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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Job 19:8

God has blocked the way, and I can't get through; he has hidden my path in darkness.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Thompson Chain Reference - Dark Days;   Human;   Job;   Limitations, Human;   Man;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Hedges;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Greatness of God;   Hypocrisy;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Lamentations;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Job, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Light and Darkness;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Fence;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Builder;   Dark;   Fence;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Darkness;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He has blocked my way so that I cannot pass through;he has veiled my paths with darkness.
Hebrew Names Version
He has walled up my way so that I can't pass, And has set darkness in my paths.
King James Version
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
English Standard Version
He has walled up my way, so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness upon my paths.
New Century Version
God has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has covered my paths with darkness.
New English Translation
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass, and has set darkness over my paths.
Amplified Bible
"He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, And He has set darkness upon my paths.
New American Standard Bible
"He has blocked my way so that I cannot pass, And He has put darkness on my paths.
World English Bible
He has walled up my way so that I can't pass, And has set darkness in my paths.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Hee hath hedged vp my way that I cannot passe, and he hath set darkenesse in my paths.
Legacy Standard Bible
He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass,And He has put darkness on my paths.
Berean Standard Bible
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness.
Contemporary English Version
God has me trapped with a wall of darkness
Complete Jewish Bible
"He has fenced off my way, so that I can't pass; he has covered my paths with darkness.
Darby Translation
He hath hedged up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
Easy-to-Read Version
God has blocked my way to keep me from getting through. He has hidden my path in darkness.
George Lamsa Translation
He has fenced up my ways so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness in my paths.
Lexham English Bible
He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass; and he has set darkness upon my paths.
Literal Translation
He has fenced up my path so that I cannot pass; and He has set darkness on my paths.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He hath hedged vp my path, I ca not get awaye, he hath set darcknesse in my gate.
American Standard Version
He hath walled up my way that I cannot pass, And hath set darkness in my paths.
Bible in Basic English
My way is walled up by him so that I may not go by: he has made my roads dark.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and hath set darkness in my paths.
King James Version (1611)
Hee hath fenced vp my way that I cannot passe; and hee hath set darkenesse in my pathes.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He hath hedged vp my way that I can not passe, and he hath set darkenesse in my pathes.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I am fenced round about, and can by no means escape: he has set darkness before my face.
English Revised Version
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and hath set darkness in my paths.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He bisette aboute my path, and Y may not go; and he settide derknessis in my weie.
Update Bible Version
He has walled up my way that I can't pass, And has set darkness in my paths.
Webster's Bible Translation
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
New King James Version
He has fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass; And He has set darkness in my paths.
New Living Translation
God has blocked my way so I cannot move. He has plunged my path into darkness.
New Life Bible
He has built a wall in my way so that I cannot pass. And He has put darkness on my paths.
New Revised Standard
He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness upon my paths.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
My way, hath he walled up, that I cannot pass, and, upon my paths, hath he made darkness rest;
Douay-Rheims Bible
He hath hedged in my path round about, and I cannot pass, and in my way he hath set darkness.
Revised Standard Version
He has walled up my way, so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness upon my paths.
Young's Literal Translation
My way He hedged up, and I pass not over, And on my paths darkness He placeth.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, And He has put darkness on my paths.

Contextual Overview

8 God has blocked the way, and I can't get through; he has hidden my path in darkness. 9 He has taken away all my wealth and destroyed my reputation. 10 He batters me from every side. He uproots my hope and leaves me to wither and die. 11 God is angry and rages against me; he treats me like his worst enemy. 12 He sends his army to attack me; they dig trenches and lay siege to my tent. 13 God has made my own family forsake me; I am a stranger to those who knew me; 14 my relatives and friends are gone. 15 Those who were guests in my house have forgotten me; my servant women treat me like a stranger and a foreigner. 16 When I call a servant, he doesn't answer— even when I beg him to help me. 17 My wife can't stand the smell of my breath, and my own brothers won't come near me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

fenced: Job 3:23, Psalms 88:8, Lamentations 3:7, Lamentations 3:9, Hosea 2:6

set: Joshua 24:7, Proverbs 4:19, Isaiah 50:10, Jeremiah 13:16, Jeremiah 23:12, John 8:12

Reciprocal: Genesis 31:7 - ten times Job 22:11 - darkness Job 23:17 - the darkness from Job 36:16 - a broad Psalms 107:14 - brought Lamentations 3:5 - builded

