Keren-Happuch
Pronounced KER-en-HAP-uk
- Meaning
- "Horn of eye-paint; Beauty; Radiance"
- Origin
- Hebrew
Keren-Happuch means "horn of eye-paint" or "horn of beauty" in Hebrew — referring to the antimony (kohl) used as cosmetic eye-shadow in the ancient world. She was the third and youngest of Job's daughters born after his restoration, and her name is one of the most striking in all of Scripture. While her sisters Jemima ("dove") and Keziah ("cassia") bore nature-inspired names, Keren-Happuch's name evoked artistic beauty — the carefully crafted elegance of a woman adorning herself. In the ancient Near East, the horn of eye-paint was a prized possession, often stored in ornate containers made of precious materials. Scripture emphasizes that "in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job." This superlative beauty, combined with names denoting doves, spices, and cosmetic elegance, paints a picture of extraordinary grace and refinement born from a father's suffering and restoration. Uniquely among ancient patriarchs, "their father gave them inheritance among their brethren" — an act of remarkable equality. Job's suffering had not hardened him but had expanded his heart toward generosity and justice, even for his daughters.
Spiritual meaning
Keren-Happuch — born in Job's season of double restoration — declares that God's beauty emerges most radiantly from suffering. The fairest daughters came from the most afflicted father.
Related verses (KJV)
"And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch."
Job 42:14 (KJV) →"And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren."
Job 42:15 (KJV) →