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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Job 38:12–24. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The Lord here proceeds to ask Job many puzzling questions, to convince him of his ignorance, and so to shame him for his folly in prescribing to God. If we will but try ourselves with such interrogatories as these, we shall soon be brought to own that what we know is nothing in comparison with what we know not. Job is here challenged to give an account of six things: -
I.Of the springs of the morning, the day-spring from on high, Job 38:12-15.
As there is no visible being of which we may be more firmly assured that it is, so there is none which we are more puzzled in describing, nor more doubtful in determining what it is, than the light. We welcome the morning, and are glad of the day-spring; but,
1.It is not commanded since our days, but what it is it was long before we were born, so that it was neither made by us nor designed primarily for us, but we take it as we find it and as the many generations had it that went before us. The day-spring knew its place before we knew ours, for we are but of yesterday.
2.It was not we, it was not any man that commanded the morning-light at first, or appointed the place of its springing up and shining forth, or the time of it. The constant and regular succession of day and night was no contrivance of ours; it is the glory of God that it shows, and his handy work, not ours, Psa 19:1, Psa 19:2.
3.It is quite out of our power to alter this course: "Hast thou countermanded the morning since thy days? Hast thou at any time raised the morning light sooner than its appointed time, to serve thy purpose when thou hast waited for the morning, or ordered the day-spring for thy convenience to any other place than its own? No, never. Why then wilt thou pretend to direct the divine counsels, or expect to have the methods of Providence altered in favour of thee?" We may as soon break the covenant of the day and of the night as any part of God's covenant with his people, and particularly this, I will chasten them with the rod of men.
4.It is God that has appointed the day-spring to visit the earth, and diffuses the morning light through the air, which receives it as readily as the clay does the seal (Job 38:14), immediately admitting the impressions of it, so as of a sudden to be all over enlightened by it, as the seal stamps its image on the wax; and they stand as a garment, or as if they were clothed with a garment. The earth puts on a new face every morning, and dresses itself as we do, puts on light as a garment, and is then to be seen.
5.This is made a terror to evil-doers. Nothing is more comfortable to mankind than the light of the morning; it is pleasant to the eyes, it is serviceable to life and the business of it, and the favour of it is universally extended, for it takes hold of the ends of the earth (Job 38:13), and we should dwell, in our hymns to the light, on its advantages to the earth. But God here observes how unwelcome it is to those that do evil, and therefore hate the light. God makes the light a minister of his justice as well as of his mercy. It is designed to shake the wicked out of the earth, and for that purpose it takes hold of the ends of it, as we take hold of the ends of a garment to shake the dust and moths out of it. Job had observed what a terror the morning light is to criminals, because it discovers them (Job 24:13, etc.), and God here seconds the observation, and asks him whether the world was indebted to him for that kindness? No, the great Judge of the world sends forth the beams of the morning light as his messengers to detect criminals, that they may not only be defeated in their purposes and put to shame, but that they may be brought to condign punishment (Job 38:15), that their light may be withholden from them (that is, that they may lose their comfort, their confidence, their liberties, their lives) and that their high arm, which they have lifted up against God and man, may be broken, and they deprived of their power to do mischief. Whether what is here said of the morning light was designed to represent, as in a figure, the light of the gospel of Christ, and to give a type of it, I will not say; but I am sure it may serve to put us in mind of the encomiums given to the gospel just at the rising of its morning-star by Zecharias in his Benedictus (Luk 1:78, By the tender mercy of our God the day-spring from on high has visited us, to give light to those that sit in darkness, whose hearts are turned to it as clay to the seal, Co2 4:6), and by the virgin Mary in her Magnificat (Luk 1:51), showing that God, in his gospel, has shown strength with his arm, scattered the proud, and put down the mighty, by that light by which he designed to shake the wicked, to shake wickedness itself out of the earth, and break its high arm.
