Job 17:13
If I hope for Sheol as my house, if I make my bed in darkness,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Job 17:13
If I hope for Sheol as my house, if I make my bed in darkness,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Job isn't hoping for the grave; he's stating the grim certainty that it's his only remaining "house." The phrases "make my bed in darkness" and calling the pit "father" show he's already resigned himself to the grave as his family and resting place, utterly abandoning any hope of earthly restoration.
Job is in the depths of despair, convinced his friends' arguments about divine justice are hollow and that his suffering is meaningless. He feels utterly abandoned, facing not just physical torment but profound spiritual isolation. In this context, he declares his only expectation is the grave, viewing it as his inevitable home and resting place, a stark contrast to the restoration his friends promise.
What if your greatest hope wasn't for a brighter future, but for the end of suffering? Job wrestles with this profound idea.
Job is in such extreme anguish that his 'hope' is now directed towards the grave, Sheol. This isn't a morbid fascination, but a desperate longing for an end to his pain.
A Different Kind of Waiting
Normally, we hope for something good – a promotion, a vacation, healing. But Job's hope is for relief from the bad. He uses the word 'wait' or 'hope' (the same Hebrew word!) to describe his expectation of death.
The Grave as Home
He pictures Sheol, the realm of the dead, not just as an end, but as a 'house' and a 'bed' in the 'darkness.' This imagery emphasizes not just finality, but a place of rest, however grim. It's the ultimate escape from his torment.
What did ancient people imagine when they spoke of the 'darkness' of the grave?
The imagery Job uses – 'my house,' 'my bed,' 'in the darkness' – paints a stark picture of Sheol. It wasn't a place of conscious joy or torment, but a shadowy, silent realm.
A Place of No Return
For Job, this darkness represented the complete cessation of life as he knew it. There was no expectation of glory or reunion in Sheol itself. It was the final destination, a place devoid of the light and activity of the living world.
Preparing for the Inevitable
Job's declaration, 'I have made my bed in the darkness,' suggests a resignation and preparation. He's coming to terms with the end, accepting that his earthly existence is drawing to a close, and the grave is his only remaining certainty.
Understand the original words
she’ol · Hebrew Noun
A Hebrew term referring to the place of the dead or the underworld. It is often portrayed as a dark, silent place where all humanity eventually gathers, distinct from the later theological development of eternal punishment.
tiqwah · Hebrew Noun
Generally denotes an expectation or a confident looking forward to something, often anchored in God’s character or promises. In Job, it represents the strained tension between present suffering and a desire for relief or vindication.
This Psalm echoes Job's profound despair, directly asking if God's wonders can be known in the grave, the very 'house' and 'darkness' Job feels he's inhabiting.
Psalm 6:5This verse presents a stark contrast to Job's resignation, emphasizing that in death and Sheol, there is no remembrance of God, highlighting the preciousness of life and present hope.
Ecclesiastes 9:10This passage offers practical wisdom about life's brevity and the finality of the grave, resonating with Job's somber view of Sheol as the ultimate destination, urging us to act now.
John 11:25-26Jesus' words to Martha offer a powerful counterpoint to Job's despair, revealing a hope beyond the grave and darkness – resurrection and eternal life – that transcends death itself.
clarkeJob 17:13: "If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness."
The grave is mine house - Let my life be long or short, the grave at last will be my home. I expect soon to lie down in darkness - there is my end: I cannot reasonably hope for any thing else.
bensonJob 17:13: "If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness."
Job 17:13 . If I wait, the grave is my house — Hebrew, אם אקוה , im akaveh, If I eagerly desire and expect any thing now, it is the grave, the only habitation I can promise myself; and which I am just entering. There I am going to rest in a bed where I shall not be disturbed, for which therefore I am preparing myself. In all situations, and amidst all changes, we should keep the grave in view, the bed in which…
Job isn't hoping for the grave; he's stating the grim certainty that it's his only remaining "house." The phrases "make my bed in darkness" and calling the pit "father" show he's already resigned himself to the grave as his family and resting place, utterly abandoning any hope of earthly restoration.
Job is in the depths of despair, convinced his friends' arguments about divine justice are hollow and that his suffering is meaningless. He feels utterly abandoned, facing not just physical torment but profound spiritual isolation. In this context, he declares his only expectation is the grave, viewing it as his inevitable home and resting place, a stark contrast to the restoration his friends promise.
Job is in the depths of despair, convinced his friends' arguments about divine justice are hollow and that his suffering is meaningless. He feels utterly abandoned, facing not just physical torment but profound spiritual isolation. In this context, he declares his only expectation is the grave, viewing it as his inevitable home and resting place, a stark contrast to the restoration his friends promise.
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"If I hope for Sheol as my house, if I make my bed in darkness," — Job isn't hoping for the grave; he's stating the grim certainty that it's his only remaining "house." The phrases "make my bed in darkness" and calling the pit "father" show he's already resigned h…