Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Job 42:14-15

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Job 42:14-15


14 And he called [qara'] the name [shem] of the first ['echad], Jemima [Yamiymah]; and the name [shem] of the second [sheniy], Kezia [Qatsiy`ah]; and the name [shem] of the third [shaliyshiy], Kerenhappuch [Qeren Hap-puwk].
15 And in all the land ['erets] were no women ['ishshah] found [matsa'] so fair [yapheh] as the daughters [bath] of Job ['Iyowb]: and their father ['ab] gave [nathan] them inheritance [nachalah] among [tavek] their brethren ['ach]. KJV-Interlinear



14 And he named the first Jemimah, and the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15 And in all the land no women were found so fair as Job's daughters; and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers. NASB


These three names, of Jobs daughters, imply either sweetness or beauty. The name of the first daughter, Jemimah, means day or beauty of the day. This signifies the beauty of the light of day, following the darkness and dreariness of the night just finished.

Job has come out of a horrendous period of suffering, and generally, when folks have an experience of significance, then they name their children in some manner, after the things that are around them.

The second daughter, Keziah, means cassia, a precious perfume, which is an aromatic bark resembling cinnamon. This could be because of her complexion, her hair color or just about anything. But after the suffering period of Job was over, the sweet smell of prosperity, the sweet feelings of being released from the burdens of suffering, were extraordinary.

The third daughter, Keren-happuch, symbolizes the great beauty enhanced by the dark eyeliner used by women of Jobs day. This eyeliner, called 'horn of stibium,' was a dark dye used to paint highlights on the eyelashes to enhance appeal and beauty.

So the three daughters came to describe the shining forth, the sweet aroma, the enhanced beauty of Gods blessings, blessings which were far superior to suffering, as well as to anything else in life.

Typically in those days, the women had little to say in matters of importance. The men pretty much ran life as it was known back then. However, the life of those days was ruled by tradition and habit, both which are forms of, and originate out from, human arrogance.

Typically, again, the women would not even receive an inheritance.

But then, Job was not run by human tradition. He was ruled by Gods Word. And in so doing, he treated his daughters no differently than his sons. They inherited in equal shares along with their brothers when Job and his wife both had passed away.

But this also teaches us that Job would have included his wife in on the important matters of his life. Naming the children would be one of those important and private, family matters.

Earlier, his wife would have been happy if Job had cursed and died, but now, they were energetic enough to be able to have ten more, repeat, ten more children. That would be twenty in all for the Mrs. Not exactly something that most women of today would look forward to! And, since infant mortality rates were quite high, she most likely was pregnant more than twenty times.

But then, Mrs. Job probably lived a couple of hundred years. So, at the young age of only a hundred and thirty or so, she was probably still quite the babe!

Jointly naming the children, paints a picture of a very healthy and happy marriage. Job recovered from his suffering and the Mrs. had a dramatic change of attitude, both toward Job and toward God.