Job 17:12
Job 17:12 in Multiple Translations
They have turned night into day, making light seem near in the face of darkness.
They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.
They change the night into day: The light, say they, is near unto the darkness.
They are changing night into day; they say, The light is near the dark.
They turn night into day, and say that daylight is close to darkness.
Haue changed the nyght for the day, and the light that approched, for darkenesse.
Night for day they appoint, Light [is] near because of darkness.
They change the night into day, saying ‘The light is near’ in the presence of darkness.
They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.
They have turned night into day, and after darkness I hope for light again.
My friends do not know when it is night and when it is day; when it is night, they claim that it is daylight; when it is becoming dark, they claim it is becoming light.
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 17:12
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 17:12 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
לַ֭יְלָה
לְ/י֣וֹם
יָשִׂ֑ימוּ
א֝֗וֹר
קָר֥וֹב
מִ/פְּנֵי
חֹֽשֶׁךְ
לַ֭יְלָה
layil
H3915
night
N-ms
לְ/י֣וֹם
yôwm
H3117
day
Prep | N-ms
יָשִׂ֑ימוּ
sûwm
H7760
to set
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
א֝֗וֹר
ʼôwr
H216
light
N-cs
קָר֥וֹב
qârôwb
H7138
near
Adj
מִ/פְּנֵי
pânîym
H6440
face
Prep | N-cp
חֹֽשֶׁךְ
chôshek
H2822
darkness
N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 17:12
לַ֭יְלָה
layil
H3915
"night"
N-ms
Night refers to the time of darkness, opposed to day, and can also symbolize adversity or hardship. It is a period of rest, but also of potential danger or uncertainty.
Definition: 1) night 1a) night (as opposed to day) 1b) of gloom, protective shadow (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 223 OT verses. KJV: (mid-)night (season). See also: Genesis 1:5; 2 Samuel 17:16; Psalms 1:2.
לְ/י֣וֹם
yôwm
H3117
"day"
Prep | N-ms
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Definition: : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow
Usage: Occurs in 1930 OT verses. KJV: age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. See also: Genesis 1:5; Genesis 33:13; Exodus 23:15.
יָשִׂ֑ימוּ
sûwm
H7760
"to set"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
This Hebrew word means to put or place something, and is used in many different ways in the Bible, such as to appoint or determine something. It is first used in Genesis to describe God's creation. In the KJV, it is translated as 'appoint' or 'set' in various contexts.
Definition: : make/establish 1) to put, place, set, appoint, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on 1a2) to set, direct, direct toward 1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig) 1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix 1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix 1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give 1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign 1c) (Hophal) to be set
Usage: Occurs in 550 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase] name, [idiom] on, ordain, order, [phrase] paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), [phrase] regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, [phrase] stedfastly, take, [idiom] tell, [phrase] tread down, (over-)turn, [idiom] wholly, work. See also: Genesis 2:8; Leviticus 20:5; 1 Samuel 21:13.
א֝֗וֹר
ʼôwr
H216
"light"
N-cs
Light, including natural light from the sun or stars, and also spiritual light from God. It can refer to happiness, prosperity, or understanding. In the Bible, God is often described as the source of light and life.
Definition: 1) light 1a) light of day 1b) light of heavenly luminaries (moon, sun, stars) 1c) day-break, dawn, morning light 1d) daylight 1e) lightning 1f) light of lamp 1g) light of life 1h) light of prosperity 1i) light of instruction 1j) light of face (fig.) 1k) Jehovah as Israel's light
Usage: Occurs in 110 OT verses. KJV: bright, clear, [phrase] day, light (-ning), morning, sun. See also: Genesis 1:3; Psalms 78:14; Psalms 4:7.
קָר֥וֹב
qârôwb
H7138
"near"
Adj
This Hebrew word means near, describing something close in place, time, or relationship. It is used in the book of Genesis to describe family relationships. The word is used to describe a close connection.