II.Of the springs of the sea (Job 38:16):
"Hast thou entered into them, or hast thou walked in the search of the depth? Knowest thou what lies in the bottom of the sea, the treasures there hidden in the sands? Or canst thou give an account of the rise and original of the waters of the sea? Vapours are continually exhaled out of the sea. Dost thou know how the recruits are raised by which it is continually supplied? Rivers are constantly poured into the sea. Dost thou know how they are continually discharged, so as not to overflow the earth? Art thou acquainted with the secret subterraneous passages by which the waters circulate?" God's way in the government of the world is said to be in the sea, and in the great waters (Psa 77:19), intimating that it is hidden from us and not to be pried into by us.
III.Of the gates of death: Have these been open to thee? Job 38:16. Death is a grand secret.
1.We know not beforehand when, and how, and by what means, we or others shall be brought to death, by what road we must go the way whence we shall not return, what disease or what disaster will be the door to let us into the house appointed for all living. Man knows not his time.
2.We cannot describe what death is, how the knot is untied between body and soul, nor how the spirit of a man goes upward (Ecc 3:21), to be we know not what and live we know not how, as Mr. Norris expresses; with what dreadful curiosity (says he) does the soul launch out into the vast ocean of eternity and resign to an untried abyss! Let us make it sure that the gates of heaven shall be opened to us on the other side death, and then we need not fear the opening of the gates of death, though it is a way we are to go but once.
3.We have no correspondence at all with separate souls, nor any acquaintance with their state. It is an unknown undiscovered region to which they are removed; we can neither hear from them nor send to them. While we are here, in a world of sense, we speak of the world of spirits as blind men do of colours, and when we remove thither we shall be amazed to find how much we are mistaken.
IV.Of the breadth of the earth (Job 38:18):
Hast thou perceived that? The knowledge of this might seem most level to him and within his reach; yet he is challenged to declare this if he can. We have our residence on the earth, God has given it to the children of men. But who ever surveyed it, or could give an account of the number of its acres? It is but a point to the universe? yet, small as it is, we cannot be exact in declaring the dimensions of it. Job had never sailed round the world, nor any before him; so little did men know the breadth of the earth that it was but a few ages ago that the vast continent of America was discovered, which had, time out of mind, lain hidden. The divine perfection is longer than the earth and broader than the sea; it is therefore presumption for us, who perceive not the breadth of the earth, to dive into the depth of God's counsels.
V.Of the place and way of light and darkness.
Of the day-spring he had spoken before (Job 38:12) and he returns to speak of it again (Job 38:19): Where is the way where light dwells? And again (Job 38:24): By what way is the light parted? He challenges him to describe,
1.How the light and darkness were at first made. When God, in the beginning, first spread darkness upon the face of the deep, and afterwards commanded the light to shine out of darkness, by that mighty word, Let there be light, was Job a witness to the order, to the operation? can he tell where the fountains of light and darkness are, and where those mighty princes keep their courts distance, while in one world they rule alternately? Though we long ever so much either for the shining forth of the morning or the shadows of the evening, we know not whither to send, or go, to fetch them, nor can tell the paths to the house thereof, Job 38:20. We were not then born, nor is the number of our days so great that we can describe the birth of that first-born of the visible creation, Job 38:21. Shall we then undertake to discourse of God's counsels, which were from eternity, or to find out the paths to the house thereof, to solicit for the alteration of them? God glories in it that he forms the light and creates the darkness; and if we must take those as we find them, take those as they come, and quarrel with neither, but make the best of both, then we must, in like manner, accommodate ourselves to the peace and the evil which God likewise created. Isa 45:7.
2.How they still keep their turns interchangeably. It is God that makes the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to rejoice (Psa 65:8); for it is his order, and no order of ours, that is executed by the outgoings of the morning light and the darkness of the night. We cannot so much as tell whence they come nor whither they go (Job 38:24): By what way is the light parted in the morning, when, in an instant, it shoots itself into all the parts of the air above the horizon, as if the morning light flew upon the wings of an east wind, so swiftly, so strongly, is it carried, scattering the darkness of the night, as the east wind does the clouds? Hence we read of the wings of the morning (Psa 139:9), on which the light is conveyed to the uttermost parts of the sea, and scattered like an east wind upon the earth. It is a marvellous change that passes over us every morning by the return of the light and every evening by the return of the darkness; but we expect them, and so they are no surprise nor uneasiness to us. If we would, in like manner, reckon upon changes in our outward condition, we should neither in the brightest noon expect perpetual day nor in the darkest midnight despair of the return of the morning. God has set the one over against the other, like the day and night; and so must we, Ecc 7:14.
