3 "May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said, 'A boy is conceived!'
3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.
3 "Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, 'A man is conceived.'
3 "Obliterate the day I was born. Blank out the night I was conceived!
3 "May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, 'A male child is conceived.'
3 "Let the day of my birth be erased, and the night I was conceived.
10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide trouble from my eyes.
10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.
10 because it did not shut the doors of my mother's womb, nor hide trouble from my eyes.
10 And why? Because it released me from my mother's womb into a life with so much trouble.
10 Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, Nor hide sorrow from my eyes.
10 Curse that day for failing to shut my mother's womb, for letting me be born to see all this trouble.
(Read 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 degree from the assaults of Satan in that hour of darkness. These inward trials show the reason of the change that took place in Job's conduct, from entire submission to the will of God, to the impatience which appears here, and in other parts of the book. The believer, who knows that a few drops of this bitter cup are more dreadful than the sharpest outward afflictions, while he is favoured with a sweet sense of the love and presence of God, will not be surprised to find that Job proved a man of like passions with others; but will rejoice that Satan was disappointed, and could not prove him a hypocrite; for though he cursed the day of his birth, he did not curse his God. Job doubtless was afterwards ashamed of these wishes, and we may suppose what must be his judgment of them now he is in everlasting happiness.
11 "Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?
11 Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?
11 "Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire?
11 "Why didn't I die at birth, my first breath out of the womb my last?
11 "Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?
11 "Why wasn't I born dead? Why didn't I die as I came from the womb?
(Read Job 3:11-19)
Job complained of those present at his birth, for their tender attention to him. No creature comes into the world so helpless as man. God's power and providence upheld our frail lives, and his pity and patience spared our forfeited lives. Natural affection is put into parents' hearts by God. To desire to die that we may be with Christ, that we may be free from sin, is the effect and evidence of grace; but to desire to die, only that we may be delivered from the troubles of this life, savours of corruption. It is our wisdom and duty to make the best of that which is, be it living or dying; and so to live to the Lord, and die to the Lord, as in both to be his, Romans 14:8. Observe how Job describes the repose of the grave; There the wicked cease from troubling. When persecutors die, they can no longer persecute. There the weary are at rest: in the grave they rest from all their labours. And a rest from sin, temptation, conflict, sorrows, and labours, remains in the presence and enjoyment of God. There believers rest in Jesus, nay, as far as we trust in the Lord Jesus and obey him, we here find rest to our souls, though in the world we have tribulation.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 3:3
Commentary on Job 3:1-10
(Read 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 degree from the assaults of Satan in that hour of darkness. These inward trials show the reason of the change that took place in Job's conduct, from entire submission to the will of God, to the impatience which appears here, and in other parts of the book. The believer, who knows that a few drops of this bitter cup are more dreadful than the sharpest outward afflictions, while he is favoured with a sweet sense of the love and presence of God, will not be surprised to find that Job proved a man of like passions with others; but will rejoice that Satan was disappointed, and could not prove him a hypocrite; for though he cursed the day of his birth, he did not curse his God. Job doubtless was afterwards ashamed of these wishes, and we may suppose what must be his judgment of them now he is in everlasting happiness.