Job 36:20 — Word Study
WLCאַל־ תִּשְׁאַ֥ף הַלָּ֑יְלָה לַעֲל֖וֹת עַמִּ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם׃
BSADo notʼal [desire or hasten eagerly] long forshâʼaph▸ the nightlayil [when people are cut off, a time of darkness] when peopleʻam [nations or a group of individuals] vanishʻâlâh [are suddenly taken away or cut off] from their homestachath [their place or location]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אַל־ | may not | Particle |
| תִּשְׁאַ֥ף | you long for | Verb, Qal, jussive second person masculine singular |
| הַלָּ֑יְלָה | the night | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| לַעֲל֖וֹת | to go up | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
| עַמִּ֣ים | peoples | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| תַּחְתָּֽם׃ | in place their | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes. |
| KJV | Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place. |
| ASV | Desire not the night, When peoples are cut off in their place. |
| YLT | Desire not the night, For the going up of peoples in their stead. |
| WEB | Don’t desire the night, when people are cut off in their place. |
| BBE | ... |
Where they part company is in the interpretation of תִּשְׁאַ֥ף — see How Translations Differ.
The structure consists of a main clause followed by a subordinate clause, emphasizing the warning against longing for the night.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectעַם
verbשָׁאַף
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 36:20
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Reflection on Sufferinggenerated
Job 36:20 is part of a larger discourse where Job reflects on the nature of suffering and the human condition. He warns against longing for the night, a metaphor for despair, when people are taken away from their homes. This verse highlights the transient nature of life and the importance of recognizing God's sovereignty even in times of distress, as seen in surrounding verses like Job 36:19 and Job 36:21.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 3:20–21 | Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul, |
| 2 | Job 6:9 | that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off! |
| 3 | Job 7:15 | so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body. |
| 4 | Job 14:13 | If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me! |
| 5 | Job 17:13–14 | If I look for Sheol as my home, if I spread out my bed in darkness, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תִּשְׁאַ֥ף, tish.'Afgenerated
The verb שָׁאַף (sha'aph) means 'to long for' and conveys a strong emotional response. It can also imply a sense of crushing or trample, indicating intense desire or eagerness. The use of this verb here suggests a deep yearning that Job warns against, particularly in the context of despair.
This jussive form addresses the second person masculine singular, suggesting a direct appeal to the listener. Job's choice of words reflects the emotional weight of longing for the night, which symbolizes darkness and loss.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses long for for תִּשְׁאַ֥ף.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb תִּשְׁאַ֥ף governs the sentence, with a noun phrase as the object and a prepositional phrase describing the context. The structure reflects a warning against a specific emotional response, emphasizing the weight of the verb.
The sentence's order places the negative particle אַל at the beginning, highlighting the prohibition against longing for the night.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תִּשְׁאַ֥ף as ἐχελκύσῃς, which carries a sense of pulling or drawing towards something. This choice emphasizes the intensity of desire, aligning with the emotional weight of the original Hebrew.
The Greek rendering captures the urgency of Job's warning, suggesting a deeper interpretation of longing that resonates with the original context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 36:20 warns against longing for the night when people are taken away from their homes. Job reflects on the nature of suffering and the transient aspects of life, urging the reader to consider the implications of such desires.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Longing for the night symbolizes a desire for escape or relief from suffering, but Job warns that this desire can lead to despair.
This verse emphasizes the importance of recognizing God's sovereignty and the transient nature of life, even amidst suffering.
The night represents danger, loss, and uncertainty, contrasting with the light of day, which symbolizes hope and clarity.
We should be cautious about desiring escape from our struggles, as it may lead to deeper despair rather than seeking understanding and hope.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I have experienced longing for relief in difficult times?
- How can I better recognize God's presence during dark moments in my life?
- In what ways can I support others who may be longing for escape from their struggles?
