Job

Job 3:19–23

¹⁹Both small and great are there,

and the slave is freed from his master.

²⁰Why is light given to the miserable,

and life to the bitter of soul,

²¹who long for death that does not come,

and search for it like hidden treasure,

²²who rejoice and greatly exult

when they reach the grave?

²³Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden,

whom God has hedged in?

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Both small	קָטֹ֣ן	qā·ṭōn	Adjective - masculine singular	H6996 small, young, unimportant
and great	וְ֭גָדוֹל	wə·ḡā·ḏō·wl	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H1419 great
are there	שָׁ֣ם	šām	Adverb	H8033 there, thither
and the slave	וְ֝עֶ֗בֶד	wə·‘e·ḇeḏ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
is freed	חָפְשִׁ֥י	ḥā·p̄ə·šî	Adjective - masculine singular	H2670 free
from his master	מֵאֲדֹנָֽיו׃	mê·’ă·ḏō·nāw	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H113 lord

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Why	לָ֤מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
is light	א֑וֹר	’ō·wr	Noun - common singular	H216 light
given	יִתֵּ֣ן	yit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
to the miserable	לְעָמֵ֣ל	lə·‘ā·mêl	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H6001 labourer, sufferer
and life	וְ֝חַיִּ֗ים	wə·ḥay·yîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H2416 alive, living
to the bitter	לְמָ֣רֵי	lə·mā·rê	Preposition-l; Adjective - masculine plural construct	H4751 bitter, bitterness
of soul	נָֽפֶשׁ׃	nā·p̄eš	Noun - feminine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
who long	הַֽמְחַכִּ֣ים	ham·ḥak·kîm	Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural	H2442 wait, await
for death	לַמָּ֣וֶת	lam·mā·weṯ	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4194 death
that does not come	וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ	wə·’ê·nen·nū	Conjunctive waw; Adverb; third person masculine singular	H369 nothing, nought
and search for it	וַֽ֝יַּחְפְּרֻ֗הוּ	way·yaḥ·pə·ru·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine singular	H2658 dig, search for
like hidden treasure	מִמַּטְמוֹנִֽים׃	mim·maṭ·mō·w·nîm	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural	H4301 hidden treasure, treasure

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
who rejoice	הַשְּׂמֵחִ֥ים	haś·śə·mê·ḥîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H8056 glad, joyful, merry
and greatly	גִ֑יל	ḡîl	Noun - masculine singular	H1524 rejoicing
exult	יָ֝שִׂ֗ישׂוּ	yā·śî·śū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7797 exult, rejoice
when	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they reach	יִמְצְאוּ־	yim·ṣə·’ū-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H4672 attain to, find
the grave	קָֽבֶר׃	qā·ḇer	Noun - masculine singular	H6913 grave, sepulchre

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Why is life given to a man	לְ֭גֶבֶר	lə·ḡe·ḇer	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H1397 man
whose	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
way	דַּרְכּ֣וֹ	dar·kōw	Noun - common singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
is hidden	נִסְתָּ֑רָה	nis·tā·rāh	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H5641 hide, conceal
whom God	אֱל֣וֹהַּ	’ĕ·lō·w·ah	Noun - masculine singular	H433 god, God
has hedged in	וַיָּ֖סֶךְ	way·yā·seḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5526 overshadow, screen, cover