Cross-References

Genesis 18:5
I will also bring a bit of food; it will give you strength to continue your journey. You have honored me by coming to my home, so let me serve you." They replied, "Thank you; we accept."
Genesis 19:31
The older daughter said to her sister, "Our father is getting old, and there are no men in the whole world to marry us so that we can have children.
Genesis 19:38
The younger daughter also had a son, whom she named Benammi. He was the ancestor of the present-day Ammonites.
Genesis 42:37
Reuben said to his father, "If I do not bring Benjamin back to you, you can kill my two sons. Put him in my care, and I will bring him back."
Exodus 32:22
Aaron answered, "Don't be angry with me; you know how determined these people are to do evil.
Judges 9:15
The thorn bush answered, ‘If you really want to make me your king, then come and take shelter in my shade. If you don't, fire will blaze out of my thorny branches and burn up the cedars of Lebanon.'
Judges 19:24
Look! Here is his concubine and my own virgin daughter. I'll bring them out now, and you can have them. Do whatever you want to with them. But don't do such an awful thing to this man!"
Isaiah 58:7
Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.
Mark 9:6
He and the others were so frightened that he did not know what to say.
Romans 3:8
Why not say, then, "Let us do evil so that good may come"? Some people, indeed, have insulted me by accusing me of saying this very thing! They will be condemned, as they should be.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass,.... A metaphor taken from travellers, who not only meet with obstacles and obstructions in their way, which make it difficult; but sometimes with such enclosures and fences, that they are at a full stop, and cannot pass on, and know not what course to steer: the people of God are not inhabitants of this world, but pilgrims, strangers, and sojourners in it, and travellers through it; they are bound for another country, and are travelling to it; and though their way for far most part is indeed troublesome, but generally passable, or made so; yet sometimes not only is their way hedged up with afflictions, and they hedged about with them, that they cannot easily get out, and get through and pass on; and it is with much difficulty, and with being much scratched and torn, they do brush through; but they also at other times find God has built up a wall against them, and enclosed them with hewn stones, and so fenced up their way that they cannot pass on; such difficulties present as seem insurmountable, and they are at a standstill, and know not what way to take; which was now Job's case, see Lamentations 3:5; and this may not only respect the way of his walk in this world, but his way to God, either to the throne of his grace, or the tribunal of his justice: the way to God, as on a throne of grace, is only through Christ, the living way; which, though more clearly revealed under the Gospel dispensation, and therefore called a new way, yet was known under the former dispensation, and made use of; in which saints may have access to God with boldness and confidence: but sometimes this way seems by unbelief to be fenced up, though it is always open; and especially when God hides his face, and is not to be seen, nor is it known where to find him, and how to come up to his seat; and which also was Job's case,

Job 23:3; and whereas he was very desirous of having his cause heard and tried at the tribunal of God, his way was so shut up, that he could not obtain what he so much desired, and knew not therefore how to proceed, and what course to take:

and he hath set darkness in my paths; and was like a traveller in a very dark night, that cannot see his way, and knows not what step to take next; so good men, though they walk not in the ways of darkness, in a moral sense, as unregenerate men do; yet even while they are walking in the good ways of truth and holiness, and while they are passing through this world, God sometimes withdraws the light of his countenance from them, so that they walk in darkness, and have no light, which is very uncomfortable walking; and when God may be said to put darkness into their paths, he not granting them the light of grace and comfort they have sometimes enjoyed; and so it is with them when under such dark dispensations of Providence, as that they cannot see the end of God in leading them in such ways; and then their case is such as it now was Job's; that they cannot see any way of getting out of it; as the Israelites at the Red sea, and Paul and the mariners when in a storm, and all hope of being saved was gone.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He hath fenced up my way - This figure is taken from a traveler, whose way is obstructed by trees, rocks, or fences, so that he cannot get along, and Job says it was so with him. He was traveling along in a peaceful manner on the journey of life, and all at once obstructions were put in his path, so that he could not go farther. This does not refer, particularly, to his spiritual condition, if it does at all. It is descriptive of the obstruction of his plans, rather than of spiritual darkness or distress.

And he hath set darkness in my paths - So that I cannot see - as if all around the traveler should become suddenly dark, so that he could not discern his way. The “language” here would well express the spiritual darkness which the friends of God sometimes experience, though it is by no means certain that Job referred to that. All the dealings of God are to them mysterious, and there is no light in the soul - and they are ready to sink down in despair.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 19:8. He hath fenced up my way — This may allude to the mode of hunting the elephant, described at the conclusion of the preceding chapter; or to the operations of an invading army. See under Job 19:11.


 
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