Encyclopedia entry
Darkness
The plague (the ninth) of darkness in Egypt (Ex. 10:21) is described as darkness “which may be felt.” It covered “all the land of Egypt,” so that “they saw not one another.” It did not extend to the land of Goshen (ver. 23).
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When Jesus hung upon the cross (Matt. 27:45; Luke 23:44), from the “sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.”
On Mount Sinai, Moses (Ex. 20:21) “drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.” This was the “thick cloud upon the mount” in which Jehovah was when he spake unto Moses there. The Lord dwelt in the cloud upon the mercy-seat (1 Kings 8:12), the cloud of glory. When the psalmist (Ps. 97:2) describes the inscrutable nature of God’s workings among the sons of men, he says, “Clouds and darkness are round about him.” God dwells in thick darkness.
Darkness (Isa. 13:9, 10; Matt. 24:29) also is a symbol of the judgments that attend on the coming of the Lord. It is a symbol of misery and adversity (Job 18:6; Ps. 107:10; Isa. 8:22; Ezek. 30:18). The “day of darkness” in Joel 2:2, caused by clouds of locusts, is a symbol of the obscurity which overhangs all divine proceedings. “Works of darkness” are impure actions (Eph. 5:11). “Outer darkness” refers to the darkness of the streets in the East, which are never lighted up by any public or private lamps after nightfall, in contrast with the blaze of cheerful light in the house. It is also a symbol of ignorance (Isa. 9:2; 60:2; Matt. 6:23) and of death (Job 10:21; 17:13).
Also from Smith's (1884) +−
is spoken of as encompassing the actual presence of God, as that out of which he speaks,—the envelope, as it were, of divine glory. (Exodus 20:21; 1 Kings 8:12) The plague of darkness in Egypt was miraculous. The darkness “over all the land,” (Matthew 27:45) attending the crucifixion has been attributed to an eclipse, but was undoubtedly miraculous, as no eclipse of the sun could have taken place at that time, the moon being at the full at the time of the passover. Darkness is also, as in the expression “land of darkness,” used for the state of the dead, (Job 10:21,22) and frequently, figuratively, for ignorance and unbelief, as the privation of spiritual light. (John 1:5; 3:19)
In the Bible
159
Verses where Darkness is named. Berean Standard Bible (public domain).
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
- 1 John 1:5
And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
- 1 John 1:6
If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
- 1 John 2:8
Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.
- 1 John 2:9
If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness.
- 1 John 2:11
But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
+153 more verses naming Darkness.
Scripture on Darkness
118
See all 118 +−
- 1 Kings 8Job 3Job 15Psalms 18Psalms 88Psalms 107Isaiah 45Joel 2Amos 5Matthew 27Luke 11Ephesians 51 John 2Genesis 15Deuteronomy 5Job 12Job 17Job 18Job 22Job 38Psalms 97Psalms 139Ecclesiastes 2Isaiah 5Isaiah 8Isaiah 9Isaiah 29Isaiah 42Jeremiah 2Lamentations 3Matthew 6Luke 23John 1John 121 Thessalonians 52 Peter 21 John 1Jude 1Exodus 14Deuteronomy 4Deuteronomy 28Joshua 241 Samuel 22 Chronicles 6Job 5Job 11Job 19Job 20Job 23Job 24Job 26Job 28Job 29Job 30Job 34Job 37Psalms 44Psalms 82Psalms 91Psalms 104Psalms 105Psalms 112Psalms 143Proverbs 2Proverbs 4Proverbs 20Ecclesiastes 5Ecclesiastes 6Ecclesiastes 11Isaiah 13Isaiah 47Isaiah 49Isaiah 50Isaiah 58Isaiah 59Isaiah 60Jeremiah 13Jeremiah 23Ezekiel 8Ezekiel 30Ezekiel 32Ezekiel 34Daniel 2Amos 4Micah 3Micah 7Nahum 1Zephaniah 1Matthew 4Matthew 8Matthew 10Matthew 22Matthew 24Matthew 25Mark 15Luke 1Luke 12Luke 22John 3John 8Acts 2Acts 13Acts 26Romans 2Romans 131 Corinthians 42 Corinthians 42 Corinthians 6Ephesians 6Colossians 1Hebrews 121 Peter 2Revelation 16
Darkness references
15
Voices on Darkness
24
Surfaced by name match — accuracy varies by title clarity.
Sources · Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884)
Public-domain text. Modernized only where archaic spelling impedes reading; original facts preserved. Verify against an authoritative modern reference before quoting.