Job 22:11

11 And thou guessedest, that thou shouldest not see darknesses; and that thou shouldest not be oppressed with the fierceness of waters flowing. (And thou thinkedest, that thou shouldest not see darkness; and that thou shouldest not be oppressed with the fierceness of flowing waters.)

Job 22:11 Meaning and Commentary

Job 22:11

Or darkness, [that] thou canst not see
Or darkness is round about thee, thou art enveloped in it; meaning either judicial blindness, and darkness, and stupidity of mind, which must be his case, if he could not see the hand of God upon him, or the snares that were about him, or was not troubled with sudden fear; or else the darkness of affliction and calamity, which is often signified hereby, see ( Isaiah 8:22 ) ( Lamentations 3:1 Lamentations 3:2 ) ; afflictive dispensations of Providence are sometimes so dark, that a man cannot see the cause and reason of them, or why it is he is brought into them; which was Job's case, and therefore desires God would show him wherefore he contended with him, ( Job 10:9 ) ; nor can he see, perceive, or enjoy any light of comfort; he is in inward darkness of soul, deprived of the light of God's countenance, as well as he is in the outward darkness of adversity, which is a most uncomfortable case, as it was this good man's; nor can he see any end of the affliction, or any way to escape out of it, and which were the present circumstances Job was in:

and abundance of waters cover thee;
afflictions, which are frequently compared to many waters, and floods of them, because of the multitude of them, their force and strength, the power and rapidity with which they come; and because overflowing, overbearing, and overwhelming, and threaten with utter ruin and destruction, unless stopped by the mighty hand of God, who only can resist and restrain them; Eliphaz represents Job like a man drowning, overflowed with a flood of water, and covered with its waves, and in the most desperate condition, see ( Psalms 69:1 Psalms 69:2 ) .

Job 22:11 In-Context

9 Thou lettest go widows void, or unhelped (Thou lettest widows go away void, or without help); and all-brakest the shoulders of fatherless children.

10 Therefore thou art now (en)compassed with snares; and sudden(ly) dread troubleth thee. (And so now thou art surrounded with snares; and the unexpected maketh thee afraid/and suddenly thou art full of fear.)

11 And thou guessedest, that thou shouldest not see darknesses; and that thou shouldest not be oppressed with the fierceness of waters flowing. (And thou thinkedest, that thou shouldest not see darkness; and that thou shouldest not be oppressed with the fierceness of flowing waters.)

12 Whether thou thinkest, that God is higher than heaven, and is enhanced above the top of stars? (Thinkest thou, that God is not higher than the heavens, or that he is not exalted above the height of the stars?)

13 And yet thou sayest, What soothly knoweth God? and, He deemeth as by darkness. (And yet thou sayest, Truly what knoweth God? and, Can he judge through all that darkness?)