Job 36:20
Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
Original Language Analysis
אַל
H408
אַל
Strong's:
H408
Word #:
1 of 6
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
תִּשְׁאַ֥ף
Desire
H7602
תִּשְׁאַ֥ף
Desire
Strong's:
H7602
Word #:
2 of 6
to inhale eagerly; figuratively, to cover; by implication, to be angry; also to hasten
הַלָּ֑יְלָה
not the night
H3915
הַלָּ֑יְלָה
not the night
Strong's:
H3915
Word #:
3 of 6
properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e., night; figuratively, adversity
לַעֲל֖וֹת
are cut off
H5927
לַעֲל֖וֹת
are cut off
Strong's:
H5927
Word #:
4 of 6
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
Cross References
Job 34:20In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.Job 34:25Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.Exodus 12:29And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.2 Kings 19:35And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
Historical Context
In ancient Near Eastern thought, premature death represented curse and defeat. Long life was the blessing promised to the righteous (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:33, Proverbs 3:16). To desire death showed either extreme despair or arrogant presumption about when one's time should end. Elihu warns against both attitudes.
Questions for Reflection
- How does suffering tempt us toward death-wish despair rather than patient endurance?
- What distinguishes biblical hope for Christ's return from suicidal despair or escapist fantasies?
- How can we maintain the will to live when circumstances make death seem preferable to continued suffering?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place (אַל־תִּשְׁאַף הַלָּיְלָה לַעֲלוֹת עַמִּים תַּחְתָּם, al-tish'af hallaylah la'alot ammim tachtam)—This cryptic verse warns against longing for death or divine judgment. The verb sha'af (to pant after, desire, long for) suggests eager anticipation. Laylah (night) symbolizes judgment, darkness, and death throughout Scripture (John 9:4, Romans 13:12). The phrase when people are cut off in their place uses amim (peoples, nations) and suggests sudden destruction.
Elihu warns Job against the temptation to wish for death—a desire Job has expressed repeatedly (3:11-13, 6:8-9, 7:15). Ecclesiastes 7:17 similarly warns: 'Why shouldest thou die before thy time?' The night of judgment comes for all eventually, but to desire it prematurely shows despair rather than faith. Job has wished for death as release from suffering, but Elihu argues this reveals dangerous impatience with God's timing. The New Testament teaches we should desire Christ's return (2 Timothy 4:8, Revelation 22:20) but not seek premature death (Philippians 1:21-24).