Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, November 24th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Read the Bible

King James Version

Job 19:8

He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.

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

New Living Translation
God has blocked my way so I cannot move. He has plunged my path into darkness.
English Revised Version
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and hath set darkness in my paths.
Update Bible Version
He has walled up my way that I can't pass, And has set darkness in 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.
Webster's Bible Translation
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
World English Bible
He has walled up my way so that I can't pass, And has set darkness in my paths.
Amplified Bible
"He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, And He has set darkness upon my paths.
English Standard Version
He has walled up my way, so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness upon my paths.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He bisette aboute my path, and Y may not go; and he settide derknessis in my weie.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Hee hath hedged vp my way that I cannot passe, and he hath set darkenesse in my paths.
George Lamsa Translation
He has fenced up my ways so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness in my paths.
Good News Translation
God has blocked the way, and I can't get through; he has hidden my path in darkness.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Young's Literal Translation
My way He hedged up, and I pass not over, And on my paths darkness He placeth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He hath hedged vp my path, I ca not get awaye, he hath set darcknesse in my gate.
New American Standard Bible
"He has blocked my way so that I cannot pass, And He has put darkness on 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 American Standard Bible (1995)
"He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, And He has put darkness on my paths.
Legacy Standard Bible
He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass,And He has put darkness on my paths.

Contextual Overview

8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths. 9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head. 10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree. 11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies. 12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle. 13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. 14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. 15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight. 16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth. 17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.

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
And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
Genesis 19:31
And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
Genesis 19:38
And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
Genesis 42:37
And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
Exodus 32:22
And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
Judges 9:15
And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
Judges 19:24
Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.
Isaiah 58:7
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Mark 9:6
For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.
Romans 3:8
And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

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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