The Daughters of Job: The Hidden Meaning Behind Their Names

Yemimah, Keziah, and Keren-Happuch are the three daughters of Job mentioned at the end of the Book of Job. Although their names appear only briefly in Tanach, the verses describing them sparked fascinating explanations among the sages and commentators throughout the generations.

The verses appear in Job 42:12–15:
“And Hashem blessed Job’s latter end more than his beginning… He also had seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first Yemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch. And in all the land no women were found so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.”

These daughters are mentioned after Hashem restored Job’s wealth and status following the difficult trials he endured.

Were These New Daughters or the Original Ones?

One fascinating question raised by the commentators is whether these daughters were newly born after Job’s suffering, or whether they were the same daughters he had before his trials began.

The Ramban offers a remarkable explanation. He points out that the verse does not say new children “were born” to Job, but rather that “he had” them.

According to the Ramban, Job’s original sons and daughters did not permanently die. Rather, they were taken away during the period of suffering and later restored to him. He connects this to the verse:
“And Hashem restored the captivity of Job.”

The Ramban explains that the word “captivity” in Tanach generally refers to people, not property or livestock. If the verse were speaking only about possessions, different wording would have been used.

According to this explanation, Job’s daughters returned transformed and renewed, more radiant and beautiful than before. This, says the Ramban, is why the verses specifically praise their beauty at the end of the book, even though such praise does not appear earlier.

Why Were Job’s Daughters Given Special Names?

The names of Job’s daughters also drew great interest from Chazal and later commentators.

Yemimah: Bright Like Daylight

The Gemara in Bava Batra explains:
“Yemimah, because she was like the day.”

Rashi explains that this means she was clear, radiant, and beautiful like daylight itself.

Some also note that in Arabic, the name Yemimah is connected to the word for dove.

Keziah: A Fragrant Spice

Job’s second daughter was called Keziah.

Many commentators explain that the name comes from a fragrant spice or perfume plant. A similar word, “ketziot,” appears in Tehillim among descriptions of spices and perfumes.

Commentators such as Metzudat Tzion explain the term as referring to aromatic fragrances.

Keren-Happuch: A Cosmetic Vessel

The third daughter’s name, Keren-Happuch, refers to a container used in ancient times to hold eye makeup or cosmetic pigments.

In the ancient world, cosmetics and fragrant substances were often stored inside animal horns, which explains the word “keren,” meaning horn.

A Connection to the Three Parts of Creation

Some explain that the names of Job’s daughters symbolically connect to different parts of the natural world:

• Yemimah represents the animal world through the dove
• Keziah represents the plant world through spices and fragrance
• Keren-Happuch represents the inanimate world through vessels and minerals

Together, the names create a poetic picture of beauty, renewal, and blessing following Job’s years of suffering.

The Unusual Honor They Received

The verses also emphasize another unusual detail:
Job gave his daughters an inheritance together with their brothers.

In biblical times, this was highly uncommon and stood out enough for Scripture to mention specifically. Some commentators see this as another sign of the special importance and honor Job gave his daughters after everything the family had endured.

Though mentioned only briefly, the daughters of Job left behind names that continue to intrigue Torah scholars and readers until today.