Job 38

1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

2 "Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?

3 Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

4 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.

5 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?

6 To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,

7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 "Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb;

9 When I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band;

10 When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors;

11 When I said, 'This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!'

12 "Have you commanded the morning since your days began, And caused the dawn to know its place,

13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it?

14 It takes on form like clay under a seal, And stands out like a garment.

15 From the wicked their light is withheld, And the upraised arm is broken.

16 "Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths?

17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?

18 Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.

19 "Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place,

20 That you may take it to its territory, That you may know the paths to its home?

21 Do you know it, because you were born then, Or because the number of your days is great?

22 "Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail,

23 Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, For the day of battle and war?

24 By what way is light diffused, Or the east wind scattered over the earth?

25 "Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water, Or a path for the thunderbolt,

26 To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one, A wilderness in which there is no man;

27 To satisfy the desolate waste, And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?

28 Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

29 From whose womb comes the ice? And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth?

30 The waters harden like stone, And the surface of the deep is frozen.

31 "Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the belt of Orion?

32 Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?

33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?

34 "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That an abundance of water may cover you?

35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, And say to you, 'Here we are!'?

36 Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart?

37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,

38 When the dust hardens in clumps, And the clods cling together?

39 "Can you hunt the prey for the lion, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

40 When they crouch in their dens, Or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait?

41 Who provides food for the raven, When its young ones cry to God, And wander about for lack of food?

Job 38 Commentary

Chapter 38

God calls upon Job to answer. (1-3) God questions Job. (4-11) Concerning the light and darkness. (12-24) Concerning other mighty works. (25-41)

Verses 1-3 Job had silenced, but had not convinced his friends. Elihu had silenced Job, but had not brought him to admit his guilt before God. It pleased the Lord to interpose. The Lord, in this discourse, humbles Job, and brings him to repent of his passionate expressions concerning God's providential dealings with him; and this he does, by calling upon Job to compare God's being from everlasting to everlasting, with his own time; God's knowledge of all things, with his own ignorance; and God's almighty power, with his own weakness. Our darkening the counsels of God's wisdom with our folly, is a great provocation to God. Humble faith and sincere obedience see farthest and best into the will of the Lord.

Verses 4-11 For the humbling of Job, God here shows him his ignorance, even concerning the earth and the sea. As we cannot find fault with God's work, so we need not fear concerning it. The works of his providence, as well as the work of creation, never can be broken; and the work of redemption is no less firm, of which Christ himself is both the Foundation and the Corner-stone. The church stands as firm as the earth.

Verses 12-24 The Lord questions Job, to convince him of his ignorance, and shame him for his folly in prescribing to God. If we thus try ourselves, we shall soon be brought to own that what we know is nothing in comparison with what we know not. By the tender mercy of our God, the Day-spring from on high has visited us, to give light to those that sit in darkness, whose hearts are ( 2 Corinthians. 4:6 ) government of the world is said to be in the sea; this means, that it is hid from us. Let us make sure that the gates of heaven shall be opened to us on the other side of death, and then we need not fear the opening of the gates of death. It is presumptuous for us, who perceive not the breadth of the earth, to dive into the depth of God's counsels. We should neither in the brightest noon count upon perpetual day, nor in the darkest midnight despair of the return of the morning; and this applies to our inward as well as to our outward condition. What folly it is to strive against God! How much is it our interest to seek peace with him, and to keep in his love!

Verses 25-41 Hitherto God had put questions to Job to show him his ignorance; now God shows his weakness. As it is but little that he knows, he ought not to arraign the Divine counsels; it is but little he can do, therefore he ought not to oppose the ways of Providence. See the all-sufficiency of the Divine Providence; it has wherewithal to satisfy the desire of every living thing. And he that takes care of the young ravens, certainly will not be wanting to his people. This being but one instance of the Divine compassion out of many, gives us occasion to think how much good our God does, every day, beyond what we are aware of. Every view we take of his infinite perfections, should remind us of his right to our love, the evil of sinning against him, and our need of his mercy and salvation.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally Constellations
• [b]. Literally inward parts

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 38

In this chapter the Lord takes up the controversy with Job; calls upon him to prepare to engage with him in it, and demands an answer to posing questions he puts to him, concerning the earth and the fabric of it, Job 38:1-7; concerning the sea, compared to an infant in embryo, at its birth, in its swaddling bands and cradle, Job 38:8-11; concerning the morning light, its spread and influence, Job 38:12-15; concerning the springs of the sea, the dark parts of the earth, the place both of light and darkness, Job 38:16-21; concerning the various meteors, snow, hail, rain, thunder, lightning, and the influences of the stars, Job 38:22-38; and concerning provision for lions and ravens, Job 38:40,41.