Job 3:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

We recognize that both life and death hold significance when desired; thus, it is stated, “They that wait for death, and have it not, dig for it more eagerly than for treasure. They rejoice when they find it” (Job 3:21-22). This leads us to consider, “To everything there is a season” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Furthermore, it is said, “O death, how bitter is the remembrance of you for a man who lives contentedly in his possessions, who is undisturbed and joyful in all things, and can still partake in the feast” (Sir. 41:1-2). In contrast, it is also noted, “O death, your judgment is good for the person who is needy and exhausted, for the elder burdened with cares, for the one who has lost all hope and patience” (Sir. 41:3-4).

Until now, Job appeared to remain distant and unaffected by anything that might challenge his faith in God and his endurance. However, he can no longer hide the anguish that resides within him, and, in a poignant expression of his humanity, he pronounces a curse on the day of his birth. This reflects the belief held by faithful individuals that a person's happiness and suffering are linked to the moment of their arrival into the world. Job's curse reveals his desire for the day of his birth to vanish entirely from the calendar, or, if it must exist, to be marked as a day of sorrow (3:3-10).