- How does this verse challenge my understanding of suffering and hope?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 36:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleDesire not the night,.... Either in a literal sense, which Job might do; not for secrecy to commit sin, as the thief, murderer, and adulterer do; Elihu had no such suspicion of Job; nor for ease and
Read John Gill on Job 36 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryDesire not the night, when people are cut off in their place. Desire - pant for [ tish'ap (H7602)]. Job had wished for death, (Job 3:3-9, etc.) Night - (John 9:4). When , lª- - whereby, or wherein; literally, for the purpose.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 36 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleDesire not the night; either, 1. Properly, that in it thou mayst find some ease or rest, as men usually do. But this Job did not much desire, for he complains that his nights were as restless as his days. Or rather, 2. Metaphorically, the night of death, which is called the night both in Scripture, as , and in other writers; and which Job had oft and earnestly desired, and even thirsted after, as this verb notes. See . And this seems best to agree with the foregoing counsel, , beware lest he take thee away with his stroke; for then, saith he, thou art irrecoverably lost and gone; and therefore take heed of thy foolish and oft-repeated desire of death, lest God inflict it upon thee in great…
Read Matthew Poole on Job 36 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 36:20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.Ver. 20. Desire not the night, &c.] That is, as some sense it, do not thou peevishly desire death, lest it come too soon, and it do by thee as it doth by many a one, whom it cuts off in judgment. For surely in the state thou art now in thou oughtest to fear an extraordinary kind of death, an inlet to eternal destruction, as in the deluge, Sodom, and Egypt. Others render it thus, Neither let it disquiet thee in the night, how people are destroyed out of their place; that is, in the night season, when thy mind is void of cares, puzzle not thyself how and why some nations perish, and not others, but rather rest thyself upon…
Read John Trapp on Job 36 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(20) Desire not the night—i.e., of death, as Job had done (Job 16:22; Job 17:13, &c., Job 19:27), or as, at all events, his words might be understood. For “people,” read peoples: i.e., nations.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 36 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 20. Desire not the night] Thou hast wished for death; (here called night;) desire it not; leave that with God. If he hear thee, and send death, thou mayest be cut off in a way at which thy soul would shudder.
Read AdamClarke on Job 36 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5–25. Elihu’s doctrine is in a word: God is great and despiseth not, He is great in strength of heart. His greatness is that of understanding, which enables Him to estimate all rightly, to see through all right and wrong, and to adapt His providence to the strong and to the weak, the evil and the good. This thought with the illustrations of it, Job 36:6-15, and the application of it to Job , vv16-25, exhaust the first half of this concluding speech.
Read Cambridge on Job 36 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleDesire not the night - That is, evidently, “the night of death.” The darkness of the night is an emblem of death, and it is not uncommon to speak of death in this manner; see John 9:4, “The night
Read Albert Barnes on Job 36 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.
Don’t desire the night, when people are cut off in their place.
Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.
Do not long for the cover of night to drag people away from their homes.
Tyndale line
Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
Desire not the night, When peoples are cut off in their place.
Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off in their place.
Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
Be not carefull in the night, howe he destroyeth the people out of their place.
Strictly literal
Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their place.
Desire not the night, For the going up of peoples in their stead.
Do not desire the night, || For the going up of peoples in their stead.
Desire then not eagerly the night, when nations pass away in their place.
Do not desire the night, to commit sin against others, when peoples are cut off in their place.
From the Latin
Prolong not the night that people may come up for them.
Simplified
Do not long for the night when people are suddenly taken away.
...
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in their wording, with all six Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration, but the core message remains consistent across these witnesses.
אַל־ תִּשְׁאַ֥ף הַלָּ֑יְלָה לַעֲל֖וֹת עַמִּ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
אל תשאף הלילה [לעלות] [עמים] תחת׳ם
3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 36:20
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.
אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
base
H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
408 'al al
a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified
negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,
nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing
(worth), rather than.
see HEBREW for 03808
אַל (al) — not.
