Overview
The Bible addresses night across 79 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Psalms, Genesis and Job. Closely related themes include God, Sun, Sun, the and Creation. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Jacob, Laban, Balaam and Gideon.
Key Bible verses about night
Old Testament
Genesis
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And the evening: Heb. And the evening was, and the morning was
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: the day: Heb. between the day and between the night
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. to rule the day: Heb. for the rule of the day, etc.
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. While: Heb. As yet all the days of the earth
And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. either: Heb. from good to bad
That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.
Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
Exodus
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. gods: or, princes
And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
Numbers
And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.
And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. upon: Heb. who hast ridden upon me ever since: or, ever since thou wast, etc
Judges
And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.
Nehemiah
Job
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day. the night: Heb. the evening be measured?
The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face. disguiseth: Heb. setteth his face in secret
Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.
My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. spread: Heb. opened
Psalms
I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. all: or, every night
Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. am: Heb. there is no silence to me
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. his anger: Heb. there is but a moment in his anger for a night: Heb. in the evening joy: Heb. singing
When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. beasts: Heb. beasts thereof do trample on the forest
The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.
Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
A Song of degrees. Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD.
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
Proverbs
Song of Solomon
By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
Isaiah
The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; brought: or, cut off
The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.
Jeremiah
Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:
Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;
Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.
Daniel
New Testament
Matthew
Mark
Luke
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night. watch: or, the night watches
And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
John
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
1 Thessalonians
People in the Bible and night
Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.
In the Bible dictionary
Studying night for yourself
- Begin with Genesis 1:5, then read the passages below in canonical order.
- Compare how Psalms, Genesis and Job each treat the theme.
- Consider the lives of Jacob, Laban and Balaam and how their stories intersect with it.
- Widen the study to related themes: God, Sun, Sun, the and Creation.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about night?
The Bible addresses night across 79 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Psalms, Genesis and Job. Closely related themes include God, Sun, Sun, the and Creation. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Jacob, Laban, Balaam and Gideon.
How many Bible verses are about night?
The Bible references night in 79 verses (King James Version).
Where does the Bible first mention night?
In canonical order, the first of these passages is Genesis 1:5: “And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And the evening: Heb. And the evening was, and the morning was”
Which people in the Bible are associated with night?
Jacob, Laban, Balaam, Gideon and Saul.
Preach & teach
Outline a sermon or build a study series on night.
Preach a series on Night →