He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.
Parallel translations
- WEB He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
- KJV He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
- NKJV He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light.
- NASB “He reveals mysteries from the darkness, And brings the deep darkness into light.
- NLT “He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness; he brings light to the deepest gloom.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God exposes what is hidden, bringing even the darkest secrets to light. Nothing is concealed from His knowledge and power.
Overview
Continuing his praise of God's wisdom and might, Job declares that God reveals deep things hidden in darkness and even the 'shadow of death.' What is impenetrable to human eyes lies open before God. This anticipates the gospel truth that God brings light into darkness, ultimately in Christ, who exposes hidden things and brings life out of death.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Dan 2:22He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.
- 1 Cor 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
- 1 Cor 2:10But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
- Job 3:5May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it.
- Luke 1:79to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
- Matt 10:26So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.
- Amos 5:8He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth—the LORD is His name—
- Ps 44:21would not God have discovered, since He knows the secrets of the heart?
- Job 28:20–23From where then does wisdom come, and where does understanding dwell?
- Job 34:22There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.
- Job 24:17For to them, deep darkness is their morning; surely they are friends with the terrors of darkness!
- Ps 139:12even the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You.
- Job 11:6and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves.
- 2 Kgs 6:12But one of his servants replied, “No one, my lord the king. For Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 12:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.