Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? New Living Translation Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties? English Standard Version Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? Berean Standard Bible Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? King James Bible Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? New King James Version Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in? New American Standard Bible “Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has shut off? NASB 1995 “Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in? NASB 1977 “Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in? Legacy Standard Bible Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in? Amplified Bible “Why is the light of day given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in? Christian Standard Bible Why is life given to a man whose path is hidden, whom God has hedged in? Holman Christian Standard Bible Why is life given to a man whose path is hidden, whom God has hedged in? American Standard Version Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, And whom God hath hedged in? Contemporary English Version Why do I go on living when God has me surrounded, and I can't see the road? English Revised Version Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? GOD'S WORD® Translation Why give light to those whose paths have been hidden, to those whom God has fenced in? Good News Translation God keeps their future hidden and hems them in on every side. International Standard Version To the formerly successful man who lost his way in life, and God fenced him in? NET Bible Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in? New Heart English Bible Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, whom God has hedged in? Webster's Bible Translation Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleWhy is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? World English Bible Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionTo a man whose way has been hidden, "" And whom God shuts up? Young's Literal Translation To a man whose way hath been hidden, And whom God doth shut up? Smith's Literal Translation To a man whose way was hid, and God will hedge about him? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleTo a man whose way is hidden, and God hath surrounded him with darkness? Catholic Public Domain Version to a man whose way is hidden and whom God has surrounded with darkness? New American Bible A man whose path is hidden from him, one whom God has hemmed in! New Revised Standard Version Why is light given to one who cannot see the way, whom God has fenced in? Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleWhy is light given to a man whose way is hid, whom God has hedged in? Peshitta Holy Bible Translated To a man whose way is hidden and God descends upon him? OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917To a man whose way is hid, And whom God hath hedged in? Brenton Septuagint Translation Death is rest to such a man, for God has hedged him in. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Job Laments His Birth…22who rejoice and greatly exult when they can find the grave? 23Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? 24I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.… Cross References Psalm 88:8 You have removed my friends from me; You have made me repulsive to them; I am confined and cannot escape. Lamentations 3:7 He has walled me in so I cannot escape; He has weighed me down with chains. Isaiah 59:10 Like the blind, we feel our way along the wall, groping like those without eyes. We stumble at midday as in the twilight; among the vigorous we are like the dead. Jeremiah 13:16 Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness. Psalm 107:10-14 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains, / because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. / He humbled their hearts with hard labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. ... Proverbs 4:19 But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble. Isaiah 42:7 to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house. Ecclesiastes 6:12 For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun? Psalm 142:3 Although my spirit grows faint within me, You know my way. Along the path I travel they have hidden a snare for me. Isaiah 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. Matthew 4:16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.” John 12:35 Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Ephesians 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 1 John 2:11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. Treasury of Scripture Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God has hedged in? whose way. Isaiah 40:27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? hedged in. Job 12:14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. Job 19:8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths. Psalm 31:8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room. Jump to Previous Hedged Hid Hidden Light Shut Veiled WayJump to Next Hedged Hid Hidden Light Shut Veiled WayJob 3 1. Job curses the day and services of his birth.13. The ease of death. 20. He complains of life, because of his anguish. Why is life given to a man This phrase reflects Job's deep anguish and existential questioning. In the context of the Book of Job, Job is a righteous man who has lost everything, including his health, wealth, and family. His question is rhetorical, expressing his despair and confusion about the purpose of life amidst suffering. This echoes the broader biblical theme of questioning God's purposes, seen in other scriptures like Ecclesiastes 1:2, where the Preacher questions the meaning of life. whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? Persons / Places / Events 1. JobA man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, known for his immense suffering and perseverance. 2. God The sovereign Creator who allows Job's trials as a test of faith and integrity. He is ultimately in control of all circumstances. 3. Satan The adversary who challenges Job's faithfulness, suggesting that Job is only righteous because of his prosperity. 4. Job's Friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, who come to comfort Job but end up accusing him of wrongdoing as the cause of his suffering. 