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Selected Verse: Job 10:22 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Job 10:22 |
Strong Concordance |
A land [0776] of darkness [05890], as darkness [0652] itself; and of the shadow of death [06757], without any order [05468], and where the light [03313] is as darkness [0652]. |
| |
King James |
A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| The ideas of order and light, disorder and darkness, harmonize (Gen 1:2). Three Hebrew words are used for darkness; in Job 10:21 (1) the common word "darkness"; here (2) "a land of gloom" (from a Hebrew root, "to cover up"); (3) as "thick darkness" or blackness (from a root, expressing sunset). "Where the light thereof is like blackness." Its only sunshine is thick darkness. A bold figure of poetry. Job in a better frame has brighter thoughts of the unseen world. But his views at best wanted the definite clearness of the Christian's. Compare with his words here Rev 21:23; Rev 22:5; Ti2 1:10. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
A land of darkness - The word used here (עיפה ‛êyphâh) is different from that rendered "darkness" השׁך chôshek in the previous verse. That is the common word to denote darkness; this seldom occurs. It is derived from עוּף ‛ûph, to fly; and then to cover as with wings; and hence, the noun means that which is shaded or dark; Amo 4:13; compare Job 17:13; Isa 8:22; Isa 9:1.
As darkness itself - This is still another word אפל 'ôphel though in our common version but one term is used. We have not the means in our language of marking different degrees of obscurity with the accuracy with which the Hebrews did it. The word used here אפל 'ôphel denotes a THICK darkness - such as exists when the sun is set - from אפל 'aphêl, to go down, to set. It is poetic, and is used to denote intense and deep darkness; see Job 3:6.
And of the shadow of death - I would prefer reading this as connected with the previous word - "the deep darkness of the shadow of death." The Hebrew will bear this, and indeed it is the obvious construction.
Without any order - The word rendered order (סדרים sedārı̂ym) is in the plural. It is from סדר, obsolete, to place in a row or order, to arrange. The meaning is, that everything was mingled together as in chaos, and all was confusion. Milton has used similar language:
- "A vast immeasurable abyss."
- "dark, wasteful, wild."
Ovid uses similar language in speaking of chaos: "Unus chaos, rudis indigestaque moles."
And where the light is as darkness - This is a very striking and graphic expression. It means that there is no pure and clear light. Even all the light that shines there is dark, sombre, gloomy - like the little light of a total eclipse, which seems to be darkness itself, and which only serves to render the darkness more distressing. Compare Milton:
"A dungeon horrible on all sides round,
As one great furnace flamed, yet from those flames
No light; but rather darkness visible
Served only to discover sights of woe."
Par. Lost, 1.
The Hebrew here literally is, "And it shines forth (יתפע yatopha‛) as darkness:" that is, the very shining of the light there, if there is any, is like darkness! Such was the view of Job of the abodes of the dead - even of the pious dead. No wonder he shrank back from it, and wished to live. Such is the prospect of the grave to man, until Christianity comes and reveals a brighter world beyond the grave - a world that is all light. That darkness is now scattered. A clear light shines even around the grave, and beyond there is a world where all is light, and where "there is no night," and where all is one bright eternal day; Rev 21:23; Rev 22:5. O had Job been favored with these views of heaven, he would not have thus feared to die! |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| Where the light is as darkness - A palpable obscure: it is space and place, and has only such light or capability of distinction as renders "darkness visible." The following words of Sophocles convey the same idea: Ιω σκοτος εμοι φαος; "Thou darkness be my light." It is, as the Vulgate expresses it, Terra tenebrosa, et operta mortis caligine: Terra miseriae et tenebrarum, ubi umbra mortis, et nullus ordo, sed sempiternus horror inhabitat: "A murky land, covered with the thick darkness of death: a land of wretchedness and obscurities, where is the shadow of death, and no order, but sempiternal horror dwells everywhere." Or, as Coverdale expresses this last clause, Wheras is no ordre but terrible feare as in the darknesse. A duration not characterized or measured by any of the attributes of time; where there is no order of darkness and light, night and day, heat and cold, summer and winter. It is the state of the dead! The place of separate spirits! It is out of time, out of probation, beyond change or mutability. It is on the confines of eternity! But what is This? and where? Eternity! how can I form any conception of thee? In thee there is no order, no bounds, no substance, no progression, no change, no past, no present, no future! Thou art an indescribable something, to which there is no analogy in the compass of creation. Thou art infinity and incomprehensibility to all finite beings. Thou art what, living, I know not, and what I must die to know; and even then I shall apprehend no more of thee than merely that thou art E-T-E-R-N-I-T-Y! |
10 But [1161] is [5319] now [3568] made manifest [5319] by [1223] the appearing [2015] of our [2257] Saviour [4990] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], who [3303] hath abolished [2673] death [2288], and [1161] hath brought [5461] life [2222] and [2532] immortality [861] to light [5461] through [1223] the gospel [2098]:
5 And [2532] there shall be [2071] no [3756] night [3571] there [1563]; and [2532] they need [5532] no [3756] candle [3088] [2192], neither [2532] light [5457] of the sun [2246]; for [3754] the Lord [2962] God [2316] giveth [5461] them [846] light [5461]: and [2532] they shall reign [936] for [1519] ever [165] and ever [165].
23 And [2532] the city [4172] had [2192] no [3756] need [5532] of the sun [2246], neither [3761] of the moon [4582], to [2443] shine [5316] in [1722] it [846]: for [1063] the glory [1391] of God [2316] did lighten [5461] it [846], and [2532] the Lamb [721] is the light [3088] thereof [846].
21 Before I go [03212] whence I shall not return [07725], even to the land [0776] of darkness [02822] and the shadow of death [06757];
2 And the earth [0776] was [01961] without form [08414], and void [0922]; and darkness [02822] was upon the face [06440] of the deep [08415]. And the Spirit [07307] of God [0430] moved [07363] upon [05921] the face [06440] of the waters [04325].
5 And [2532] there shall be [2071] no [3756] night [3571] there [1563]; and [2532] they need [5532] no [3756] candle [3088] [2192], neither [2532] light [5457] of the sun [2246]; for [3754] the Lord [2962] God [2316] giveth [5461] them [846] light [5461]: and [2532] they shall reign [936] for [1519] ever [165] and ever [165].
23 And [2532] the city [4172] had [2192] no [3756] need [5532] of the sun [2246], neither [3761] of the moon [4582], to [2443] shine [5316] in [1722] it [846]: for [1063] the glory [1391] of God [2316] did lighten [5461] it [846], and [2532] the Lamb [721] is the light [3088] thereof [846].
6 As for that night [03915], let darkness [0652] seize [03947] upon it; let it not be joined [02302] unto the days [03117] of the year [08141], let it not come [0935] into the number [04557] of the months [03391].
1 Nevertheless the dimness [04155] shall not be such as was in her vexation [04164], when [06256] at the first [07223] he lightly afflicted [07043] the land [0776] of Zebulun [02074] and the land [0776] of Naphtali [05321], and afterward [0314] did more grievously afflict [03513] her by the way [01870] of the sea [03220], beyond [05676] Jordan [03383], in Galilee [01551] of the nations [01471].
22 And they shall look [05027] unto the earth [0776]; and behold trouble [06869] and darkness [02825], dimness [04588] of anguish [06695]; and they shall be driven [05080] to darkness [0653].
13 If I wait [06960], the grave [07585] is mine house [01004]: I have made [07502] my bed [03326] in the darkness [02822].
13 For, lo, he that formeth [03335] the mountains [02022], and createth [01254] the wind [07307], and declareth [05046] unto man [0120] what is his thought [07808], that maketh [06213] the morning [07837] darkness [05890], and treadeth [01869] upon the high places [01116] of the earth [0776], The LORD [03068], The God [0430] of hosts [06635], is his name [08034].