He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
Parallel translations
- KJV He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
- BSB He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.
- 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 secret things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.
- 1 Cor 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.
- 1 Cor 2:10But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
- Job 3:5Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own. Let a cloud dwell on it. Let all that makes black the day terrify it.
- Luke 1:79to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
- Matt 10:26Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known.
- Amos 5:8seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns the shadow of death into the morning, and makes the day dark with night; who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth, Yahweh is his name,
- Ps 44:21won’t God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.
- Job 28:20–23Where then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding?
- Job 34:22There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
- Job 24:17For the morning is to all of them like thick darkness, for they know the terrors of the thick darkness.
- Ps 139:12even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.
- Job 11:6that he would show you the secrets of wisdom! For true wisdom has two sides. Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.
- 2 Kgs 6:12One of his servants said, “No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that 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.