1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)
1a) do not, let not (with a verb)
1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)
1c) not, no (with substantive)
1d) nothing (as substantive)
Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)
Part — ParticleHTn
שָׁאַף (sha'aph) is a Hebrew verb with two primary meanings: to gasp or pant, often in a context of longing or desire, and to crush or trample. The word conveys both a sense of eager inhalation and a physical act of crushing. It appears in various forms, indicating both emotional and physical intensity.
שָׁאַף vb. gasp, pant, pant after, long for
base
[שָׁאַף] vb. crush, trample on
base
H7602a שָׁאַף gasp, pant, pant after, long for H7602b שָׁאַף crush, trample on
7602 sha'aph shaw-af'
a primitive root; to inhale eagerly; figuratively, to cover;
by implication, to be angry; also to hasten:--desire
(earnestly), devour, haste, pant, snuff up, swallow up.
שָׁאַף (sha.aph) — to long for.
1) to gasp, pant, pant after, long for, breathe heavily
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to gasp, pant after, snuff up
1a2) to gasp or pant (with desire), pant after, be eager for
1a3) to thirst for one's blood (from actions of animals) (fig)
שָׁאַף (sha.aph) — to crush.
1) to crush, trample, trample upon
1a) (Qal) to trample upon, crush
V-Qal-Juss-2ms — Verb · Qal · jussive second person masculine singularHVqj2ms
for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.
In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…
לַ֫יְלָה (layil) means 'night' and is derived from a root that suggests a twist away from light. It encompasses the literal sense of night as opposed to day, as well as figurative uses related to gloom or adversity. The term appears in contexts like Isaiah 21:11.
לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל 242 n.m. night
base
H3915 לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל night
3915 layil lah'-yil
or (Isa. 21:11) leyl {lale}; also laylah {lah'- yel-aw}; from
the same as 3883; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e.
night; figuratively, adversity:--((mid-))night (season).
see HEBREW for 03883
לַ֫יְלָה (lay.lah) — night.
1) night
1a) night (as opposed to day)
1b) of gloom, protective shadow (fig.)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
nit.
See DAY AND NIGHT for the natural usage and the various terms.
1. In the Old Testament:
Figurative uses: The word "night" (laylah or layil is sometimes used figuratively in the Old Testament. Thus, Moses compares the brevity of time, the lapse of a thousand years, to "a watch in the night" (Ps 90:4). Adversity is depicted by it in such places as Job 35:10; compare Isa 8:20; Jer 15:9. Disappointment and despair are apparently depicted by it in the "burden of Dumah" (Isa 21:11,12); and spiritual blindness, coming upon the false prophets (Mic 3:6); again sudden and…
[DAY]
The ancient Hebrews began their artificial day at evening, and ended it the next evening, so that the night proceeded the day. This usage may probably be traced to the terms employed in describing the creation, Ge 1:5,8,13, etc., "The evening and the morning were the first day." The Hebrews allowed twelve to the day; but these hours were not equal, except at the equinox. At other times, when the hours of the night were long, those of the day were short, as in winter; and when the hours of night were short, as at midsummer, the hours of the day were long in proportion. See HOURS.
The nights are sometimes extremely cold in Syria, when the days are very hot; and travelers in the deserts and among the mountains near Palestine refer to their own sufferings from these opposite extremes, in illustration of Jacob’s words in
The Hebrew word עָלָה (alah) means 'to ascend' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including going up, climbing, and rising in various contexts such as personal, natural, and spiritual. It can refer to actions involving people, animals, vegetation, and even thoughts, and includes nuances of being exalted or offering sacrifices. The word is built from a primitive root and appears in various grammatical forms, indicating different aspects of ascent or elevation.
