Job 17 · Verse 12

Job 17:12

They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.
Job 17:12, King James Version

Job 17:12 in other translations

BSBThey have turned night into day, making light seem near in the face of darkness.
WEBThey change the night into day, saying ‘The light is near’ in the presence of darkness.
ASVThey change the night into day: The light, say they, is near unto the darkness.
YLTNight for day they appoint, Light is near because of darkness.
DARBYThey change the night into day; the light they imagine near in presence of the darkness.
BBEThey are changing night into day; they say, The light is near the dark.
WebsterThey change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.

What does Job 17:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. They--namely, "my friends." change the night into day--that is, would try to persuade me of the change of my misery into joy, which is impossible [Umbreit] (Job 11:17); (but) the light of prosperity (could it be enjoyed) would be short because of the darkness of adversity. Or better for "short," the Hebrew "near"; "and the light of new prosperity should be near in the face of (before) the darkness of death"; that is, they would persuade me that light is near, even though darkness approaches.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 17:10-16

Job's friends had pretended to comfort him with the hope of his return to a prosperous estate; he here shows that those do not go wisely about the work of comforting the afflicted, who fetch their comforts from the possibility of recovery in this world. It is our wisdom to comfort ourselves, and others, in distress, with that which will not fail; the promise of God, his love and grace, and a well-grounded hope of…

Read the full comment on Job 17:10-16 →

Job 17:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לַ֭יְלָהLay.lahnightH3915
לְי֣וֹםle.Yominto dayH3117
יָשִׂ֑ימוּya.Si.muthey makeH7760
א֝֗וֹר'orlightH216
קָר֥וֹבka.Rov[is] nearH7138
מִפְּנֵי\־mi.pe.nei-from beforeH6440
חֹֽשֶׁךְ\׃Cho.shekhdarknessH2822

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 17:12

  • Job 24:14-16

    The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief. The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face. In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.

  • Job 7:13-14

    When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

  • Job 7:3-4

    So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

  • Deuteronomy 28:67

    In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
change.
7:3,4,13,14; 24:14-16; De 28:67
short. Heb. near.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 17:11

    My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.

  • Job 17:12

    They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.

  • Job 17:13

    If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.

Read all of Job 17

Job 17:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pusieron la noche por día, y la luz se acorta delante de las tinieblas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ils font de la nuit le jour, la lumière proche en présence des ténèbres.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Nacht machen sie zum Tage, das Licht nahe vor lauter Finsternis.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Noctem verterunt in diem, et rursum post tenebras spero lucem.