Definition: 1) near 1a) of place 1b) of time 1c) of personal relationship 1c1) kinship
Usage: Occurs in 76 OT verses. KJV: allied, approach, at hand, [phrase] any of kin, kinsfold(-sman), (that is) near (of kin), neighbour, (that is) next, (them that come) nigh (at hand), more ready, short(-ly). See also: Genesis 19:20; Psalms 75:2; Psalms 15:3.
מִ/פְּנֵי
pânîym
H6440
"face"
Prep | N-cp
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Definition: : face 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of
Usage: Occurs in 1891 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 43:31; Exodus 30:16.
חֹֽשֶׁךְ
chôshek
H2822
"darkness"
N-ms
This word refers to darkness, both physical and spiritual. It can also mean misery, destruction, or wickedness. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a state of being without light or hope.
Definition: 1) darkness, obscurity 1a) darkness 1b) secret place
Usage: Occurs in 77 OT verses. KJV: dark(-ness), night, obscurity. See also: Genesis 1:2; Psalms 35:6; Psalms 18:12.
Study Notes — Job 17:12
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 17:12 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 17:12
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 17:12
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 17:12
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 17:12
- Ellicott's Commentary on Job 17:12
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 17:12
- Cambridge Bible on Job 17:12
- Barnes' Notes on Job 17:12
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 17:12
Context — Job Prepares for Death
10But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you.
11My days have passed; my plans are broken off— even the desires of my heart.
12They have turned night into day, making light seem near in the face of darkness.
13If I look for Sheol as my home, if I spread out my bed in darkness, 14and say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 7:3–4 | So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed me. When I lie down I think: ‘When will I get up?’ But the night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn. |
| 2 | Job 7:13–14 | When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions, |
| 3 | Deuteronomy 28:67 | In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning!’—because of the dread in your hearts of the terrifying sights you will see. |
| 4 | Job 24:14–16 | When daylight is gone, the murderer rises to kill the poor and needy; in the night he is like a thief. The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ he covers his face. In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in, never to experience the light. |
Job 17:12 Summary
In Job 17:12, Job is saying that his friends have tried to make his difficult situation seem more bearable, but it's not a genuine comfort. This verse reminds us that true comfort and support come from God, as seen in Psalm 23:4. Just like Job, we can trust in God's presence and comfort, even in the darkest of times. By trusting in God's sovereignty and goodness, we can find peace and hope, even when our circumstances seem uncertain, as seen in Romans 8:28 where it says that all things work together for good for those who love God.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to 'turn night into day' in Job 17:12?
This phrase means to take a difficult or dark situation and make it seem more manageable or hopeful, as seen in Isaiah 5:20 where it warns against calling evil good and good evil, and in Job 17:12, it is used to describe how people can make light seem near in the face of darkness.
Is Job saying that his friends are helping him in Job 17:12?
No, Job is actually stating that his friends have made his dark situation seem more bearable, but not necessarily in a genuine or helpful way, as seen in Job 16:2 where Job says his friends are miserable comforters, and in Job 17:12, he notes that they have turned night into day, but it is not a genuine comfort.
How does this verse relate to Job's overall situation?
This verse is part of Job's lament about his friends' unhelpful responses to his suffering, as seen in Job 17:10 where he says his friends are not wise, and in Job 17:12, he notes that they have turned night into day, making light seem near in the face of darkness, but it is not a genuine comfort.
What can we learn from Job's experience in this verse?
We can learn that true comfort and support come from God, as seen in Psalm 23:4 where it says even in the darkest valley, God is with us, and in Job 17:12, we see that Job's friends are trying to make light seem near, but it is not the same as genuine comfort from God.
Reflection Questions
- How have you experienced people trying to 'turn night into day' in your own life, and was it helpful or not?
- What are some ways that you can bring genuine comfort and support to those who are suffering, rather than just trying to make their situation seem more manageable?
- How can you trust in God's presence and comfort, even in the darkest of times, as seen in Psalm 23:4?
