When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’ But the night is long, and I toss and turn till the dawn.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job's intense longing isn't just for the night to end, but for it to "flee away" or "be measured out," highlighting how each moment feels stretched and drawn out by his suffering. This isn't just about sleeplessness, but a deep existential weariness where even the simple act of resting becomes an unbearable torment.
When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’ But the night is long, and I toss and turn till the dawn.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is in the midst of a deep lament, describing the utter misery of his suffering. He's already poured out his soul in anguish, feeling as though he's a slave to his trials and that God is watching him with no mercy. Here, he paints a vivid picture of sleepless nights, where the darkness offers no relief, only prolonged suffering until the light of dawn finally arrives.
Imagine lying in bed, dreading the darkness. Job's words paint a picture of suffering so intense that even sleep offers no escape.
Job 7:4 reveals the profound exhaustion of constant affliction. When he lies down, hoping for rest, his immediate thought is 'When will this night end?' The night, typically a time of peace and renewal, becomes an enemy, stretching out endlessly. He's not just waiting for morning; he's desperately wishing for the night itself to 'flee' or be 'measured out,' signifying its unbearable length. This isn't just about physical discomfort; it's about the mental and emotional torment that makes time crawl.
The scholars note variations in translation for 'When shall I arise?' and 'the night be gone.' Some suggest it's about the night extending or being measured out to its fullest, highlighting its oppressive duration. This emphasizes that for Job, the night isn't passing quickly; it feels like it's deliberately stretching itself out, filled with his own restless tossing.
It's not just tossing and turning in bed; Job's suffering infiltrates his very being, leaving him utterly unsettled.
The phrase 'full of tossings to and fro' captures Job's complete lack of peace. It's a visceral description of physical discomfort – unable to find a single comfortable position on his bed, constantly shifting from side to side in a futile search for ease. This physical agony is relentless, continuing 'unto the dawning of the day.'
But the scholars also suggest that these 'tossings' might not be solely physical. They could represent the restless anxieties and distressing thoughts that plague his mind, preventing any mental calm. Whether physical or mental, or both, Job is saturated with this deep-seated unrest. Sleep, meant to restore, becomes another arena of his suffering, a state of constant, agonizing agitation.
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This psalm echoes Job's weariness, describing how his eyes grow dim with sorrow and his body is worn out by constant suffering, mirroring Job's restless nights and painful days.
Psalm 130:6This verse expresses a similar longing for the dawn and relief from a long, difficult night, highlighting the universal human experience of waiting for deliverance when suffering seems unending.
Ecclesiastes 5:12This passage speaks to the troubled sleep of the one who is too busy or anxious, showing that even in times of rest, the mind can be tormented, similar to Job's internal and physical restlessness.
Lamentations 3:30This verse shows a willingness to endure suffering and humiliation without complaint, offering a contrast to Job's vocal anguish but still touching on the theme of enduring hardship.
2 Corinthians 11:27Paul lists sleepless nights and constant hardship among his sufferings for Christ, demonstrating that Job's experience of endless nights filled with torment is not unique, but a potential part of a life of faith and struggle.
jfbJob 7:4: "When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day."
- Literally, "When shall be the flight of the night?" [Gesenius]. Umbreit, not so well, "The night is long extended"; literally, "measured out" (so Margin).
pulpitJob 7:4: "When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day."
Verse 4. - When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? So Gesenius, Rosenmuller, and Delitzsch. Others translate, "the night is long" (Dillmann, Renan), or "the night seems endless" (Merx); comp. Deuteronomy 28:67, "At evening thou shalt say, Would God it were morning!" And I am full of tossings to and fro. Professor Lee understan…
Job's intense longing isn't just for the night to end, but for it to "flee away" or "be measured out," highlighting how each moment feels stretched and drawn out by his suffering. This isn't just about sleeplessness, but a deep existential weariness where even the simple act of resting becomes an unbearable torment.
Job is in the midst of a deep lament, describing the utter misery of his suffering. He's already poured out his soul in anguish, feeling as though he's a slave to his trials and that God is watching him with no mercy. Here, he paints a vivid picture of sleepless nights, where the darkness offers no relief, only prolonged suffering until the light of dawn finally arrives.
Job is in the midst of a deep lament, describing the utter misery of his suffering. He's already poured out his soul in anguish, feeling as though he's a slave to his trials and that God is watching him with no mercy. Here, he paints a vivid picture of sleepless nights, where the darkness offers no relief, only prolonged suffering until the light of dawn finally arrives.
"When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’ But the night is long, and I toss and turn till the dawn." — Job's intense longing isn't just for the night to end, but for it to "flee away" or "be measured out," highlighting how each moment feels stretched and drawn out by his suffering. This isn't just abo…
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Last reviewed October 2026