And he called the name of the first Jemima,.... That is, the name of the first and eldest daughter was called by Job Jemima; which either signifies "day", so the Targum interprets it, and most do, and so is the same with Diana; or, as Spanheim observes, it may be the same with the Arabic word "jemama", which signifies a turtle or dove ; and who also observes that a country in Arabia is so called, and perhaps from her; and which seems to be confirmed by the Arabic geographer , who speaks of a queen called Jamama, who dwelt in a city of the country he describes as being on the north of Arabia Felix, and also speaks of a way from thence to Bozrah in Edom;and the name of the second, Kezia; or Cassia; an aromatic herb of a very fragrant smell, as we render the word, Ps 45:8; and from this person the above learned writer conjectures Mount Casius in Arabia might have its name;and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch; which signifies an horn or vessel of paint, such as the eastern women used to paint their faces, particularly their eyes with, Jer 4:30; and as Jezebel did, 2Ki 9:30; or "the ray of a precious stone"; some say the carbuncle or ruby; according to the Targum, the emerald; in 1Ch 29:2, the word is rendered "glittering stones".
Now these names may have respect to Job's daughters themselves, to their external beauty, afterwards observed, so the Targum,"he called the one Jemima, because her beauty was as the day; the other he called Kezia, because she was precious like cassia; and another he called Kerenhappuch, because great was the brightness of the glory of her countenance, as the emerald.'
'The complexion of the first might be clear as a bright day, though like that but of a short duration; see So 6:10; the next might have her name from the fragrancy and sweetness of her temper; and the third, as being so beautiful that she needed no paint to set her off, but was beauty and paint herself; or her beauty was as bright and dazzling as a precious stone; see La 4:7.
Or these may respect their internal qualities, virtues, and graces; being children of the day, and not of the night; having a good name, which is better than all spices; and possessed of such graces as were comparable to jewels and precious stones.