Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
The verse stands in the poetic portion of the book, in its second of five divisions, the dialogues between Job and his three friends about the cause and purpose of human suffering. Job was a real man and the narrative about him is fact. In chapter 3 he speaks from knowledge of his own integrity, unable to understand God's dealings with him yet not accusing God wrongly. Through that suffering God was working out what would glorify Him forever, give comfort and hope to thousands of sufferers, and prove a blessing to Job himself.
The verse shows Job under God's discipline, being brought through the fire of affliction. It shows the depth of his despair, that he longs for death and seeks it as eagerly as hidden treasure, yet it does not come. It belongs to his expression of distress under affliction, showing that even one known for patience could have his heart deeply unsettled by trouble.
His suffering raises the great problems that have perplexed humanity through the ages, concerning overruling providence and the relation of sin and suffering. His suffering was not proof of personal sin, though his three friends charged him with sin and declared his sufferings were because of sin. This teaches not to misjudge fellow sufferers in the same way today.
The verse stands in the poetic portion of the book, in its second of five divisions, the dialogues between Job and his three friends about the cause and purpose of human suffering. Job was a real man and the narrative about him is fact. In chapter 3 he speaks from knowledge of his own integrity, unable to understand God's dealings with him yet not accusing God wrongly. Through that suffering God was working out what would glorify Him forever, give comfort and hope to thousands of sufferers, and prove a blessing to Job himself.
The verse shows Job under God's discipline, being brought through the fire of affliction. It shows the depth of his despair, that he longs for death and seeks it as eagerly as hidden treasure, yet it does not come. It belongs to his expression of distress under affliction, showing that even one known for patience could have his heart deeply unsettled by trouble.
His suffering raises the great problems that have perplexed humanity through the ages, concerning overruling providence and the relation of sin and suffering. His suffering was not proof of personal sin, though his three friends charged him with sin and declared his sufferings were because of sin. This teaches not to misjudge fellow sufferers in the same way today.