Job 42:14 Meaning: The Hope in Job's Daughters' Names
He called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren Happuch.
And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Keren–happuch.
And he called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch.
and he calleth the name of the one Jemima, and the name of the second Kezia, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch.
And he called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Job name his daughters Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren-happuch? Each name is a promise of beauty and restoration after suffering.
Context
The book of Job ends with a quiet, surprising scene. After all his loss and suffering, after God spoke from the whirlwind and Job repented, God restores everything Job had. His brothers and sisters return. His wealth doubles. And he has seven more sons and three daughters. This verse gives us the names of those daughters. It is a small detail, but in a book full of deep questions about suffering, these names are not random. They tell us something about how God heals a life.
Key Words
Job names his first daughter Jemimah. The word likely comes from yom, meaning "day." Commentators see a connection to light after darkness. After years of night, Job names a daughter "Daybreak."
His second daughter he calls Keziah, which is the Hebrew word for cassia, a sweet spice used in perfumes (Psalm 45:8). Where Job's body once stank with sores and scabs, now he speaks a name that smells of fragrance.
The third daughter carries the longest name: Keren-happuch, meaning "horn of eye-paint." Ancient women used a black powder called puch to line their eyes and make them beautiful. The "horn" was the container. So Job's youngest daughter is named "Cosmetic Box." In a culture where beauty marked blessing, this name says: God has given you something lovely to look at.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read these names as signs of restored goodness. The Chaldee paraphrase says Jemimah was "fair as the day," Keziah "precious as cassia," and Keren-happuch "splendid as the emerald." The Septuagint translates Keren-happuch as "horn of Amalthea," referring to a Greek myth of abundance. Protestant commentators like Matthew Henry and Barnes see the names as evidence that beauty and joy returned to Job's home. The Douay version renders the names as Day, Cassia, and Horn of Antimony. Across these readings, the names point toward one truth: God does not give back a lesser version of what was lost. He gives new color, new fragrance, new light.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers skip over these names as decorative details. They assume the names are just nice sounds or that Job was simply fond of his daughters. In fact, the names are carefully chosen. Each one echoes the restoration of Job's fortunes. After a night of grief comes a daughter called Day. After foulness and decay, a daughter named Spice. After humiliation and loss of beauty, a daughter named Eye-paint. The names are not random. They are a quiet confession that God restores not just what was lost, but better.
Living This Out
What do you call the new things God gives you after a hard season? Naming matters. When Job named his daughters, he turned his pain into praise. He looked at God's gifts and put words to them. This week, consider naming one small, specific gift God has given you. It doesn't have to be dramatic. A morning you slept well. A friend who sat with you. A bit of energy you didn't expect. Call it what it is: daybreak, fragrance, beauty. Let the name be a prayer.
Main takeaway: God's restoration brings not just what was lost, but beauty that makes the past fade into the background.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God gave Job three new daughters. Their names mean “Day,” “Sweet Spice,” and “Makeup.” Each name was like a promise that God had made everything new.
For ages 9, 12
After all his hard times, Job named his daughters with words that meant sunshine, perfume, and eyeliner. Those names showed that God did not just give Job back what he lost. He gave him beauty. Sometimes after we go through something difficult, God gives us good gifts that are even better than before. Not because we earned them, but because He is kind.
Questions People Ask
What do the names Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren-happuch mean?
Jemimah likely means 'day' or 'dove,' pointing to light after darkness. Keziah means 'cassia,' a sweet spice. Keren-happuch means 'horn of eye-paint,' a cosmetic used for beauty.
Why does the Bible give the names of Job's daughters but not his new sons?
The daughters' names are highlighted to emphasize beauty and restoration. Verse 15 says no women were as beautiful as Job's daughters. Their names and inheritance show that God restored not just numbers but quality and honor.
What is the significance of Job's daughters receiving an inheritance among their brothers?
In ancient Israel, daughters did not normally inherit land. Job gave them an inheritance, treating them as co-heirs. This small detail points to the radical nature of God's restoration, blessing that breaks the usual boundaries.
Is there a connection between the daughters' names and Job's earlier suffering?
Yes, many commentators see each name as a direct reversal of Job's affliction. Jemimah echoes light after his darkness, Keziah fragrance after his foul breath and sores, and Keren-happuch beauty after his disfigurement (Job 16:15).
How many children did Job have after his restoration?
Job had seven sons and three daughters born after his trial (Job 42:13). The number of sons matches the original seven he lost (Job 1:2), and he also had three daughters. His total children were restored, plus the first set had died, so he had 20 children total alive, but the text focuses on the new family.
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