Where is the way where light dwelleth, and where is the place of darkness?
אֵי־זֶ֣ה הַ֭דֶּרֶךְ יִשְׁכָּן־א֑וֹר וְ֝חֹ֗שֶׁךְ אֵי־זֶ֥ה מְקֹמֽוֹ׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The sun, moon, and stars cast light upon the earth and its creations, whereas hell remained shrouded in utter darkness, embodying the bleakest and most dreadful realm. To Job, God questioned, “Is it in the weight of the earth where light dwells, and what is the place of darkness?” Following Christ’s descent into hell, that bleak place was flooded with the unfathomable and divine light of the Godhead.
During Elisha's final sermon, the heavens were shrouded in clouds, and thunder began to resound, prompting Elisha to reflect on the majesty and might of God manifested in storms. Subsequently, the voice of the Lord was heard amidst the tumult. Jehovah did not come to clarify the workings of His Providence regarding human destiny, nor to resolve the dilemma that troubled Job's companions concerning human joy and suffering. Instead, He aimed to illustrate to Job and his friends the futility of human attempts to grasp such profound questions and the divine mysteries of the Lord’s ways.
God addressed Job, who had rashly sought answers, drawing his attention with questions rooted in the natural order. Through these inquiries, He implied that if Job could not comprehend the simplest aspects of the physical world, he was even less equipped to tackle moral quandaries (38: 1-3). The Lord began by inquiring about the origins of the earth, indicating how limited human understanding is if Job cannot answer this fundamental question (4-6). In contrast, God crafted the earth with such ease as one would erect an ordinary structure, and His majestic act of creation inspired the heavenly beings to acclaim Him joyfully (7).
The Creator’s power and wisdom are equally evident in His control over the depths of the ocean (8 - 11) and the division of light from darkness (12 - 15). However, these vast realms of light and shadow are not entirely beyond human observation (16-20). Ordinary weather phenomena such as snow, hail, rain, and frost are beyond human mastery (21-30), as are the celestial movements and all atmospheric changes (31-38). The Lord then turned to the extraordinary wonders of the natural world, highlighting the remarkable instincts of animals. He reminded Job that it is solely through His tender providence that wild beasts and birds are provided for (39-41).
The sun shines brightly in one part of the world while it sets in another, showcasing the duality of day and night across the globe. There are regions, specifically the poles, where light prevails for half the year, followed by an equal stretch of darkness. Such phenomena are familiar to us today. However, during Job's time, this understanding had not yet been revealed.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS