Job 3:15
Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:
Original Language Analysis
א֣וֹ
H176
א֣וֹ
Strong's:
H176
Word #:
1 of 8
desire (and so probably in proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if
עִם
H5973
עִם
Strong's:
H5973
Word #:
2 of 8
adverb or preposition, with (i.e., in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then
זָהָ֣ב
that had gold
H2091
זָהָ֣ב
that had gold
Strong's:
H2091
Word #:
4 of 8
gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e., yellow), as oil, a clear sky
הַֽמְמַלְאִ֖ים
who filled
H4390
הַֽמְמַלְאִ֖ים
who filled
Strong's:
H4390
Word #:
6 of 8
to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively)
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern burial practices often included burying the dead with treasures (grave goods), reflecting the belief that wealth somehow accompanied the deceased. Scripture consistently rejects this notion.
Questions for Reflection
- How has suffering helped you gain proper perspective on the relative value of earthly wealth?
- What does Job's indifference to wealth in death teach us about its true significance?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Job continues his meditation: in death he would rest with 'princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver.' The wealthy cannot take their riches beyond the grave (Psalm 49:16-17). Job's suffering has made him prefer the rest of death with its loss of all earthly treasures to continued life with its pain. This reflects how suffering reveals the relative unimportance of wealth—a truth the prosperous often fail to grasp.