The Meaning of Job 23:17 Explained

Job 23:17

KJV: Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.

YLT: For I have not been cut off before darkness, And before me He covered thick darkness.

Darby: Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he hidden the gloom from me.

ASV: Because I was not cut off before the darkness, Neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because I was not cut off  before  the darkness,  [neither] hath he covered  the darkness  from my face. 

What does Job 23:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 23:1-17 - "he Knoweth The Way That I Take"
This chapter is threaded by a sublime faith. Job admitted that his complaint seemed rebellious, but God's hand had been heavy on him. From the misunderstandings of his friends, he longs for the calm, holy presence of God Himself.
It seemed as if nothing would content the sufferer but a personal audience with the Almighty. He felt that he could plead his cause there without fear. He was sure that his Almighty Judge would not contend against him with His great power, but would listen to him. Yet it seemed impossible to find Him. Job did not realize that he was already in God's audience-room. We are made nigh through Jesus Christ. God hides Himself, because mortal eyes could not bear the burning glory of His presence. But though we fail to see Him, we are never for a moment out of His view. He knows the way that we take. Speak to Him, weary, suffering soul; the Lord is at hand!
It was not a mere self-righteous boast that the sufferer made in Job 23:7; Job 23:11-12. David also used similar words of himself, Psalms 18:20-23. We are always sinners, needing the precious blood; but we may be very thankful if we have been kept from "the great transgression." Yet the perfect man is still troubled in the divine presence, and his heart becomes faint, Job 23:15-16, unless he can claim something more than creature or natural goodness. "On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand." [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 23

1  Job longs to appear before God
6  in confidence of his mercy
8  God, who is invisible, observes our ways
11  Job's innocence
13  God's decree is immutable

What do the individual words in Job 23:17 mean?

Because not I was cut off from the presence of darkness and [not] from my face He did hide [deep] darkness
כִּֽי־ לֹ֣א נִ֭צְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־ חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וּ֝מִפָּנַ֗י כִּסָּה־ אֹֽפֶל

כִּֽי־  Because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
נִ֭צְמַתִּי  I  was  cut  off 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: צָמַת  
Sense: to put an end to, cut off, destroy, exterminate, extirpate.
מִפְּנֵי־  from  the  presence 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
חֹ֑שֶׁךְ  of  darkness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹשֶׁךְ  
Sense: darkness, obscurity.
וּ֝מִפָּנַ֗י  and  [not]  from  my  face 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
כִּסָּה־  He  did  hide 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
אֹֽפֶל  [deep]  darkness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹפֶל  
Sense: darkness, gloom.