Job 38
Amplified Bible
God Speaks Now to Job
38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
2
“Who is this that darkens counsel [questioning my authority and wisdom]
By words without knowledge?(A)
3
“Now [a]gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
4
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know and have understanding.
5
“Who determined the measurements [of the earth], if you know?
Or who stretched the [measuring] line on it?
6
“On what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7
When the morning stars sang together
And all the sons of God (angels) shouted for joy?
8
“Or who enclosed the sea with doors
When it burst forth and went out of the womb;
9
When I made the clouds its garment
And thick darkness its swaddling band,
10
And marked for it My [appointed] boundary
And set bars and doors [defining the shorelines],(B)
11
And said, ‘This far you shall come, but no farther;
And here your proud waves shall stop’?(C)
God’s Mighty Power
12
“Since your days began, have you ever commanded the morning,
And caused the dawn to know its place,
13
So that light may take hold of the corners of the earth
And shake the wickedness out of it?
14
“The earth is changed like clay into which a seal is pressed;
And the things [of the earth] stand out like a [multi-colored] garment.
15
“Their light is withheld from the wicked,
And the uplifted arm is broken.
16
“Have you entered and explored the springs of the sea
Or [have you] walked in the recesses of the deep?
17
“Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
18
“Have you understood the expanse of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.
19
“Where is the [b]way where light dwells?
And as for darkness, where is its place,
20
That you may take it to its territory
And that you may know the paths to its house?
21
“You [must] know, since you were born then,
And [c]because you are so extremely old!
22
“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,
Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
23
Which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
For the day of battle and war?(D)
24
“Where is the way that the light is distributed,
Or the east wind scattered over the earth?
25
“Who has prepared a channel for the torrents of rain and for the flood,
Or a path for the thunderbolt,
26
To bring rain on the uninhabited land,
And on the desert where no man lives,
27
To satisfy the barren and desolate ground
And to make the seeds of grass to sprout?
28
“Has the rain a father?
Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29
“Out of whose womb has come the ice?
And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?
30
“Water becomes like stone [and hides itself],
And the surface of the deep is frozen and imprisoned.
31
“Can you bind the chains of [the cluster of stars called] Pleiades,
Or loose the cords of [the constellation] Orion?
32
“Can you lead forth a [d]constellation in its season,
And guide [the stars of] the Bear with her [e]sons?
33
“Do you know the ordinances of the heavens,
Or [can you] establish their rule over the earth?
34
“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
So that an abundance of water will cover you?
35
“Can you send forth lightnings that they may go
And say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36
“Who has put wisdom in the innermost being [of man, or in the layers of clouds]
Or given understanding to the mind [of man, or to the heavenly display]?
37
“Who can count the clouds by [earthly] wisdom,
Or pour out the water jars of the heavens,
38
When the dust hardens into a mass
And the clods stick together [because of the heat]?
39
“Can you [Job] hunt the prey for the lion,
Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions
40
When they crouch in their dens
And lie in wait in their lair?
41
“Who provides prey for the raven
When its young cry to God
And wander about without food?
Footnotes
- Job 38:3 A phrase often found in the Bible that is an urgent call to get ready for immediate action, or it may be a call to prepare for a coming action or event. The phrase is related to the type of clothing worn in ancient times. To keep from impeding the wearer during any vigorous activity, e.g. battle, exercise, strenuous work, etc., the loose ends of garments (tunics, cloaks, mantles, etc.) had to be gathered up and tucked into the girdle. The girdle was a band about six inches wide that had fasteners in front. It was worn around the loins (the midsection of the body between the lower ribs and the hips). Gird up your mind or gird up your heart are examples of variants of this phrase and call for mental or spiritual preparation for a coming challenge.
- Job 38:19 Light travels on a path or “way” through empty space at 299,792,458 meters per second (approximately 186,282 miles per second).
- Job 38:21 Lit the number of your days is great.
- Job 38:32 Heb Mazzaroth.
- Job 38:32 Or satellites.
Job 38
Tree of Life Version
Word out of the Whirlwind
38 Then Adonai answered Job out of the whirlwind.
He said:
2 “Who is this, who darkens counsel
with words without knowledge?
3 Now gird up your loins like a man;
I will question you,
and you will inform Me!
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.
5 Who set its dimensions—if you know—
or who stretched a line over it?
6 On what were its foundations set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7 when the morning stars sang together,
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 “And who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I made a cloud its garment
and thick darkness its swaddling cloth,
10 when I prescribed my boundary for it,
and set bars and gates,
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come, but no further;
here your majestic waves will stop.’