5. Land of Uz The setting of the Book of Job, a region whose exact location is uncertain but is traditionally considered to be in the area of Edom or northern Arabia. Teaching Points Understanding SufferingSuffering can feel like a hedge, limiting our understanding and perspective. Job's lament reflects a common human experience of feeling trapped by circumstances beyond our control. God's Sovereignty Even when our way seems hidden, God is sovereign. His purposes are often beyond our comprehension, but His character is trustworthy. Faith in Trials Job's question challenges us to maintain faith even when we cannot see the way forward. Trusting God in the dark is a profound act of faith. Community and Comfort Job's friends initially come to comfort him, reminding us of the importance of community. However, their failure to empathize teaches us to be compassionate and patient with those who suffer. Hope Beyond Understanding While Job feels hedged in, the broader biblical account assures us of hope and redemption. Our current understanding is limited, but God's plan is ultimately for our good. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Job 3:23?2. How does Job 3:23 reflect Job's struggle with understanding God's plan? 3. What can Job 3:23 teach us about trusting God during life's challenges? 4. How does Job 3:23 connect with Romans 8:28 about God's purpose for us? 5. How can Job's lament in Job 3:23 guide our prayers in suffering? 6. What steps can we take to find hope when feeling "hedged in" like Job? 7. Why does God allow suffering as seen in Job 3:23? 8. How does Job 3:23 challenge the belief in a benevolent God? 9. What is the theological significance of Job's despair in Job 3:23? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 3? 11. Have you heard the good news of Jesus Christ? 12. Isn't it unfair that Christianity says only Christians go to Heaven? 13. How can Job's claim in Job 23:3-5 that he would argue his case directly before God be reconciled with a supposedly omnipresent deity who remains silent? 14. How can David claim innocence in Psalm 17:3 if the Bible elsewhere teaches that all humans are sinful (Romans 3:23)? What Does Job 3:23 Mean Why is life given• Job voices a raw, heartfelt question: “Why is life given…?” (Job 3:23). • He isn’t denying God’s right to give life; he’s wrestling with the purpose behind it when pain eclipses every blessing. • Similar laments appear in Jeremiah 20:18 and Psalm 88:14–18, where faithful servants wonder why God allows them to keep living amid misery. • These cries remind us that Scripture welcomes honest struggle—Psalm 62:8 urges us, “Pour out your hearts before Him,” recognizing that God hears even the darkest groans. • Behind the anguish, Job still acknowledges that life ultimately comes from God (Job 12:10), hinting that his question, though anguished, is still addressed to the Sovereign Giver. to a man whose way is hidden • Job feels blinded: the path ahead makes no sense, the future is “hidden.” • Proverbs 20:24 says, “A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?” That truth comforts us when circumstances look chaotic—God sees what we cannot. • Psalm 77:19 portrays God’s unseen path “through the sea,” recalling that He often guides where footprints vanish. • For believers today, Romans 8:28 assures that even hidden ways are woven for good to those who love God, though that tapestry may remain unseen until glory. • Job’s complaint highlights a universal struggle: trusting God’s unseen plan when present suffering smothers clarity. whom God has hedged in • Earlier, Satan complained, “Have You not placed a hedge on every side of him?” (Job 1:10). That hedge once signified protection; now Job feels it as confinement. • Lamentations 3:7–9 echoes this: “He has walled me in so I cannot escape… He has blocked my ways with hewn stone.” • The same sovereign God who sets boundaries for blessing can set boundaries for testing (1 Corinthians 10:13 indicates He limits what trials may do). • What Job perceives as a restrictive hedge is actually God’s guarded arena, keeping the test within divine limits. • James 5:11 later reflects on Job’s story, affirming “the Lord is full of compassion and mercy,” showing that the hedge ultimately serves redemptive purposes, even when it feels like a prison wall. summary Job 3:23 captures the anguish of a righteous sufferer who knows life comes from God yet cannot fathom why that life persists amid relentless pain. He feels blind to the future and boxed in by the very God he trusts. Cross-references reveal that this tension is common to faithful believers throughout Scripture. While the way may be hidden and the hedge may feel harsh, God remains sovereign, purposeful, and compassionate, turning every unseen path and every boundary into instruments of ultimate good. (23) Hedged in.--The same expression was used in an opposite sense in Job 1:10.Verse 23. - Why is light given to a man whose way is hid? "Obscured," that is, "darkened," "placed under a cloud" (comp. ver. 20, where the sentiment is nearly the same). And whom God hath hedged in. Not in the way of protection, as in Job 1:10, but of obstruction and confinement: (comp. Job 19:8 and Hosea 2:6). Job feels himself confined, imprisoned, blocked in. He can neither see the path which he ought to pursue nor take steps in any direction.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Why is life given to a manלְ֭גֶבֶר (lə·ḡe·ḇer) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1397: A valiant man, warrior, a person simply whose אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that way דַּרְכּ֣וֹ (dar·kōw) Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action is hidden, נִסְתָּ֑רָה (nis·tā·rāh) Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 5641: To hide, conceal whom God אֱל֣וֹהַּ (’ĕ·lō·w·ah) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 433: God -- a deity, the Deity has hedged in? וַיָּ֖סֶךְ (way·yā·seḵ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5526: To entwine as a, screen, to fence in, cover over, protect Links Job 3:23 NIVJob 3:23 NLT Job 3:23 ESV Job 3:23 NASB Job 3:23 KJV Job 3:23 BibleApps.com Job 3:23 Biblia Paralela Job 3:23 Chinese Bible Job 3:23 French Bible Job 3:23 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Job 3:23 Why is light given to a man (Jb) |
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