KJV ORIGINAL
Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Or I wish I had been a miscarriage that was buried and forgotten, like babies who never got to see the light of day.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Job is expressing his deep anguish by wishing he had never been born at all, comparing himself to babies who died before birth.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes from Job's first major speech after losing his children, wealth, and health. In ancient times, stillborn children were often buried quietly without ceremony, representing a existence that never truly began. Job is so overwhelmed by his suffering that he envies even those who never experienced life.
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