- What are some ways that you can cultivate a deeper trust in God's sovereignty and goodness, even when your circumstances seem dark and uncertain?
Gill's Exposition on Job 17:12
They change the night into day,.... Meaning either his friends, by what they had said unto him, or the thoughts of his heart, which comes to the same sense; these being in the night season employed
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 17:12
They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 17:12
They; either, 1. My friends. Or, 2. My sorrows, of which he is here speaking. Or, 3. My thoughts, last mentioned. Possibly these words may be joined with them thus, The thoughts of my heart change the night into day. Change the night into day; they do so incessantly pursue and disturb me, that I can no more rest and sleep in the dark and silent nights, than in the midst of the light and tumults of the day. Or, they change the day into night, Heb. they put the night for or instead of (as the Hebrew lamed is elsewhere used) the day, i.e. they make the day as sad and dark as the night to me. So it seems best to agree with the following branch of the verse.
The light is short, i.e. the day-light, which ofttimes gives some little comfort and refreshment to men in misery, seems to be gone and fled as soon as it is begun. Because of darkness, i.e. because of my grievous pains and torments, which follow me by day as well as by night.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 17:12
Job 17:12 They change the night into day: the light [is] short because of darkness.Ver. 12. They change the night into day] i.e. My troubled thoughts render my nights restless, filling me with confusion. When the mind is unsettled the man cannot rest. The light is short because of darkness] i.e. Comfort is long ere it cometh, and soon it expireth; Rara hora, brevis mora Rare the hour, short the delay (Bern.). The Vulgar, Post tenebras spero lucem, here, After darkness I hope for light (the ancient motto of the town of Geneva), is far fetched.
Ellicott's Commentary on Job 17:12
(12) They change the night into day.—Comp. Job 11:17. So little did his friends enter into his case that they wanted him to believe that his night of trial was the reverse of darkness, and that there was light at hand. This was to him only the more painful mockery, because of its contrast to his felt condition. He, on the contrary, says that his only hope is in the grave. “The light,” say they, “is near unto the darkness; that it is near before the darkness cometh; they try to persuade me that prosperity is close at hand.”
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 17:12
Verse 12. They change the night into day] These purposes and thoughts are so very gloomy, that they change day into night. The light is short because of darkness.] אור קרוב מפני חשך or karob mippeney choshek, "The light is near from the face of darkness." I have scarcely any light: what is called light is so near akin to darkness, that it is scarcely severed from it. There is either no light, or merely such as is sufficient to render darkness visible. A fine picture of the state of his mind-he was generally in darkness; but had occasional gleams of hope.
Cambridge Bible on Job 17:12
12. This verse appears to be a description by Job of the delusive and foolish proceeding of his friends. They change the night into day] The night of calamity and death in which Job is enveloped and into which he is entering more deeply they change into the day of life and renewed prosperity. While in truth the shadows of the final night encompass Job the friends are for ever pretending that the bright day of restoration is going to dawn (cf. ch. Job 5:17 seq., Job 8:20 seq. &c.). The second clause of the verse is obscure. the light is short because of darkness] The meaning of the A.V. is not easy to perceive. The words most naturally continue Job’s account of the representations of his friends, and express what they hold out. The fair literal rendering is either, the light is near the face of darkness; or, the light is nearer than the face of darkness. The light, the same as the “day” of the first clause, is life and prosperity; this the friends make out to be near, close upon, the face of darkness—Job’s present condition of affliction. The other translation, “nearer than the face of darkness,” gives a fuller sense to the phrase face of darkness.
By this expression Job means the darkness of death, whose face was visible and manifest, so close was it upon him.
Barnes' Notes on Job 17:12
They change - The word “they” in this place, some understand as referring to his friends; others, to his thoughts.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 17:12
12. Night into day — Literally, they put night for the day — That is, day hath become night to me. ιωׂ ?ιξε, is used impersonally. Conant’s rendering, “Night is joined to day.” is not sustained. The light is short.