Job 10:22

A land of darkness, as darkness [itself; and] of the shadow of death, without any order, and [where] the light [is] as darkness.

A land {H776} of darkness {H5890}, as darkness {H652} itself; and of the shadow of death {H6757}, without any order {H5468}, and where the light {H3313} is as darkness {H652}.

a land of gloom like darkness itself, of dense darkness and utter disorder, where even the light is dark.'"

to a land of utter darkness, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.โ€

The land dark as midnight, The landof the shadow of death, without any order, And where the light is as midnight.

Commentary

Job 10:22 is part of Jobโ€™s extended lament, where he expresses his profound despair and wish for death as an escape from his excruciating suffering. Having pleaded with God for an end to his life in the preceding verses, Job now vividly describes the grim destination he imagines for himself: the grave, or Sheol, as a place utterly devoid of light, order, or hope.

Context of Job 10:22

In this chapter, Job continues to wrestle with God, questioning why he is being afflicted so severely despite believing himself innocent. He longs for respite, even if it means death. His description of the "land of darkness" reveals his deep emotional and spiritual anguish. This is not a theological treatise on the afterlife, but a poetic and desperate expression of his personal perception of death as an ultimate refuge from pain, albeit a terrifying one. His view contrasts sharply with later biblical revelation about life beyond the grave through Christ.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Profound Despair: Job's language paints a picture of absolute hopelessness. He sees death not as peaceful rest, but as a descent into an oppressive, chaotic void. This highlights the depth of his suffering and his feeling of abandonment.
  • The Nature of Sheol (from Job's Perspective): For Job, the grave is a "land of darkness, as darkness itself," emphasizing an extreme and total absence of light. It's also described as the "shadow of death," a place of ultimate gloom and peril.
  • Absence of Order and Light: The phrase "without any order" (Hebrew: lo' seder) underscores a chaotic, lawless state, devoid of divine structure or human organization. Even "the light is as darkness," meaning any semblance of hope or relief is extinguished or distorted, mirroring Job's complete disillusionment.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "shadow of death" is a translation of the Hebrew word tsalmavet (ืฆึทืœึฐืžึธื•ึถืช). This powerful term signifies not just a literal shadow, but a deep, impenetrable gloom, often associated with mortal danger or the literal darkness of the grave. It conveys a sense of ultimate despair and peril. The description "without any order" from the Hebrew lo' seder (ืœึนื ืกึตื“ึถืจ) powerfully conveys a state of utter disarray and chaos, a stark contrast to the divine order Job once experienced and yearned for.

Related Scriptures

Job's view of death as a dark, chaotic realm reflects a common Old Testament understanding of Sheol, the underworld or grave, as a place of shadows and silence. However, this is Job's personal, desperate lament, not a definitive theological statement. Later biblical revelation offers a different perspective:

  • In Psalm 23:4, even in "the valley of the shadow of death," the psalmist declares God's comforting presence.
  • The New Testament transforms our understanding of death, presenting it as a conquered foe through Christ's resurrection, leading to victory over death and the grave.
  • Jesus declared Himself to be the light of the world, promising that those who follow Him will not walk in darkness but have the light of life, offering a stark contrast to Job's grim outlook.

Practical Application

Job 10:22 resonates with anyone experiencing profound despair or contemplating the unknown of death. While Job's lament reflects the raw human experience of suffering and the fear of the unknown, it also serves to highlight the transformative hope found in the Gospel. For believers, death is not a chaotic land of perpetual darkness but a transition to eternal life in the presence of God, where there is no darkness at all (Revelation 21:23). This verse reminds us to seek God's light and order even amidst life's darkest moments, trusting in His ultimate sovereignty and promise of everlasting light.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 2:6 (2 votes)

    Neither said they, Where [is] the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?

  • Psalms 88:12 (2 votes)

    Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

  • Psalms 44:19 (2 votes)

    Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.

  • Job 3:5 (2 votes)

    Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

  • Job 38:17 (2 votes)

    Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

  • Jeremiah 13:16 (2 votes)

    Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, [and] make [it] gross darkness.

  • Luke 16:26 (2 votes)

    And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence.