Job 12:22 kjv
He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
Job 12:22 nkjv
He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light.
Job 12:22 niv
He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light.
Job 12:22 esv
He uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light.
Job 12:22 nlt
"He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness;
he brings light to the deepest gloom.
Job 12 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 139:11-12 | If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me...even the darkness is not dark to you...the night is bright as the day..." | God sees in all darkness, revealing omniscience. |
| Heb 4:13 | No creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed... | All things are manifest before God. |
| Dan 2:22 | He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. | God is the source of all revelation and knowledge of hidden things. |
| 1 Cor 4:5 | Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time...he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness... | God will expose hidden motives and deeds at judgment. |
| Lk 12:2-3 | Nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light... | Secrets will ultimately be made known. |
| Rom 2:16 | ...on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. | God's future judgment will expose all secret actions. |
| Isa 42:16 | And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know...I will turn the darkness before them into light... | God's guidance brings light and clarity. |
| Jn 1:5 | The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. | Christ, the Light, is superior to all darkness. |
| Jn 3:19 | And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light... | Men prefer darkness due to evil deeds. |
| Ps 90:8 | You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. | God sees and reveals even hidden sins. |
| Job 28:11 | He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle, and what is hidden he brings into light. | God's power extends to revealing all that is hidden. |
| Amos 4:13 | For behold, he who forms the mountains...who declares to man what is his thought...who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth: the LORD, the God of hosts, is his name! | God's profound knowledge extends to human thoughts. |
| Jer 16:17 | For my eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes. | God's unceasing observation means nothing is hidden from Him. |
| Zeph 1:12 | At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, 'The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.' | God will diligently expose hidden complacency and disbelief. |
| Ecc 12:14 | For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. | All actions, open or hidden, will face divine judgment. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | ...that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. | God brings believers from spiritual darkness to light. |
| Eph 5:11-14 | Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them...But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible... | Light reveals and exposes unfruitful works. |
| Prov 15:3 | The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. | God's constant observation over all things. |
| Isa 29:15-16 | Ah, you who hide deep from the LORD your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, "Who sees us? Who knows us?"... | Futility of trying to hide anything from God. |
| Ps 25:14 | The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant. | God reveals His secrets to those who revere Him. |
| Ps 112:4 | Light arises in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. | God's goodness brings spiritual and moral light to the righteous. |
| 2 Tim 1:10 | ...who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. | Christ illuminates ultimate truths (life and immortality) through the gospel. |
Job 12 verses
Job 12 22 Meaning
Job 12:22 proclaims God's ultimate knowledge and power, asserting that He uncovers hidden things from the deepest obscurity and exposes even the profoundest darkness to the light. It emphasizes divine omniscience and sovereign control over all concealed matters, whether they be secrets, motives, or hidden aspects of reality, demonstrating that nothing escapes His perception or revelation.
Job 12 22 Context
Job 12:22 is part of Job's profound and impassioned response to his friends, particularly Zophar, who have been asserting simplistic theological explanations for Job's suffering. In chapters 12-14, Job scathingly critiques their "wisdom," arguing that their understanding of God's ways is shallow and conventional. He emphasizes God's incomprehensible sovereignty and absolute power over all creation and human affairs.Specifically, Job 12:13-25 describes God's complete dominion: He pulls down the mighty, exalts the humble, controls natural forces, and orchestrates the rise and fall of nations. Verse 22 functions within this larger discourse by highlighting God's intellectual power and omniscience, proving that God not only directs visible events but also penetrates the most secret aspects of reality. It challenges any notion that human actions, intentions, or hidden circumstances could be concealed from God, asserting His universal discernment. This context emphasizes that divine wisdom is vastly superior to any human wisdom, directly refuting the friends' limited view of God's justice.
Job 12 22 Word analysis
- He uncovers: גּוֹלֶה (goleh). From the root גָלָה (galah), meaning "to uncover," "reveal," "expose," "disclose." It implies an active, intentional removal of a covering or veil, making something bare or manifest. This emphasizes God as the divine Revealer, whose action brings hidden truths into the open.
