Concept
HamartiologyDarkness
Not merely the absence of light in Scripture but a realm and a power — one God parts, invades, and finally abolishes.
#judgment#fall
- 77passages
- 83original words
- 240cross-references
- 1thread through it
The words behind it
Hebrew and Greek standing in the 18 passages listed below — not a lexicon of "darkness" itself. The number on each word is how often it occurs in those passages; the connecting words the languages use everywhere are set aside so the words that carry meaning can be seen.
Hebrew83
73 more hebrew words ▾
The passages
The first 18 of 77 passages this site attaches to the concept, in canon order. Each row says where it came from.
Old Testament18
- Genesis 1:2listed key text
Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
Commentary on Genesis 1:21 voice
The good architect lays the foundation first and afterward, when the foundation has been laid, plots the various parts of the building, one after the other, and then adds to it the ornamentation.… Scripture points out that things were first created and afterward put in order lest it be supposed that they were not actually created and that they had no beginning, just as if the nature of things had been, as it were, generated from the beginning and did not appear to be something added afterward.
Ambrose of Milan· The Six Days of Creation, 397Patristic
- Genesis 1:3thread stop
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.(opening verse of the passage)
Commentary on Genesis 1:31 voice
The first word of God created the nature of light; it made darkness vanish, dispelled gloom, illuminated the world, and gave to all beings at the same time a sweet and gracious aspect. The heavens, until then enveloped in darkness, appeared with that beauty which they still present to our eyes. The air was lighted up, or rather made the light circulate mixed with its substance, and, distributing its splendour rapidly in every direction, so dispersed itself to its extreme limits. Up it sprang to the very æther and heaven.
Basil of Caesarea· The Hexaemeron, Homily 2: The Earth Was Invisible and Unfinished, 379Patristic
- Genesis 1:5topical floor
God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
Commentary on Genesis 1:51 voice
The angels, dominions and powers, although they began to exist at some time, were already in existence when the [visible] world was created.
Ambrose of Milan· The Six Days of Creation, 397Patristic
- Exodus 10:21listed key text
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that darkness may spread over the land of Egypt—a palpable darkness.”
Commentary on Exodus 10:211 voice
And the Lord said unto Moses,.... About the eleventh day of the month Abib: stretch out thine hand toward heaven; where the luminaries are, and from whence light comes: that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt; that is, what caused it, the gross vapours and thick fogs; for otherwise darkness itself, being a privation of light, cannot be felt: Onkelos paraphrases it,"after that the darkness of the night is removed;''so Jonathan; that it might appear to be different from that, and be much grosser.
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)Reformed
- Exodus 10:22topical floor
So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and total darkness covered all the land of Egypt for three days.
Commentary on Exodus 10:221 voice
In the ninth plague, darkness fell. Either it means the blindness of their minds or that they should realize that the workings of the divine economy and of providence are most obscure. For God made darkness his hiding place. But they desired boldly and rashly …
Isidore of Seville· QUESTIONS ON THE OLD TESTAMENT, EX 14:15, 636Patristic
- Exodus 13:21thread stop
And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night.
Commentary on Exodus 13:211 voice
It was also fitting that a pillar of fire preceded the Israelites as they progressed through the desert during the night and a pillar of a cloud during the day. There is dread in fire but a gentle soothing quality in the sight of a cloud. "Day" is understood to point toward the life of the righteous and "night" that of the sinner. Hence Paul said to sinners who had been converted, "You were once darkness but are now light in the Lord."
Gregory the Dialogist· Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 21, 604Patristic
- Exodus 19:16topical floor
On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud was upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the ram’s horn went out, so that all the people in the camp trembled.
Commentary on Exodus 19:161 voice
The third day, however, is always applied to mysteries. For when the people had departed from Egypt, they offer sacrifice to God on the third day and are purified on the third day. And the third day is the day of the Lord's resurrection. Many other mysteries also are anticipated in this day.
Origen of Alexandria· HOMILIES ON GENESIS 8:4, 253Patristic
- Exodus 20:21topical floor
And the people stood at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
Commentary on Exodus 20:211 voice
And the people stood afar off,....
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)Reformed
- 2 Samuel 22:10topical floor
He parted the heavens and came down with dark clouds beneath His feet.(opening verse of the passage)
- 1 Kings 8:12topical floor
Then Solomon declared: “The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.
Commentary on 1 Kings 8:121 voice
And then spake Solomon,....
