Job 3:15
or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
or with princes
The Hebrew word for "princes" is "שָׂרִים" (sarim), which denotes leaders or nobles. In the ancient Near Eastern context, princes were often seen as powerful figures with authority and influence. Job's reference to princes here underscores his longing for a status or condition that is beyond the reach of earthly suffering. Historically, princes were not only political leaders but also custodians of wealth and culture, often living lives of luxury and ease. Job's mention of them reflects his desire for a life that is free from the turmoil and pain he is experiencing.

who had gold
Gold, in the ancient world, was a symbol of wealth, prosperity, and divine favor. The Hebrew word "זָהָב" (zahav) is used here, emphasizing the material wealth that these princes possessed. Gold was often used in the construction of temples and idols, signifying its value and importance. In Job's lament, the mention of gold highlights the stark contrast between his current state of loss and the opulence he imagines in death. It reflects a yearning for the peace and security that wealth is perceived to bring, yet which eludes him in his suffering.

who filled their houses with silver
Silver, like gold, was a precious metal that signified wealth and abundance. The Hebrew term "כֶּסֶף" (kesef) is used here, and it often appears in the context of trade and commerce in the Bible. Filling houses with silver suggests not only wealth but also stability and permanence. In the ancient world, silver was used as currency and in the making of various household items, indicating a life of comfort and provision. Job's reference to houses filled with silver paints a picture of a life that is secure and untroubled, a stark contrast to his own experience of loss and despair. This imagery serves to deepen the sense of longing for a return to a state of peace and prosperity, which he feels is only attainable in death.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Job
A man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, experiencing profound suffering and questioning the meaning of his trials.

2. Princes
In this context, princes refer to rulers or leaders who possess wealth and power. They are symbolic of those who have earthly riches and status.

3. Gold and Silver
These precious metals represent wealth and material prosperity. In ancient times, they were often used as currency and symbols of affluence.

4. Job's Lament
This chapter is part of Job's lament, where he curses the day of his birth and expresses a desire for rest and escape from his suffering.

5. The Book of Job
A poetic and philosophical text in the Old Testament that explores themes of suffering, justice, and the sovereignty of God.
Teaching Points
The Illusion of Wealth
Wealth and material possessions, symbolized by gold and silver, are ultimately transient and cannot provide true security or peace.

The Universality of Suffering
Both the wealthy and the poor experience suffering. Job's lament shows that no amount of wealth can shield one from life's trials.

Seeking Eternal Treasures
Believers are encouraged to focus on spiritual riches and eternal treasures rather than earthly wealth, aligning with Jesus' teachings in the New Testament.

The Sovereignty of God
Job's account reminds us of God's ultimate control over our lives and circumstances, encouraging trust in His wisdom and timing.

Finding Rest in God
True rest and peace are found in God alone, not in material possessions or earthly status.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Job 3:15 challenge our modern understanding of wealth and success?

2. In what ways can the pursuit of material wealth distract us from our spiritual goals?

3. How can we find contentment and peace in God amidst suffering, as Job sought to do?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth?

5. How does understanding the sovereignty of God help us navigate times of trial and uncertainty?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Ecclesiastes 5:10
This verse discusses the futility of wealth and how it does not satisfy the soul, similar to Job's reflection on the emptiness of riches in the face of suffering.

Matthew 6:19-21
Jesus teaches about storing treasures in heaven rather than on earth, which aligns with Job's implicit understanding that earthly wealth cannot bring true peace or rest.

Proverbs 11:4
This proverb highlights that riches do not profit in the day of wrath, emphasizing the limited value of material wealth in the face of divine judgment and suffering.
Birth DeploredT. T. Munger.Job 3:1-26
Defect in the Best of MenDean Farrar.Job 3:1-26
Good Men not Always At Their BestJ. Caryl.Job 3:1-26
Good Men Weakened by CalamitiesH. E. Stone.Job 3:1-26
Infirmity AppearingFootsteps of Truth.Job 3:1-26
Job Cursing His DayJoseph Caryl.Job 3:1-26
Job's DistemperGeorge Hutcheson.Job 3:1-26
Mistaken SpeechJ. Parker, D. D.Job 3:1-26
The Cry from the DepthsRobert A. Watson, D. D.Job 3:1-26
The Eloquence of GriefE. Johnson Job 3:1-26
The Maddening Force of SufferingHomilistJob 3:1-26
The Peril of Impulsive SpeechAlbert Barnes.Job 3:1-26
The Speech of Job and its MisapprehensionsJoseph Parker, D. D.Job 3:1-26
The Grave a RestR. Green Job 3:13-19
People
Job
Places
Uz
Topics
Filled, Filling, Full, Gold, Houses, Princes, Rulers, Silver
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Job 3:15