VI.Of the treasures of the snow and hail (Job 38:22, Job 38:23):
"Hast thou entered into these and taken a view of them?" In the clouds the snow and hail are generated, and thence they come in such abundance that one would think there were treasures of them laid up in store there, whereas indeed they are produced extempore - suddenly, as I may say, and pro re nata - for the occasion. Sometimes they come so opportunely, to serve the purposes of Providence, in God's fighting for his people and against his and their enemies, that one would think they were laid up as magazines, or stores of arms, ammunition, and provisions, against the time of trouble, the day of battle and war, when God will either contend with the world in general (as in the deluge, when the windows of heaven were opened, and the waters fetched out of these treasures to drown a wicked world, that waged war with Heaven) or with some particular persons or parties, as when God out of these treasures fetched great hail-stones wherewith to fight against the Canaanites, Jos 10:11. See what folly it is to strive against God, who is thus prepared for battle and war, and how much it is our interest to make our peace with him and to keep ourselves in his love. God can fight as effectually with snow and hail, if he please, as with thunder and lightning or the sword of an angel!
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
“Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness?” He says what he had said before but more clearly, that is, that the course of human life is regulated by the alternation of times, so that at one time people dedicate themselves to work; in another time, the vigor of the body, which exhaustion had taken away, is returned to them.“Did you know then that you would be born?” These words are not said without purpose but to demonstrate that God’s benevolence is the reason for everything. If you owe the fact that you exist to my benevolence, since you did not exist before, he says, how can you think that [benevolence] is denied to you, now that you live and are able to function?
32. Blessed Job is tried with a weighty question, in that he is examined as to the way of light and the place of darkness, whether he should bring them each to their boundaries, and should understand the paths to the house thereof. For what is understood by the word ‘light’ but righteousness? and what is designated by ‘darkness’ but iniquity? Whence it is said to some who had been converted from the wickedness of sins, Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. [Eph. 5, 8] And it is stated of some who continue in sin, They that sleep, sleep in the night. [1 Thess. 5, 7] It is said therefore to blessed Job, Tell Me, if thou knowest all things, in what path the light dwelleth, and what is the place of darkness? As if it were said to him, If thou imaginest that thou hast perfect wisdom, tell Me, either into whose heart that innocency, which is now wanting, is coming, or in whose heart that wickedness, which now exists, remains. In what path the light dwelleth: that is, whose mind righteousness comes and fills. And what is the place of darkness, that is, in whom does blind iniquity remain. That thou mayest take each of them to the bounds thereof, that is, that thou mayest decide whether he who is now seen to be wicked, finishes his life in iniquity, and whether he who is now seen to be righteous, terminates the conclusion of his life with the perfection of righteousness. And understand the paths to the house thereof: that is, that thou mayest consider and discern, either for whom perseverance in good deeds secures an eternal mansion in the Kingdom, or whom evil habits, binding to the end, condemn to eternal punishment. For ‘house’ is put for resting place, and ‘path’ for conduct. A path therefore leads to a house, because our doings lead on to our resting place. But what man could speak when questioned on these points? who could hear them at least without fear? For we daily see many who shine forth with the light of righteousness, and who are yet at their close obscured with the darkness of wickedness. And we behold many involved in the darkness of sins, and yet at the end of their life suddenly set free and restored to the light of righteousness. We also know that many have preserved entire, even to the end, the path of righteousness which they have once found, and we have beheld that most men have heaped up without ceasing, even to the end, their wickedness which they have once begun.
