Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, August 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

New Century Version

Job 17:12

These men think night is day; when it is dark, they say, ‘Light is near.'

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Greatness of God;   Hypocrisy;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Change;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They turned night into dayand made light seem near in the face of darkness.
Hebrew Names Version
They change the night into day, Saying 'The light is near' in the presence of darkness.
King James Version
They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.
English Standard Version
They make night into day: ‘The light,' they say, ‘is near to the darkness.'
New English Translation
These men change night into day; they say, ‘The light is near in the face of darkness.'
Amplified Bible
"These [thoughts try to] make the night into the day; 'The light is near,' they say in the presence of darkness [but they pervert the truth].
New American Standard Bible
"They make night into day, saying, 'The light is near,' in the presence of darkness.
World English Bible
They change the night into day, Saying 'The light is near' in the presence of darkness.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Haue changed the nyght for the day, and the light that approched, for darkenesse.
Legacy Standard Bible
They make night into day, saying,‘The light is near,' in the presence of darkness.
Berean Standard Bible
They have turned night into day, making light seem near in the face of darkness.
Contemporary English Version
But all my friends can do is offer empty hopes.
Complete Jewish Bible
but they [try to] turn [my] night into day, [saying,] ‘Light is near!' — in the face of darkness.
Darby Translation
They change the night into day; the light [they imagine] near in presence of the darkness.
Easy-to-Read Version
Everything is confused— night is day, and evening comes when it should be dawn.
George Lamsa Translation
You change the night into day; and you bring forth the light before the darkness is over.
Good News Translation
But my friends say night is daylight; they say that light is near, but I know I remain in darkness.
Lexham English Bible
They make night into day, saying, ‘Light is near to darkness.'
Literal Translation
They set night for day; light is near in the face of darkness.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
chaunginge the night in to daye, & ye light in to darcknes.
American Standard Version
They change the night into day: The light, say they, is near unto the darkness.
Bible in Basic English
They are changing night into day; they say, The light is near the dark.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
They change the night into day; the light is short because of darkness.
King James Version (1611)
They change the night into day: the light is short, because of darknes.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Chaunging the night into day, and the light approching into darkenesse.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I have turned the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.
English Revised Version
They change the night into a day: the fight, say they, is near unto the darkness.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Tho han turned the nyyt `in to day; and eft aftir derknessis hope liyt.
Update Bible Version
They change the night into day: The light, [say they], is near to the darkness.
Webster's Bible Translation
They change the night into day: the light [is] short because of darkness.
New King James Version
They change the night into day; "The light is near,' they say, in the face of darkness.
New Living Translation
These men say that night is day; they claim that the darkness is light.
New Life Bible
They make night into day, saying, ‘The light is near,' when there is darkness.
New Revised Standard
They make night into day; ‘The light,' they say, ‘is near to the darkness.'
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Night for day, they appoint, Light, is near, by reason of darkness!
Douay-Rheims Bible
They have turned night into day, and after darkness I hope for light again.
Revised Standard Version
They make night into day; 'The light,' they say, 'is near to the darkness.'
Young's Literal Translation
Night for day they appoint, Light [is] near because of darkness.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"They make night into day, saying, 'The light is near,' in the presence of darkness.

Contextual Overview

10 "But, all of you, come and try again! I do not find a wise person among you. 11 My days are gone, and my plans have been destroyed, along with the desires of my heart. 12 These men think night is day; when it is dark, they say, ‘Light is near.' 13 If the only home I hope for is the grave, if I spread out my bed in darkness, 14 if I say to the grave, ‘You are my father,' and to the worm, ‘You are my mother' or ‘You are my sister,' 15 where, then, is my hope? Who can see any hope for me? 16 Will hope go down to the gates of death? Will we go down together into the dust?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

change: Job 7:3, Job 7:4, Job 7:13, Job 7:14, Job 24:14-16, Deuteronomy 28:67

short: Heb. near

Cross-References

Genesis 17:22
After God finished talking with Abraham, God rose and left him.
Genesis 17:23
Then Abraham gathered Ishmael, all the males born in his camp, and the slaves he had bought. So that day Abraham circumcised every man and boy in his camp as God had told him to do.
Genesis 21:4
He circumcised Isaac when he was eight days old as God had commanded.
Leviticus 12:3
On the eighth day the boy must be circumcised.
Luke 1:59
When the baby was eight days old, they came to circumcise him. They wanted to name him Zechariah because this was his father's name,
Luke 2:21
When the baby was eight days old, he was circumcised and was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before the baby began to grow inside Mary.
Acts 7:8
God made an agreement with Abraham, the sign of which was circumcision. And so when Abraham had his son Isaac, Abraham circumcised him when he was eight days old. Isaac also circumcised his son Jacob, and Jacob did the same for his sons, the twelve ancestors of our people.
Romans 2:28
They can do this because a person is not a true Jew if he is only a Jew in his physical body; true circumcision is not only on the outside of the body.
Philippians 3:5
I was circumcised eight days after my birth. I am from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a Hebrew, and my parents were Hebrews. I had a strict view of the law, which is why I became a Pharisee.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 about what had been said to him in the day, insomuch that he could get no sleep, the night was as broad day unto him; or they put the day before the night, contrary to the order of nature, as Noldius z observes, whereas the night is before the day, Genesis 1:5; his friends promising him long days, and an age clearer than noon day, as bright as the morning, Job 11:17; when the night of death was coming on, and he was hastening to the dark and silent grave:

the light [is] short because of darkness; the morning light, or light of the day, when that comes continues but for a short time, because of the darkness of the evening, which quickly follows; or because of the darkness of fiction, which fills it up, and makes it uncomfortable; or the light of prosperity, could it be enjoyed, is but short, because of the darkness of adversity; or "the light is near" a, as in the original text; though Jarchi interprets the word "short" as we do; Noldius renders it, "the light is rather nearer than darkness" b; after the night has been spent without sleep, the morning light is nearer than darkness; that may soon be expected, and so an end to sleep and rest.

z Ebr. Part. Concord. No. 1931. a קרוב "propinquam", Pagninus, Montanus; so Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c. b Ib. p. 642.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They change - The word “they” in this place, some understand as referring to his friends; others, to his thoughts. Rosenmuller supposes it is to be taken impersonally, and that the meaning is, “night is become day to me.” Wemyss translates it, “night is assigned me for day.” So Dr. Good renders it. The meaning may be, that the night was to him as the day. He had no rest. The period when he had formerly sought repose, was now made like the day, and all was alike gloom and sadness.

The light is short because of darkness - Margin, near. The meaning is, probably, “even the day has lost its usual brilliancy and cheerfulness, and has become gloomy and sad. It seems to be like night. Neither night nor day is natural to me; the one is restless and full of cares like the usual employments of day, and the other is gloomy, or almost night, where there is no comfort and peace. Day brings to me none of its usual enjoyments. It is short, gloomy, sad, and hastens away, and a distressing and restless night soon comes on.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 17:12. 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.


 
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