     4333   gold

Job 3:1-26

     5945   self-pity

Job 3:11-19

     5059   rest, eternal

Job 3:13-15

     4363   silver

Job 3:13-17

     5057   rest, physical

Job 3:13-19

     9540   Sheol

Library
March 2 Evening
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.--HEB. 4:9. There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest. There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; they . . . rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. Our friend Lazarus sleepeth . . . Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. We that are in this tabernacle do groan,
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

The Trouble and Rest of Good Men "There the Wicked Cease from Troubling
Sermon 127 The Trouble and Rest of Good Men "There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary be at rest." Job 3:17. When God at first surveyed all the works he had made, "behold, they were very good." All were perfect in beauty, and man, the lord of all, was perfect in holiness. And as his holiness was, so was his happiness. Knowing no sin, he knew no pain. But when sin was conceived, it soon brought forth pain; the whole scene was changed in a moment. He now groaned under the weight of
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

The Sorrowful Man's Question
"Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?"--Job 3:23. I AM VERY THANKFUL that so many of you are glad and happy. There is none too much joy in the world, and the more that any of us can create, the better. It should be a part of our happiness, and a man part of it, to try to make other people glad. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people," is a commission which many of us ought to feel is entrusted to us. If your own cup of joy is full, let it run over to others who
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 46: 1900

A Prayer when one Begins to be Sick.
O most righteous Judge, yet in Jesus Christ my gracious Father! I, wretched sinner, do here return unto thee, though driven with pain and sickness, like the prodigal child with want and hunger. I acknowledge that this sickness and pain comes not by blind chance or fortune, but by thy divine providence and special appointment. It is the stroke of thy heavy hand, which my sins have justly deserved; and the things that I feared are now fallen upon me (Job iii. 25.) Yet do I well perceive that in wrath
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Whether Servile Fear is Good
Whether Servile Fear is Good We proceed to the fourth article thus: 1. It seems that servile fear is not good. If the use of a thing is evil, the thing itself is evil. Now the use of servile fear is evil, since "he who does something out of fear does not do well, even though that which is done be good," as the gloss says on Rom. ch. 8. It follows that servile fear is not good. 2. Again, that which has its origin in a root of sin is not good. Servile fear has its origin in a root of sin. For on Job
Aquinas—Nature and Grace

Whether it is Lawful to Curse an Irrational Creature?
Objection 1: It would seem that it is unlawful to curse an irrational creature. Cursing would seem to be lawful chiefly in its relation to punishment. Now irrational creatures are not competent subjects either of guilt or of punishment. Therefore it is unlawful to curse them. Objection 2: Further, in an irrational creature there is nothing but the nature which God made. But it is unlawful to curse this even in the devil, as stated above [2960](A[1]). Therefore it is nowise lawful to curse an irrational
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether in the State of Innocence Children Would have Been Born Confirmed in Righteousness?
Objection 1: It would seem that in the state of innocence children would have been born confirmed in righteousness. For Gregory says (Moral. iv) on the words of Job 3:13: "For now I should have been asleep, etc.: If no sinful corruption had infected our first parent, he would not have begotten "children of hell"; no children would have been born of him but such as were destined to be saved by the Redeemer." Therefore all would have been born confirmed in righteousness. Objection 2: Further, Anselm
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether the Blessed virgin was Sanctified Before Animation?
Objection 1: It would seem that the Blessed Virgin was sanctified before animation. Because, as we have stated [4127](A[1]), more grace was bestowed on the Virgin Mother of God than on any saint. Now it seems to have been granted to some, to be sanctified before animation. For it is written (Jer. 1:5): "Before I formed thee in the bowels of thy mother, I knew thee": and the soul is not infused before the formation of the body. Likewise Ambrose says of John the Baptist (Comment. in Luc. i, 15): "As
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Servile Fear is Good?
Objection 1: It would seem that servile fear is not good. For if the use of a thing is evil, the thing itself is evil. Now the use of servile fear is evil, for according to a gloss on Rom. 8:15, "if a man do anything through fear, although the deed be good, it is not well done." Therefore servile fear is not good. Objection 2: Further, no good grows from a sinful root. Now servile fear grows from a sinful root, because when commenting on Job 3:11, "Why did I not die in the womb?" Gregory says (Moral.
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether it is Lawful to Curse Anyone?
Objection 1: It would seem unlawful to curse anyone. For it is unlawful to disregard the command of the Apostle in whom Christ spoke, according to 2 Cor. 13:3. Now he commanded (Rom. 12:14), "Bless and curse not." Therefore it is not lawful to curse anyone. Objection 2: Further, all are bound to bless God, according to Dan. 3:82, "O ye sons of men, bless the Lord." Now the same mouth cannot both bless God and curse man, as proved in the third chapter of James. Therefore no man may lawfully curse
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Wesley and his Barber
Thursday, April 11 (Bolton).--The barber who shaved me said, "Sir, I praise God on your behalf. When you were at Bolton last, I was one of the most eminent drunkards in all the town; but I came to listen at the window, and God struck me to the heart. I then earnestly prayed for power against drinking; and God gave me more than I asked: He took away the very desire of it. Yet I felt myself worse and worse, till on April 5 last, I could hold out no longer. I knew I must drop into hell that moment unless
John Wesley—The Journal of John Wesley