12 “Have you ever in your life commanded the morning,
or caused dawn to know its place;
13 that it would take hold of the corners of the earth
and shake the wicked out of it?
14 It changes shape like clay under a seal—
they stand out like those of a garment.
15 And from the wicked their light is withheld,
and the upraised arm is broken.
16 “Have you gone to the springs of the sea,
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you?
Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
18 Have you comprehended the expanses of the earth?
If you know it all, declare it!
19 In what direction does light dwell,
and darkness, where is its place—
20 that you can take it to its borders,
and discern the paths to its home?
21 Surely you know, for you were born then;
and the number of your days is great!
22 “Have you entered the storehouses of snow
or seen the storehouses of hail,
23 which I reserved for a time of distress,
for a day of battle and war?
24 In what direction is light distributed,
or the east wind scattered over the earth?
25 Who cuts a channel for the flood,
and a path for the thunderstorm,
26 to cause it to rain on an uninhabited land,
a desert with no one in it,
27 to satisfy a devastated and desolate land,
and cause it to sprout grass?
28 Does the rain have a father,
or who has birthed the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb comes the ice?
Who gives birth to the frost of heaven,
30 when the waters hide like stone,
and the surface of the deep is frozen?
31 “Can you bind the chains of Pleiades
or loosen the belt of Orion?
32 Do you bring out the constellations in their season
or guide the Bear with her cubs?
33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you set up dominion over the earth?
34 “Can you raise your voice to the clouds
and cover yourself with an abundance of water?
35 Can you send out lightning bolts, so they go?
Will they say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who put wisdom in the secret place
or gave understanding to the mind?
37 Who can count the clouds by wisdom,
or tip over the water jars of heaven,
38 when dust hardens into a mass
and clods of earth stick together?
39 “Do you hunt prey for the lioness
or satisfy the hunger of young lions,
40 when they crouch in their dens
or lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Who arranges provision for the raven,
when its young cry out to God,
and wander about for lack of food?
Job 38
New Living Translation
The Lord Challenges Job
38 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
2 “Who is this that questions my wisdom
with such ignorant words?
3 Brace yourself like a man,
because I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
5 Who determined its dimensions
and stretched out the surveying line?
6 What supports its foundations,
and who laid its cornerstone
7 as the morning stars sang together
and all the angels[a] shouted for joy?
8 “Who kept the sea inside its boundaries
as it burst from the womb,
9 and as I clothed it with clouds
and wrapped it in thick darkness?
10 For I locked it behind barred gates,
limiting its shores.
11 I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come.
Here your proud waves must stop!’
12 “Have you ever commanded the morning to appear
and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
13 Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth,
to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?
14 As the light approaches,
the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal;
it is robed in brilliant colors.[b]
15 The light disturbs the wicked
and stops the arm that is raised in violence.
16 “Have you explored the springs from which the seas come?
Have you explored their depths?
17 Do you know where the gates of death are located?
Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
18 Do you realize the extent of the earth?
Tell me about it if you know!
19 “Where does light come from,
and where does darkness go?
20 Can you take each to its home?
Do you know how to get there?
21 But of course you know all this!
For you were born before it was all created,
and you are so very experienced!
22 “Have you visited the storehouses of the snow
or seen the storehouses of hail?
23 (I have reserved them as weapons for the time of trouble,
for the day of battle and war.)
24 Where is the path to the source of light?
Where is the home of the east wind?
25 “Who created a channel for the torrents of rain?
Who laid out the path for the lightning?
26 Who makes the rain fall on barren land,
in a desert where no one lives?
27 Who sends rain to satisfy the parched ground
and make the tender grass spring up?
28 “Does the rain have a father?
Who gives birth to the dew?
29 Who is the mother of the ice?
Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens?
30 For the water turns to ice as hard as rock,
and the surface of the water freezes.
31 “Can you direct the movement of the stars—
binding the cluster of the Pleiades
or loosening the cords of Orion?
32 Can you direct the constellations through the seasons
or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens?
33 Do you know the laws of the universe?
Can you use them to regulate the earth?
34 “Can you shout to the clouds
and make it rain?
35 Can you make lightning appear
and cause it to strike as you direct?
36 Who gives intuition to the heart
and instinct to the mind?
37 Who is wise enough to count all the clouds?
Who can tilt the water jars of heaven
38 when the parched ground is dry
and the soil has hardened into clods?
39 “Can you stalk prey for a lioness
and satisfy the young lions’ appetites
40 as they lie in their dens
or crouch in the thicket?
41 Who provides food for the ravens
when their young cry out to God
and wander about in hunger?
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
