Job 38:12

38:12 Have you ever in your life ¹  commanded the morning,

or made the dawn know ²  its place,

Job 41:18

41:18 Its snorting throws out flashes of light;

its eyes are like the red glow ³  of dawn.

Job 3:9

3:9 Let its morning stars ⁴  be darkened;

let it wait ⁵  for daylight but find none, ⁶ 

nor let it see the first rays ⁷  of dawn,

[38:12]  ¹ tn The Hebrew idiom is “have you from your days?” It means “never in your life” (see 1 Sam 25:28; 1 Kgs 1:6).

[38:12]  ² tn The verb is the Piel of יָדַע (yada’, “to know”) with a double accusative.

[41:18]  ³ tn Heb “the eyelids,” but it represents the early beams of the dawn as the cover of night lifts.

[3:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “the stars of its dawn.” The word נֶשֶׁף (neshef) can mean “twilight” or “dawn.” In this context the morning stars are in mind. Job wishes that the morning stars – that should announce the day – go out.

[3:9]  ⁶ tn The verb “wait, hope” has the idea of eager expectation and preparation. It is used elsewhere of waiting on the Lord with anticipation.

[3:9]  ⁷ tn The absolute state אַיִן (’ayin, “there is none”) is here used as a verbal predicate (see GKC 480 §152.k). The concise expression literally says “and none.”

[3:9]  ⁸ sn The expression is literally “the eyelids of the morning.” This means the very first rays of dawn (see also Job 41:18). There is some debate whether it refers to “eyelids” or “eyelashes” or “eyeballs.” If the latter, it would signify the flashing eyes of a person. See for the Ugaritic background H. L. Ginsberg, The Legend of King Keret (BASORSup), 39; see also J. M. Steadman, “‘Eyelids of Morn’: A Biblical Convention,” HTR 56 (1963): 159-67.