עָלָה 890 vb. go up, ascend, climb
Qal
of persons, go up, ascend, in local relations
go up, in personal relations
of animals, go or come up
of vegetation, spring up, grow, shoot forth
of natural phenom., go up, rise
of inanimate things, instead of passive construction
of thoughts
come up before God, arrogance
go up, extend, of boundary
excel
Niph.
be brought up
be taken up
pass., be taken up, away
reflex., take oneself away from, get up from
reflex.: take oneself away
be exalted, of God
Hiph.
bring up persons
in personal relations
bring up animals
cause to ascend
mentally
offer a present; bring up tithe to
exalt
cause to ascend (in flame), offer sacrifice
Hoph.
be carried away
be taken up into, inserted in
be offered
Hithp. lift oneself
base
H5927 עָלָה go up, ascend, climb .. of persons, go up, ascend, in local relations
. go up, in personal relations
. of animals, go or come up
. of vegetation, spring up, grow, shoot forth
. of natural phenom., go up, rise
. of inanimate things, instead of passive construction
. of thoughts
. come up before God, arrogance
. go up, extend, of boundary
. excel
. . . be brought up
. be taken up
. . pass., be taken up, away
. reflex., take oneself away from, get up from
. reflex.: take oneself away
. be exalted, of God
. . bring up persons
. in personal relations
. bring up animals
. cause to ascend
. mentally
. offer a present; bring up tithe to
. exalt
. cause to ascend (in flame), offer sacrifice
. . be carried away
. be taken up into, inserted in
. be offered
. lift oneself
5927 `alah aw-law'
a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or
actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary
and secondary, literal and figurative (as follow):--arise
(up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up),
bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, + shew, climb
(up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart,
exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up);
grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light,
(make) up, X mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, + perfect,
prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise
(up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring
(up), stir up, take away (up), work.
עָלָה (a.lah) — to ascend: rise.
: rise/go
1) to go up, ascend, climb
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go up, ascend
1a2) to meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat
1a3) to go up, come up (of animals)
1a4) to spring up, grow, shoot forth (of vegetation)
1a5) to go up, go up over, rise (of natural phenomenon)
1a6) to come up (before God)
1a7) to go up, go up over, extend (of boundary)
1a8) to excel, be superior to
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be taken up, be brought up, be taken away
1b2) to take oneself away
1b3) to be exalted
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to bring up, cause to ascend or climb, cause to go up
1c2) to bring up, bring against, take away
1c3) to bring up, draw up, train
1c4) to cause to ascend
1c5) to rouse, stir up (mentally)
1c6) to offer, bring up (of gifts)
1c7) to exalt
1c8) to cause to ascend, offer
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be carried away, be led up
1d2) to be taken up into, be inserted in
1d3) to be offered
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc
עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.
עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people
a people, nation
= smaller units
= common people
people in gen., persons
phrases
base
[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)
base
H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)
5971 `am am
from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a
tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or
attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,
people.
see HEBREW for 06004
עַם (am) — people.
: people/nation
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — kinsman.
kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Ammi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — People's (Gate).
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.
Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Amaw.
This name means nation, people
עַם (am) — people: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — people: creatures.
: creatures
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
תַּחַת (tachath) refers to the concept of being underneath or below. It can function as a noun meaning 'the under part,' or as an adverb and preposition indicating position or substitution, such as 'instead of' or 'for the sake of.' The word encompasses various uses, including physical placement and metaphorical meanings related to subjection or exchange.
תַּחַת n.[m.] the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of
base
H8478 תַּחַת the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of
8478 tachath takh'-ath
from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only
adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix
underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat,
in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead
of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore,
with.
see HEBREW for 08430
תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: under.
: under/below
1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m
1a) the under part adv accus
1b) beneath prep
1c) under, beneath
1c1) at the foot of (idiom)
1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig)
1c3) of subjection or conquest
1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands
1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun)
1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense)
1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged)
conj
1e) instead of, instead of that
1f) in return for that, because that in compounds
1g) in, under, into the place of (after verbs of motion)
1h) from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, under, beneath
תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: instead.
: instead/in_place/exchange
Prep | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3mp