Job 38:19

King James Version

Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Where is the road to the home of light?Do you know where darkness lives,

Hebrew Names Version
"What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is the place of it,

English Standard Version
"Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness,

New Century Version
"What is the path to light's home, and where does darkness live?

New English Translation
"In what direction does light reside, and darkness, where is its place,

Amplified Bible
"Where is the way where light dwells? And as for darkness, where is its place,

New American Standard Bible
"Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place,

World English Bible
"What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is the place of it,

Geneva Bible (1587)
Where is the way where light dwelleth? and where is the place of darkenesse,

Legacy Standard Bible
"Where is the way to where the light dwells?And darkness, where is its place,

Berean Standard Bible
Where is the way to the home of light? Do you know where darkness resides,

Contemporary English Version
Where is the home of light, and where does darkness live?

Complete Jewish Bible
"Which way leads to where light has its home? and darkness, where does it dwell?

Darby Translation
Where is the way to where light dwelleth? and the darkness, where is its place,

Easy-to-Read Version
"Where does light come from? Where does darkness come from?

George Lamsa Translation
Where is the dwelling place of light, and where is the place of darkness?

Good News Translation
Do you know where the light comes from or what the source of darkness is?

Lexham English Bible
"Where then is the way where the light dwells? And where then is its place,

Literal Translation
Where is this, the way light dwells; and where is the place of darkness,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
the shewe me where light dwelleth, and where darcknes is:

American Standard Version
Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

Bible in Basic English
Which is the way to the resting-place of the light, and where is the store-house of the dark;

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and as for darkness, where is the place thereof;

King James Version (1611)
Where is the way where light dwelleth? And as for darknesse, where is the place thereof?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then shewe me the way where light dwelleth, & where is the place of darkenesse?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And in what kind of a land does the light dwell? and of what kind is the place of darkness?

English Revised Version
Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and as for darkness, where is the place thereof;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
in what weie the liyt dwellith, and which is the place of derknesse;

Update Bible Version
Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

Webster's Bible Translation
Where [is] the way [where] light dwelleth? and [as for] darkness, where [is] its place,

New King James Version
"Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place,

New Living Translation
"Where does light come from, and where does darkness go?

New Life Bible
"Where does the light come from? And where is the place of darkness,

New Revised Standard
"Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Where then is the way, the light shall abide? And, the darkness, where then is its place?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Where is the way where light dwelleth, and where is the place of darkness?

Revised Standard Version
"Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness,

Young's Literal Translation
Where [is] this -- the way light dwelleth? And darkness, where [is] this -- its place?

THE MESSAGE
"Do you know where Light comes from and where Darkness lives So you can take them by the hand and lead them home when they get lost? Why, of course you know that. You've known them all your life, grown up in the same neighborhood with them!

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place,

Contextual Overview

¹² Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; ¹³ That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? ¹⁴ It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment. ¹⁵ And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken. ¹⁶ Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth? ¹⁷ Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? ¹⁸ Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all. ¹⁹ Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof, ²⁰ That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof? ²¹ Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the way: Job 38:12, Job 38:13, Genesis 1:3, Genesis 1:4, Genesis 1:14-18, Deuteronomy 4:19, Isaiah 45:7, John 1:9, John 8:12

darkness: Psalms 18:11, Psalms 104:20, Psalms 105:28, Jeremiah 13:16, Ezekiel 32:8, Amos 4:13, Matthew 27:45

Reciprocal: Job 9:7 - sealeth Job 28:7 - a path

Cross-References

Genesis 38:14
And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.

2 Samuel 14:2
And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:

2 Samuel 14:5
And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Where [is] the way [where] light dwelleth?.... Or the way to the place where it dwells, and what that is;

and [as for] darkness, where [is] the place thereof? where these were placed when they were first separated at the creation? where light goes and dwells, when it departs from us at sun setting? and where the darkness betakes itself, and makes its abode at sun rising? What is the chamber of the sun, and the tabernacle of it? from whence it sets out, and whither it returns? And though these questions may be answered by geographers and astronomers in their way; yet they seem to respect chiefly the disposal of light and darkness, in such a manner as to cause the revolution of them, and the inequality of days and nights in different seasons and climates; and which is not in the power of men to effect, but depends on the sovereign will of God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Where is the way where light dwelleth? - Or, rather, where is the way or path to the place where light dwells? Light is conceived of as coming from a great distance, and as having a place which might be regarded as its home. It comes in the morning, and is withdrawn at evening, and it seems as if it came from some far distant dwelling-place in the morning to illuminate the world, and then retired to its home in the evening, and thus gave place for darkness to visit the earth. The idea is this, “Dost thou know, when the light withdraws from the world, to what place it betakes itself as its home? Canst thou follow it to its distant abodes, and tell where they are? And when the shadows of night come forth, and take its place, canst thou tell whence they come; and when they withdraw again in the morning, canst thou follow them, and tell where they are congregated together to abide?” The thought is highly poetic, and is not to be taken literally. The meaning is, that God only could know what was the great fountain of light, and where that was; and the question substantially may be asked of man with as much force and propriety now as in the time of Job. Who knows what is the great fountain of light to the universe? Who knows what light is? Who can explain the causes of its rapid flight from world to world? Who can tell what supplies it, and prevents it from being exhausted? Who but God, after all the discoveries of science, can fully understand this?

And as for darkness, where is the place thereof? - Darkness here is personified. It is represented as having a place of abode as coming forth to take the place of light when that is withdrawn, and again as retiring to its dwelling when the light reappears.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 38:19. Where light dwelleth — What is the source of light? Yea, what is light itself? It is not in the sun, for light was before the sun; but what is light? It is no doubt a substance; but of what kind? and of what are its particles? As to darkness, what is IT? Is it philosophical to say, it is the mere privation of light? I shall think philosophy has made some advances to general accuracy and perfection when it proves to us what cold is, and what darkness is, leaving mere privations out of the question.