Job 22 11

Job 22:11 kjv

Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.

Job 22:11 nkjv

Or darkness so that you cannot see; And an abundance of water covers you.

Job 22:11 niv

why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you.

Job 22:11 esv

or darkness, so that you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

Job 22:11 nlt

That is why you cannot see in the darkness,
and waves of water cover you.

Job 22 verses

Job 22 11 Meaning

Job 22:11, spoken by Eliphaz the Temanite, asserts that Job's perceived sin has resulted in profound and overwhelming suffering. Eliphaz claims that Job is enveloped by such a deep "darkness" that he is unable to see or perceive his way out, signifying not only misfortune but also spiritual confusion or ignorance of God's justice. This "darkness" is compounded by "a flood of waters" that covers and overwhelms him, portraying a deluge of calamity and divine judgment from which there is no escape. Eliphaz presents these conditions as clear evidence of Job's unconfessed wickedness, portraying them as the inevitable consequences of opposing God.

Job 22 11 Context

Job 22:11 is part of Eliphaz's third and final speech to Job, where he continues to argue the traditional "retribution theology"—that suffering is always a direct consequence of sin. Unlike his earlier attempts at more gentle admonition, Eliphaz here becomes overtly accusatory, directly listing various hypothetical sins Job might have committed (Job 22:6-9) to justify Job's immense suffering. He presents this verse not as a question but as a statement of cause and effect: Job's actions have inevitably led to the catastrophic circumstances he now faces. This aligns with the prevalent wisdom in ancient Near Eastern societies, which often connected personal prosperity with divine favor and calamity with divine wrath against unrighteousness. Eliphaz's imagery of darkness and overwhelming floods draws on universal ancient motifs of chaos, divine judgment, and an inability to escape one's fate once ensnared by heavenly displeasure. The book of Job, in its entirety, challenges this simplistic understanding of suffering.

Job 22 11 Word analysis

• Or darkness:
  • Original Word: חֹשֶׁךְ (ḥōshek)
  • Meaning: Darkness, obscurity, gloom. This term frequently appears in Scripture, often symbolizing evil, chaos, ignorance, misfortune, affliction, and divine judgment. In this context, it speaks to Job's profound distress, spiritual disorientation, and separation from light and clarity, which Eliphaz attributes to God's judgment. It implies an overwhelming absence of comfort, understanding, or divine favor.
• so that you cannot see:
  • Original Words: לֹא תִרְאֶה (lo' tir'eh)
  • Meaning: "You will not see" or "you are unable to see." This phrase reinforces the extent of the "darkness." It implies not just physical impairment but also an intellectual, spiritual, or existential inability to perceive, understand, or find a way forward. In the biblical view, being unable to see in such a spiritual sense can be a form of judgment itself, leading to confusion and despair.
• and a flood of waters:
  • Original Words: שֵׁטֶף מַיִם (shēṭeph mayim)
  • Meaning: "Overflowing," "torrent," "flood" (שֵׁטֶף shēṭeph) combined with "waters" (מַיִם mayim). This powerful imagery evokes an uncontrollable, destructive deluge. "Waters" in the Bible can represent both life-giving sustenance and destructive power (as in the Genesis Flood). Here, it unequivocally signifies an overwhelming catastrophe, suggesting a sweeping, irresistible force of divine punishment or calamity that engulfs a person entirely, allowing no escape.
• covers you:
  • Original Word: יְכַסֶּכָה (yəkhassékkāh)
  • Meaning: "It covers you," "it overwhelms you," "it submerges you." This verb emphasizes complete engulfment and an inability to surface or escape. It paints a picture of being swallowed by disaster, indicating the totality and finality of the judgment or suffering Eliphaz believes Job is experiencing.

Words-group analysis

• "darkness, so that you cannot see": This phrase emphasizes the spiritual and intellectual dimension of Job's suffering. It's not merely external misfortune; it's an internal state of confusion, hopelessness, and spiritual blindness. Eliphaz implies Job's own moral failing has led to this condition, preventing him from perceiving God's hand or his own path to redemption. It represents an intellectual or spiritual bewilderment that prevents a clear assessment of one's situation or hope for escape.
• "a flood of waters covers you": This is a vivid metaphor for utter devastation and unavoidable divine judgment. It speaks of the immensity and irresistible power of the calamity, as if Job is drowning under an overwhelming tide of affliction sent by God. It conveys a sense of finality and absolute engulfment, from which human effort offers no salvation. The combination of "darkness" and "flood" paints a picture of being trapped in a hopeless, chaotic, and destructive environment.

Job 22 11 Bonus section

• The stark imagery used by Eliphaz ("darkness" and "flood") reveals the gravity with which he views Job's (imagined) sin and God's response to it. He truly believes Job's situation is one of total divine abandonment due to wickedness.
• Eliphaz's assertion that Job "cannot see" (spiritually blind) due to darkness parallels instances where God gives over individuals or nations to a "reprobate mind" or "hardening of heart" because of their continued sin.
• The overwhelming nature of the "flood of waters" underscores a common fear in the ancient world of uncontrolled cosmic forces or primeval chaos, often seen as directly linked to divine displeasure or a break in the created order due to human sin.
• This verse provides a crucial point of theological tension in the book: Eliphaz interprets Job's experience as clear-cut retribution, while the broader narrative implies more complex reasons for suffering, highlighting the limits of human wisdom in judging divine actions.

Job 22 11 Commentary

Job 22:11 encapsulates Eliphaz's harsh diagnosis of Job's predicament, squarely blaming him for his suffering. The verse employs two powerful ancient Near Eastern motifs for divine judgment: impenetrable darkness and overwhelming floods. The "darkness" (choshek) symbolizes spiritual obscurity, ignorance of God's ways, or even a punitive separation from God's light and guidance. It implies that Job's unconfessed sin has obscured his moral vision, preventing him from seeing the path to restoration or even understanding his plight. Coupled with "so that you cannot see," this imagery highlights not just an afflicted state but a spiritual blindness that results from disobedience, isolating one in confusion.

The "flood of waters" (shētaph mayim) extends this picture of overwhelming calamity. Waters are ambivalent in biblical thought, but here they clearly represent destructive judgment—a torrential deluge that completely engulfs and overwhelms Job, allowing no escape. This imagery likely draws from ancient concepts of primeval chaos or the Genesis flood narrative, where waters are agents of divine purification and destruction of the wicked. For Eliphaz, these two potent symbols function as irrefutable proof that Job must be a great sinner.

Eliphaz's interpretation, however, is a foundational flaw of his argument and that of Job's other friends. While Scripture does depict darkness and floods as instruments of divine judgment against sin, Eliphaz rigidly applies this principle without acknowledging its complexities or the possibility of innocent suffering. His "commentary" on Job's condition is therefore limited by his rigid retribution theology, failing to grasp the deeper truths revealed in the broader narrative of Job concerning God's sovereignty and wisdom beyond human comprehension. The verse, though Eliphaz's words, poignantly illustrates the feeling of being abandoned, lost in spiritual confusion, and utterly swamped by life's difficulties, which is a common human experience. Eliphaz believes the only way out for Job is repentance, as human strength cannot overcome such overwhelming divine wrath.