Job 7:2 (KJV)

What does Job 7:2 mean?

Job 7:2 compares Job’s longing for relief to a servant who eagerly waits for the coolness of evening and a hired worker who looks forward to being paid for his labor. The verse uses these everyday images to express how desperately Job desires rest and an end to his suffering.

Job himself is speaking, describing his misery to his friends after losing his health, wealth, and family. By mentioning the servant and the hireling, Job highlights the intensity of his suffering—he feels like someone enduring a long, hard day, yearning for even a small break or reward. This verse sets the tone for Job’s honest struggle with pain and his longing for comfort.

The Hebrew behind Job 7:2

• "servant" (עֶבֶד, ʿeved): This word refers to a household servant or slave, someone under obligation, emphasizing Job’s sense of powerlessness and weariness.
• "desireth" (שָׁאַף, sha'af): This verb means to pant after or long for, showing the deep, almost desperate yearning for relief.
• "shadow" (צֵל, tsel): Often understood as the shade or coolness that comes at the end of a hot, exhausting workday, symbolizing rest or escape from hardship.
• "hireling" (שָׂכִיר, sakhir): This is a day laborer, someone who works for wages, highlighting the expectation of a reward after toil.
• "looketh" (קָוָה, qavah): This verb means to wait for or hope for, underlining the anticipation and hope for something better.
• "work" (פֹּעַל, po'al): Refers to the actual labor or task, making clear that the hireling’s hope is tied to the completion of his hard work.

Why Job 7:2 matters

• Job 7:2 helps the reader understand the depth of Job’s suffering by comparing it to familiar experiences of exhaustion and longing for relief, making his pain relatable.
• The verse emphasizes that Job’s desire for rest is not just physical but also emotional and spiritual, showing the totality of his distress.
• By using the images of a servant and a hireling, Job sets up a contrast between the hope for relief and the reality of his ongoing suffering, which is a key theme throughout his speeches.