33. But who, amid these clouds of secret judgments, can so dart forth the light of his mind, as to distinguish with any discernment, either who continues in sin, or who perseveres in righteousness, or who is converted from the highest to the lowest condition, or who relapses from the highest to the lowest? These points are hid from men’s senses, nor is aught known of the end of any one, because the abyss of the divine judgments is not at all penetrated by the eye of the human mind. For we see that that Gentile world which was opposed to God was overspread with the light of righteousness, and that Judaea, long beloved, was darkened with the night of unbelief. We know also that the thief passed from the cross to the kingdom, and that Judas sank into hell from the glory of the Apostleship. And again, because destinies once commenced are sometimes not changed, we know that the other thief arrived at punishment, and that the Apostles enjoyed the appointed kingdom, which they had longed for. Who then can examine in what path light dwells, and what is the place of darkness, to bring each of them to its own bounds, and to understand the paths to the house thereof? I see Paul called from that cruelty of persecution to the grace of Apostleship; and yet he is so alarmed in the midst of secret judgments, as to fear that he be cast away, even after he had been called. For he says, I chasten my body, and bring it into subjection, lest, perchance, having preached to others, I myself should become a cast-away. [l Cor. 9, 27] And again, I count not myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and stretching forth myself unto those things which are before, I follow the destined mark, to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. [Phil. 3, 13. 14.] I follow after, if that I may apprehend that, for which also I am apprehended. [ibid. 12] And it certainly had been already said of him by the voice of the Lord, He is a chosen vessel to Me; [Acts. 9, 15] and yet he still chastens his body, and is fearful of being rejected.
34. Alas for our wretched selves, who have known as yet no voice of God concerning our election, and are still slumbering in ease, as if from security. But there ought, there ought doubtless to be not only security in our hope, but also fear in our conversation, that the one may encourage us in the contest, the other sting us when listless. Whence it is rightly said by the Prophet, Let them that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord. [Ps. 115, 11] As if he were openly saying; He presumes in vain on his hope, who refuses to fear God in his doings. But why is blessed Job questioned on so mighty an enquiry, which is utterly unknown by men, how he understands the end of the just and of the unjust, except that he should turn to his own end, from being unable to understand that of others; and that from being ignorant of his own end, as well as others’, he might be afraid at his ignorance, be humbled through his fear; from being humbled might not be elated at his own doings; and from not being elated, might remain stedfast in the citadel of grace? Let it be said then to him, Tell Me, if thou hast understanding, in what path the light dwelleth, and what is the place of darkness, that thou mayest take each of them to the bounds thereof. As if it were said; As thou knowest not who are converted from sin to goodness, nor who turn back from goodness to sin; so also thou dost not understand what is doing towards thyself, as thy merits deserve. And as thou dost not at all comprehend another’s end, so art thou also unable to foresee thine own. For thou knowest now what progress thou hast made thyself, but what I still think of thee in secret, thou knowest not. Thou now thinkest on thy deeds of righteousness; but thou knowest not how strictly they are weighed by Me. Woe even to the praiseworthy life of men, if it be judged without mercy, because when strictly examined, it is overwhelmed in the presence of the Judge, by the very conduct with which it imagines that it pleases Him. Whence it is rightly said to God by the Prophet, Enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified. [Ps. 143, 2] Whence it is well said by Solomon, There are righteous and wise men, and their works are in the hand of God: and yet no man knoweth whether he is deserving of love, or of hatred; but all things are kept uncertain for the time to come. [Eccles. 9, 1] Hence again it is said by the same Solomon, What man will be able to understand his own way? [Prov. 20, 24] And any one doing good or evil is doubtless known by the testimony of his conscience. But it is said that their own way is not known to men, for this reason, because even if a man understands that he is acting rightly, yet he knows not, under the strict enquiry, whither he is going. After He has alarmed him then with this consideration of his end, He goes back to examine his beginning: and, that he may not complain wherefore knows he not his end, He mentions also that he does not even understand with what beginning he came hither.