- deep things: עֲמֻקוֹת ('amuqot). Plural of עָמֹק ('amoq), meaning "deep," "profound," "unfathomable," or "obscure." These are not merely superficial secrets but profound mysteries, hidden realities, intricate plots, or the deepest aspects of the spiritual and moral world. It conveys a sense of things concealed in a profound or difficult-to-access manner.
- out of darkness: מִנִּי־חֹשֶׁךְ (minnî-ḥōšeḵ). חֹשֶׁךְ (ḥōšeḵ) signifies "darkness," "obscurity," "blindness," "gloom," often metaphorically representing ignorance, hiddenness, sin, or evil. The phrase emphasizes that God's revelation penetrates even the most obscure and impenetrable places where things are deliberately hidden or naturally unknown.
- and brings: וַיֹּצֵא (wayyōṣēʼ). From the root יָצָא (yatsaʼ), "to go out," "come forth," "bring forth," or "cause to appear." This continues the active verb tense, showing God's power not just to see what's hidden but to actively produce or manifest it in a visible way.
- deep darkness: צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmāvet). This word, often translated "shadow of death," here implies the profoundest, densest form of darkness or obscurity, perhaps metaphorical for dire conditions, moral evil, or ultimate mystery. The usage in parallelism with "darkness" earlier in the verse points to a hyperbolic sense of extreme obscurity, making the revelation even more striking. It's not just "shadowy" but the deepest gloom where nothing can be seen.
- to light: לָאוֹר (lāʼôr). From אוֹר ('ôr), meaning "light," "day," "knowledge," or "understanding." It is the direct opposite of darkness, representing revelation, truth, visibility, and divine presence.
Words-group analysis:
- "He uncovers deep things out of darkness": This phrase highlights God's penetrating omniscience. He is capable of uncovering truths that are not just superficially hidden but are profound and concealed in the most obscure settings. This can refer to hidden human motivations, secret acts, or even the underlying reasons for seemingly chaotic events. It speaks to God's unmatched perception, challenging human assumptions of privacy from God's sight.
- "and brings deep darkness to light": This extends the idea of revelation. It's not just secrets from darkness that are brought out, but the "deep darkness" itself is brought into the realm of light. This suggests the comprehensive exposure and vanquishing of obscurity or evil by divine presence. It can refer to God exposing profound spiritual ignorance, moral corruption, or even dire circumstances to His clarifying divine light, signifying both judgment and clarity.
Job 12 22 Bonus section
The poetic parallelism in Job 12:22 (uncovering 'deep things out of darkness' and bringing 'deep darkness to light') enhances the emphasis on God's comprehensive control over obscurity and truth. This is not merely an intellectual knowing, but an active intervention in the cosmos. It implies that what seems utterly mysterious or hopelessly entrenched in gloom to humans is perfectly transparent and manageable for God. This theme foreshadows God's direct revelation to Job in chapters 38-41, where God Himself asks questions that demonstrate His profound understanding and control over creation's hidden complexities, far surpassing human comprehension. This verse also implicitly polemicizes against any ancient pagan or superstitious beliefs in dark forces or hidden deities whose powers operate outside of the ultimate control and visibility of the One True God.
Job 12 22 Commentary
Job 12:22 offers a potent declaration of God's absolute sovereignty and all-encompassing knowledge, acting as a direct counter-argument to the limited theology of Job's friends. It asserts that God is not a passive observer but an active revealer of all things, even those concealed in the most profound darkness or deemed unfathomable by humans. This refers to secrets of the heart, hidden agendas, or even the underlying realities of historical events or personal trials. God's ability to "uncover" and "bring to light" implies both a profound omniscience and a dynamic power. He not only knows all secrets but has the will and power to manifest them at His appointed time. This verse serves as both a warning and a comfort: a warning to those who believe their hidden deeds are unseen, for all will ultimately be exposed before God's radiant truth; and a comfort to the righteous who endure suffering, knowing that God sees the unseen and will bring clarity and justice where only obscurity currently reigns. It reinforces the biblical truth that nothing in creation is hidden from God's penetrating gaze.