and let it be wrapped up in bitterness.

English Revised Version
Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own; let a cloud dwell upon it; let all that maketh black the day terrify it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Let the darkness and long shadows claim it as their own. Let a dark cloud hang over it. Let the gloom terrify it.

Good News Translation
Make it a day of gloom and thick darkness; cover it with clouds, and blot out the sun.

International Standard Version
Let darkness and deep gloom reclaim it; let clouds settle down on it; let blackness in mid-day terrify it.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let all that maketh black the day terrify it.

Literal Standard Version
Let darkness and death-shade redeem it, | Let a cloud dwell on it, | Let them terrify it as the most bitter of days.

Majority Standard Bible
May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it.

New American Bible
May darkness and gloom claim it, clouds settle upon it, blackness of day affright it!

NET Bible
Let darkness and the deepest shadow claim it; let a cloud settle on it; let whatever blackens the day terrify it!

New Revised Standard Version
Let gloom and deep darkness claim it. Let clouds settle upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

New Heart English Bible
Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own. Let a cloud dwell on it. Let the blackness of the day terrify it.

Webster's Bible Translation
Let darkness and the shades of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

World English Bible
Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own. Let a cloud dwell on it. Let all that makes the day black terrify it.

Young's Literal Translation
Let darkness and death-shade redeem it, Let a cloud tabernacle upon it, Let them terrify it as the most bitter of days.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job Laments His Birth
4If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it. 5May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it. 6If 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.…

Cross References
Job 3:4
If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it.

Job 3:6
If 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.

Psalm 44:19
But You have crushed us in the lair of jackals; You have covered us with deepest darkness.

Jeremiah 13:16
Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness.


Treasury of Scripture

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

the shadow.

Job 10:21,22
Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; …

Job 16:16
My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

Job 24:17
For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.

stain it.

Deuteronomy 4:11
And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.

Ezekiel 30:3
For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.

Ezekiel 34:12
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

let the blackness.

Jeremiah 4:28
For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.

Amos 8:10
And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.

Jump to Previous
Black Blackness Claim Cloud Clouds Covered Dark Darkness Death Death-Shade Deep Dwell Fear Gloom Light Makes Maketh Night Once Overwhelm Redeem Settle Shades Shadow Stain Terrify Themselves
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Black Blackness Claim Cloud Clouds Covered Dark Darkness Death Death-Shade Deep Dwell Fear Gloom Light Makes Maketh Night Once Overwhelm Redeem Settle Shades Shadow Stain Terrify Themselves
Job 3
1. Job curses the day and services of his birth.
13. The ease of death.
20. He complains of life, because of his anguish.














(5) Stain.--Literally, redeem--i.e., claim as their rightful inheritance. The other meaning enters into this word, as in Isaiah 63:3; Malachi 1:7.

Blackness of the day--i.e., preternatural darkness, inopportune and unexpected darkness, like that of eclipses, &c.

Verse 5. - Let darkness and the shadow of death. "The shadow of death" (צלמות) is a favourite expression in the Book of Job, where it occurs no fewer than nine times. Elsewhere it is rare, except in the Psalms, where it occurs four times. It is thought to be an archaic word. Stain it; rather, claim it, or claim it for their own (Revised Version). Let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it. The hot, stifling "blackness" of the khamsin wind is probably meant, which suddenly turns the day into night, spreading all around a thick lurid darkness. When such a wind arises, we are told, "The sky instantly becomes black and heavy; the sun loses its splendour, and appears of a dim violet hue; a light, warm breeze is felt, which gradually increases in heat till it almost equals that of an oven. Though no vapour darkens the air, it becomes so grey and thick with the floating clouds of impalpable sand, that it is sometimes necessary to use candles at noonday" (Russell, 'Ancient and Modern Egypt,' p. 55).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
May darkness
חֹ֣שֶׁךְ (ḥō·šeḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2822: The dark, darkness, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness

and gloom
וְ֭צַלְמָוֶת (wə·ṣal·mā·weṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6757: Death-like shadow, deep shadow

reclaim it,
יִגְאָלֻ֡הוּ (yiḡ·’ā·lu·hū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1350: To redeem, act as kinsman

and a cloud
עֲנָנָ֑ה (‘ă·nā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6053: Cloudiness

settle
תִּשְׁכָּן־ (tiš·kān-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7931: To settle down, abide, dwell

over it;
עָלָ֣יו (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

may the blackness
כִּֽמְרִ֥ירֵי (kim·rî·rê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3650: Darkness, gloominess

of the day
יֽוֹם׃ (yō·wm)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

overwhelm it.
יְ֝בַעֲתֻ֗הוּ (yə·ḇa·‘ă·ṯu·hū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1204: To fall upon, startle, terrify


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OT Poetry: Job 3:5 Let darkness and the shadow of death (Jb)
Job 3:4
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