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Summary
Job 38:19 is a profound rhetorical question posed by God to Job from the whirlwind, challenging Job's understanding of the fundamental elements of creation: light and darkness. This verse serves as a powerful demonstration of God's incomprehensible wisdom and absolute sovereignty over the cosmos, contrasting sharply with humanity's finite knowledge and limited control, thereby humbling Job and reorienting his perspective on divine justice and suffering.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within God's opening discourse to Job, which begins in Job 38:1. After chapters of intense dialogue among Job and his friends, and then Elihu's speeches, God finally intervenes directly. His response is not a direct answer to Job's questions about the "why" of his suffering, but rather a majestic display of divine power and wisdom through a series of rhetorical questions about the natural world. These questions are designed to highlight Job's (and humanity's) inherent limitations and ignorance regarding the intricate workings of creation, thereby establishing God's unchallengeable authority and wisdom. The questions progress from the earth's foundations to the boundaries of the sea, the sources of light and darkness, meteorological phenomena, and finally, the instincts of wild animals, all serving to underscore God's meticulous and sovereign control over every aspect of existence.
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near East, the concepts of light and darkness were not merely physical phenomena but often carried profound symbolic and theological weight. Light was frequently associated with order, life, knowledge, and divine presence, while darkness symbolized chaos, death, ignorance, and the absence of divine favor. The act of God speaking from a "whirlwind" or "storm" (Job 38:1) is a classic biblical and ancient Near Eastern motif for a theophany, a powerful manifestation of God's presence, often accompanied by awe-inspiring natural phenomena. This emphasizes God's transcendence, majesty, and unapproachable holiness. The prevailing understanding of suffering in Job's time was often linked to a retributive justice system, where suffering was seen as a direct consequence of sin. God's discourse in Job 38-41 fundamentally challenges this simplistic view by asserting His sovereign wisdom over a complex world that extends far beyond human comprehension or moral frameworks.
Key Themes
Job 38:19 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the Book of Job and biblical theology. Foremost is the theme of Divine Sovereignty and Omniscience, as God demonstrates His absolute control and intimate knowledge of even the most mysterious and fundamental elements of the cosmos. This contrasts sharply with the theme of Human Finitude and Ignorance, highlighting the vast chasm between divine wisdom and human intellect. Job, despite his righteousness, is utterly incapable of answering God's questions, illustrating humanity's inherent limitations in understanding God's ways. The verse also reinforces the Order of Creation, asserting that even light and darkness, seemingly abstract concepts, have a "way" and a "place" established and maintained by God, echoing the foundational acts of creation in Genesis 1. This divine ordering provides a basis for trust, even when individual circumstances seem chaotic or unjust.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
"Where [is] the way [where] light dwelleth?"
God challenges Job to articulate the very essence and origin of light. This is not a simple geographical question but a profound inquiry into light's inherent nature, its source, its established principles, and the path it takes. It implies that light is not a random phenomenon but has a divinely ordained "way" or course, known only to its Creator. The word "dwelleth" (יִשְׁכֹּן, yishkon), often used for God's dwelling or the tabernacle, personifies light, suggesting it has a fixed, established abode or principle known intimately by God.
"and [as for] darkness, where [is] the place thereof,"
This parallel question extends the challenge to darkness. God asks Job to identify the fixed boundary or designated "place" of darkness. This underscores God's absolute sovereignty, asserting that even darkness, often associated with chaos and the unknown, is not uncontrolled or boundless. It has a specific, divinely appointed domain, demonstrating God's meticulous ordering of all creation, including the seemingly formless or void.
Literary Devices
Job 38:19 is rich in literary artistry, characteristic of the poetic and wisdom literature of the Old Testament. The primary device is the Rhetorical Question, which God employs repeatedly in this discourse. These questions are not posed to elicit an answer from Job, but rather to highlight his profound ignorance and limited understanding compared to God's infinite wisdom and power. They serve to humble Job and underscore the vast chasm between the Creator and the created. The verse also employs Parallelism, specifically a form of Synonymous/Antithetical Parallelism, where the two clauses ("the way where light dwelleth" and "the place of darkness") present similar ideas (God's control over fundamental cosmic elements) through contrasting concepts (light and darkness). Furthermore, there is an element of Personification, as light is described as "dwelling" and darkness as having a "place," giving these abstract forces a sense of agency or a defined existence that only God can fully comprehend. Finally, the pairing of "light" and "darkness" can be seen as a Merism, representing the totality of cosmic phenomena, from the brightest to the most obscure, all under God's comprehensive control.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Job 38:19 serves as a powerful theological statement about God's absolute sovereignty and comprehensive knowledge over all creation. It asserts that even the most fundamental, mysterious, and seemingly abstract elements of the universe, like light and darkness, are not random or self-existent but have a divinely established "way" and "place." This profound truth humbles humanity, reminding us of our finite understanding in the face of God's infinite wisdom. It challenges any human attempt to fully grasp or dictate God's purposes, especially in the context of suffering. The verse implicitly points to God as the ultimate source and sustainer of all order, echoing the creation narrative where God separates light from darkness and establishes their boundaries. This divine ordering provides a foundation for trust, even when life's circumstances seem chaotic or inexplicable from a human perspective.