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)Reformed
- 2 Chronicles 6:1topical floor
Then Solomon declared: “The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud;
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 6:11 voice
The Lord hath said that he would dwell - Solomon, seeing the cloud descend and fill the house, immediately took for granted that the Lord had accepted the place, and was now present. What occurred now was precisely the same with what took place when Moses reared the tabernacle in the wilderness; see Exo 40:34, Exo 40:35: A cloud covered the tent - and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent - because the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible, 1832Evangelical
- Job 38:9topical floor
when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its blanket,
Commentary on Job 38:91 voice
When I was making a cloud the garment thereof, and was covering it with darkness as with swaddling clothes. ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION The raging sea is covered with a 'cloud,' because the cruelty of persecutors is covered with the veil of their own folly. For it is unable to behold the clear light of truth, from the interposed darkness of their unbelief; and through the desert of its own blindness, it knows not what it is doing by the impulse of cruelty.
Gregory the Dialogist· Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXVIII, 604Patristic
- Psalms 18:11topical floor
He made darkness His hiding place, and storm clouds a canopy around Him.
Commentary on Psalms 18:111 voice
There is no doubt but that the clouds and darkness round about him were the body that the Lord Savior deigned to assume.… He appeared just as he willed to appear and not in accordance with his divine nature. "He made darkness the cloak about him." If God is light, how is light able to dwell in darkness? In that passage, darkness represents our imperfect knowledge and our infirmity, for we cannot gaze on his majesty.
Jerome· HOMILY ON PSALM 96[97], 420Patristic
- Psalms 27:1thread stop
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?
Commentary on Psalms 27:11 voice
Christians have nothing to fear, even if demons should not be well-disposed to them; for they are protected by the supreme God, who is well pleased with their piety and who sets his divine angels to watch over those who are worthy of such guardianship, so that they can suffer nothing from demons.
Origen of Alexandria· AGAINST CELSUS 8:27, 253Patristic
- Psalms 97:2topical floor
Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are His throne’s foundation.
Commentary on Psalms 97:21 voice
"Cloud and darkness are round about him." No one doubts that this is of the Lord Savior, round about whom was cloud and darkness — the flesh which he deigned to assume; although he is said to have appeared, in the Gospel of John. "And he appeared to us." He appeared indeed to the apostles, but from the Jews he was concealed.
Jerome· Homily 73, on Psalm 96 (Alternate Series), 420Patristic
- Psalms 105:28topical floor
He sent darkness, and it became dark— yet they defied His words.
- Proverbs 20:20topical floor
Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.
Commentary on Proverbs 20:201 voice
Whoso curseth his father or his mother,....
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)Reformed
- Isaiah 8:22topical floor
Then they will look to the earth and see only distress and darkness and the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into utter darkness.
Commentary on Isaiah 8:221 voice
296. And look upwards. Here he sets out the sadness of despair, and first, the expectation of help: look upwards, seeking help from heaven. And they shall look to the earth, to help from earth; above: they shall look towards the land, and behold darkness …
Thomas Aquinas· Commentary on Isaiah, 1274Patristic
Voices on these passages
Commentary matched to the verses above, each named with its source — the full pool sits on each verse page.
The good architect lays the foundation first and afterward, when the foundation has been laid, plots the various parts of the building, one after the other, and then adds to it the ornamentation.… Scripture points out that things were first created and afterward put in order lest it be supposed that they were not actually created and that they had no beginning, just as if the nature of things had been, as it were, generated from the beginning and did not appear to be something added afterward.
Ambrose of Milan· The Six Days of CreationPatristic
Genesis 1:2
The first word of God created the nature of light; it made darkness vanish, dispelled gloom, illuminated the world, and gave to all beings at the same time a sweet and gracious aspect. The heavens, until then enveloped in darkness, appeared with that beauty which they still present to our eyes. The air was lighted up, or rather made the light circulate mixed with its substance, and, distributing its splendour rapidly in every direction, so dispersed itself to its extreme limits. Up it sprang to the very æther and heaven.
Basil of Caesarea· The Hexaemeron, Homily 2: The Earth Was Invisible and UnfinishedPatristic
Genesis 1:3
The angels, dominions and powers, although they began to exist at some time, were already in existence when the [visible] world was created.
Ambrose of Milan· The Six Days of CreationPatristic
Genesis 1:5
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The passages above carry 240 cross-references between them — links from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, the great 1830s reference work, together with the reader-voted index at OpenBible.info. The most-linked destinations:
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Where this comes from
Darkness is on the face of the deep before the first word is spoken, falls on Egypt as a plague that can be felt, and covers Golgotha for three hours at midday. Scripture uses it for ignorance, for judgment, and for a dominion with a ruler.
The gospel is stated as a transfer between the two: God "hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Colossians 1:13).