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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Job 3:21

They long for death, and it won't come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Despondency;   Thompson Chain Reference - Death;   Despair;   Hope-Despair;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Murmuring;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Treasures;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Greatness of God;   Heart;   Independency of God;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Job, the Book of;   Poetry;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Field;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Sheol;   Treasure;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Death, Views and Customs Concerning;   Strophic Forms in the Old Testament;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for May 29;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
who wait for death, but it does not come,and search for it more than for hidden treasure,
Hebrew Names Version
Who long for death, but it doesn't come; Dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
King James Version
Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
English Standard Version
who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
New Century Version
They want to die, but death does not come. They search for death more than for hidden treasure.
New English Translation
to those who wait for death that does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasures,
Amplified Bible
Who wait for death, but it does not come, And dig (search) for death more [diligently] than for hidden treasures,
New American Standard Bible
Who long for death, but there is none, And dig for it more than for hidden treasures;
World English Bible
Who long for death, but it doesn't come; Dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
Geneva Bible (1587)
Which long for death, and if it come not, they would euen search it more then treasures:
Legacy Standard Bible
Who long for death, but there is none,And dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
Berean Standard Bible
who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure,
Contemporary English Version
I keep longing for death more than I would seek a valuable treasure.
Complete Jewish Bible
when at last they find the grave, they are so happy they shout for joy.
Darby Translation
Who long for death, and it [cometh] not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures;
Easy-to-Read Version
Such people want to die, but death does not come. They search for death more than for hidden treasure.
George Lamsa Translation
Who long for death, but it comes not, and seek it as one seeks a hidden treasure;
Good News Translation
They wait for death, but it never comes; they prefer a grave to any treasure.
Lexham English Bible
who wait for death, but it does not come, and search for it more than for treasures,
Literal Translation
who is waiting for death, but it is not; and they dig for it more than for treasures?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
(Which longe for death, and it commeth not: for yf they might fynde their graue,
American Standard Version
Who long for death, but it cometh not, And dig for it more than for hid treasures;
Bible in Basic English
To those whose desire is for death, but it comes not; who are searching for it more than for secret wealth;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Whiche long for death and finde it not, though they search more for it than for treasures:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Who long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
King James Version (1611)
Which long for death, but it commeth not, and dig for it more then for hid treasures:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
who desire death, and obtain it not, digging for it as for treasures;
English Revised Version
Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whiche abiden deeth, and it cometh not;
Update Bible Version
Who long for death, but it does not come, And dig for it more than for hid treasures;
Webster's Bible Translation
Who long for death, but it [cometh] not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
New King James Version
Who long for death, but it does not come, And search for it more than hidden treasures;
New Life Bible
They wait for death, but there is none. They dig for it more than for hidden riches.
New Revised Standard
who long for death, but it does not come, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Who long for death, and it is not, And have digged for it, beyond hid treasures:
Douay-Rheims Bible
That look for death, and it cometh not, as they that dig for a treasure:
Revised Standard Version
who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
Young's Literal Translation
Who are waiting for death, and it is not, And they seek it above hid treasures.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Who long for death, but there is none, And dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

Contextual Overview

20 "Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter? 21 They long for death, and it won't come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure. 22 They're filled with joy when they finally die, and rejoice when they find the grave. 23 Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties? 24 I cannot eat for sighing; my groans pour out like water. 25 What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. 26 I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

long: Heb. wait, Numbers 11:15, 1 Kings 19:4, Jonah 4:3, Jonah 4:8, Revelation 9:6

dig: Proverbs 2:4

Reciprocal: Job 36:20 - Desire

Cross-References

Genesis 3:2
"Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden," the woman replied.
Genesis 3:3
"It's only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.'"
Genesis 3:7
At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.
Isaiah 61:10
I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.
Romans 3:22
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
2 Corinthians 5:21
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Which long for death, but it [cometh] not,.... Who earnestly desire, wistly look out, wish for, and expect it, and with open mouth gape for it, as a hungry man for his food, or as the fish for the bait, or the fishermen for the fish, as some a observe the word may signify; but it comes not to their wish and expectation, or so soon as they would have it; the reason is, because the fixed time for it is not come, otherwise it will certainly come at God's appointed time, and often in an hour not thought of; death is not desirable in itself, being a dissolution of nature, or as it is the sanction of the law, or the wages of sin, or a penal evil; and though it is and may be lawfully desired by good men, that they may be free from sin, and be in a better capacity to serve the Lord, and that they may be for ever with him; yet such desires should be expressed with submission to the divine will, and the appointed time should be patiently waited for, and should not be desired merely to be rid of present afflictions and troubles, which was the case of Job, and of those he here describes; see Revelation 9:6;

and dig for it more than for hid treasures; which are naturally hid in the earth; as gold and silver ore, with other metals and precious stones; or which are of choice concealed there from the plunder of others; the former seems rather to be meant, and in digging for which great pains, diligence, and industry, are used, see Proverbs 2:4; and is expressive of the very great importunity and strong desire of men in distressed circumstances after death, seeking diligently and pressing importunately for it; the sin of suicide not being known, or very rare, in that early time, or however was shunned and abhorred even by those that were most weary of their lives: some render it, "who dig for it out off hid treasures" b; out of the bowels of the earth, and the lowest parts of it, could they but find it there: but the Targum, Jarchi, and others, understand it comparatively, as we do.

a So Junius Tremellius, Piscator. vid. Schultens in loc. b ממטמונים "e thesauris", Cocceius "ex imis terrae latebris", Mercerus: "ex locis absconditis", Schmidt.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Which long for death - Whose pain and anguish are so great that they would regard it as a privilege to die. Much as people dread death, and much as they have occasion to dread what is beyond, yet there is no doubt that this often occurs. Pain becomes so intense, and suffering is so protracted, that they would regard it as a privilege to be permitted to die. Yet that sorrow “must” be intense which prompts to this wish, and usually must be long continued. In ordinary cases such is the love of life, and such the dread of death and of what is beyond, that people are willing to bear all that human nature can endure rather than meet death; see the notes at Job 2:4. This idea has been expressed with unsurpassed beauty by Shakespeare:

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,

The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely

The pangs of despised love. the law’s delay,

The insolence of office. and the spurns

That patient merit of the unworthy takes,

When be himself might his quietus make

With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

But that the dread of something after death -

The undiscovered country, from whose bourne

No traveler returns-puzzles the will;

And makes us rather bear those ills we have,

Than fly to others that we know not of.

Hamlet.

And dig for it - That is, express a stronger desire for it than people do who dig for treasures in the earth. Nothing would more forcibly express the intense desire to die than this expression.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 3:21. Which long for death — They look to it as the end of all their miseries; and long more for a separation from life, than those who love gold do for a rich mine.


 
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