Reflection and Application
Job 38:19 is a profound call to humility and trust for every believer. In a world that often demands answers and seeks to exert control, this verse reminds us that there are fundamental aspects of existence, and indeed of God's ways, that remain beyond our comprehension. Just as Job could not explain the "way" of light or the "place" of darkness, we often cannot fully grasp the "why" behind our suffering, the complexities of global events, or the intricacies of God's providential plan. This should lead us not to despair, but to a deeper sense of awe and worship for a God whose wisdom is truly infinite. If God meticulously orders and sustains the very fabric of the cosmos, including light and darkness, then surely He holds our lives and circumstances in His capable hands. Our response should be one of humble surrender, trusting that the One who knows the "way" of light and the "place" of darkness also knows the "way" through our trials and has a "place" for our ultimate good. This verse encourages us to release our need for exhaustive understanding and instead rest in the boundless wisdom and unwavering sovereignty of our Creator.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does God ask rhetorical questions in Job 38, rather than directly answering Job's complaints?
God's rhetorical questions in Job 38 are not designed to elicit answers from Job, but rather to reveal the vast chasm between divine wisdom and human understanding. Job had demanded an explanation for his suffering and questioned God's justice. Instead of providing a direct "why," God demonstrates His infinite knowledge, power, and meticulous control over the entire cosmos, from the foundations of the earth to the intricacies of light and darkness. By posing questions that Job (and indeed, no human) could possibly answer, God humbles Job, exposes his limited perspective, and reorients his focus from his own suffering to the incomprehensible majesty of the Creator. The purpose is to inspire awe, humility, and trust in God's sovereign wisdom, even when His ways are beyond human comprehension.
What is the deeper significance of "light" and "darkness" in biblical theology, beyond their physical properties?
In biblical theology, "light" and "darkness" extend far beyond mere physical phenomena, carrying profound symbolic weight. "Light" often represents God's presence, truth, life, knowledge, righteousness, and salvation. For instance, Psalm 27:1 declares the Lord as "my light and my salvation." Conversely, "darkness" symbolizes the absence of God, ignorance, sin, chaos, death, judgment, and evil. The creation account in Genesis 1 begins with God bringing light into primeval darkness, establishing order. In the New Testament, Jesus is proclaimed as the "Light of the World" (John 8:12), who came to dispel the spiritual darkness of sin and bring humanity into the light of truth and life. God's ability to know the "way" of light and the "place" of darkness in Job 38:19 underscores His absolute sovereignty not only over the physical universe but also over the moral and spiritual realms they represent.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Job 38:19 speaks directly to God's sovereign control over creation, its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment lies in the person and work of Jesus, who is the embodiment of divine wisdom and the very "way" and "place" of all things. The God who asks Job, "Where is the way where light dwelleth?" is the same God who, in the fullness of time, sent His Son, Jesus, who declared, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). He is not merely a bearer of light, but the very source and essence of it, as stated in John 1:4-5: "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." He is the one through whom "all things were made" (John 1:3), meaning He intimately knows the "way" and "place" of light and darkness because He established them. The mystery of God's wisdom, so powerfully displayed in creation and posed to Job as unanswerable questions, finds its ultimate answer and revelation in Christ. He is the one who perfectly illuminates the path of righteousness and conquers the spiritual darkness of sin and death, bringing those who believe into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).