The Rich Sinner Dying. Psa. 49:6,9; Eccl. 8:8; Job 3:14,15.
The rich sinner dying. Psa. 49:6,9; Eccl. 8:8; Job 3:14,15. In vain the wealthy mortals toil, And heap their shining dust in vain, Look down and scorn the humble poor, And boast their lofty hills of gain. Their golden cordials cannot ease Their pained hearts or aching heads, Nor fright nor bribe approaching death From glitt'ring roofs and downy beds. The ling'ring, the unwilling soul The dismal summons must obey, And bid a long, a sad farewell To the pale lump of lifeless clay. Thence they are
Isaac Watts—The Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts

The Poetical Books (Including Also Ecclesiastes and Canticles).
1. The Hebrews reckon but three books as poetical, namely: Job, Psalms, and Proverbs, which are distinguished from the rest by a stricter rhythm--the rhythm not of feet, but of clauses (see below, No. 3)--and a peculiar system of accentuation. It is obvious to every reader that the poetry of the Old Testament, in the usual sense of the word, is not restricted to these three books. But they are called poetical in a special and technical sense. In any natural classification of the books of the
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

The Writings of Israel's Philosophers
[Sidenote: Discussions the problem of evil] An intense interest in man led certain of Israel's sages in time to devote their attention to more general philosophical problems, such as the moral order of the universe. In the earlier proverbs, prophetic histories, and laws, the doctrine that sin was always punished by suffering or misfortune, and conversely that calamity and misfortune were sure evidence of the guilt of the one affected, had been reiterated until it had become a dogma. In nine out
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

One Thing is Needful;
or, SERIOUS MEDITATIONS UPON THE FOUR LAST THINGS: DEATH, JUDGMENT, HEAVEN, AND HELL UNTO WHICH IS ADDED EBAL AND GERIZZIM, OR THE BLESSING AND THE CURSE, by John Bunyan. London: Printed for Nath. Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1688.[1] ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. According to Charles Doe, in that curious sheet called The Struggler for the Preservation of Mr. John Bunyan's Labours, these poems were published about the year 1664, while the author was suffering imprisonment for conscience
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Death Swallowed up in victory
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory! D eath, simply considered, is no more than the cessation of life --that which was once living, lives no longer. But it has been the general, perhaps the universal custom of mankind, to personify it. Imagination gives death a formidable appearance, arms it with a dart, sting or scythe, and represents it as an active, inexorable and invincible reality. In this view death is a great devourer; with his iron tongue
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Meditations for the Morning.
1. Almighty God can, in the resurrection, as easily raise up thy body out of the grave, from the sleep of death, as he hath this morning wakened thee in thy bed, out of the sleep of nature. At the dawning of which resurrection day, Christ shall come to be glorified in his saints; and every one of the bodies of the thousands of his saints, being fashioned like unto his glorious body, shall shine as bright as the sun (2 Thess. i. 10; Jude, ver. 14; Phil. iii. 21; Luke ix. 31;) all the angels shining
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Job
The book of Job is one of the great masterpieces of the world's literature, if not indeed the greatest. The author was a man of superb literary genius, and of rich, daring, and original mind. The problem with which he deals is one of inexhaustible interest, and his treatment of it is everywhere characterized by a psychological insight, an intellectual courage, and a fertility and brilliance of resource which are nothing less than astonishing. Opinion has been divided as to how the book should be
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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