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The Lord asks Job some questions ^{[ a ]}

38 The Lord spoke to Job from the middle of the storm. This is what he said:

² ‘Who do you think you are?
Why do you ask questions about my wisdom?
You speak many words,
but you do not understand anything.
³ Prepare yourself for a difficult job!
I will ask you some questions and you must answer them.

⁴ Were you with me when I made the world?
If you think you are so clever,
tell me all about it!
⁵ It was me who decided the size of the world.
You surely must know that!
I measured it as I made it.
⁶ Tell me how I fixed the foundations of the earth.
Who made it stay in its right place? I did!
⁷ At the dawn of that day, the stars sang together.
They sang for joy with all the angels.
⁸ When the sea poured out of the ground,
I decided where its borders should be.
I kept the water in its right place.
⁹ I caused the clouds to come over the sea.
I covered it with complete darkness.
¹⁰ I put a border around the sea.
I locked it in its place.
¹¹ I said to the sea, “This is as far as you can come.
You may come no further.
Your powerful waves must stop there!”

¹² But you, Job, did you ever command the morning to begin?
No! You have never in your whole life told the sun when it should rise.
¹³ You have not told the light of day to cover the earth.
You have not told it to chase away the wicked things that happen in the night.
¹⁴ When the light of day comes,
people see the land clearly.
Its shape and colours show like bright clothes.
¹⁵ The light of day is too bright for wicked people.
It destroys their power to do cruel things.
¹⁶ You have not gone to the springs
that fill the seas with water.
You have not walked on the bottom of the deep seas.
¹⁷ Nobody has showed you the gates of death.
People go through them to that very dark place.
¹⁸ You do not understand the great size of the earth.
If you know all about that, tell me!
¹⁹ You do not know where light comes from.
You do not know where darkness has its home.
²⁰ Can you take them to the places where they belong?
Do you know the roads that go there?
²¹ Surely you must know all this,
because you have lived for so long!
It seems that you were already born
when I created these things! ^{[ b ]}

²² Have you visited the place where I keep all the snow?
Or the place where I keep the hail?
²³ I keep the snow and the hail ready to use.
I use them in times of trouble and wars.
²⁴ You do not know where lightning comes from.
Or where the east wind starts
when it blows across the earth.
²⁵ I make a path for the storms to travel along.
I tell the thunder and the strong rain which way to go.
²⁶ I cause rain to fall in places where no person lives.
It makes even a desert become a wet place.
²⁷ The rain falls on dry ground where nothing grows.
It causes grass to grow there again.
²⁸ Do you know if the rain has a father?
Who is a father to the dew?
²⁹ Who is a mother to the ice?
Who gives birth to the frost that makes the air so cold?
³⁰ It causes the water to become as hard as stone.
The water of the sea also becomes ice.
³¹ You cannot make the stars of the Pleiades stay in their places.
You cannot change the shape of Orion.
³² You bring out the groups of stars
for people to see at different times of the year.
You cannot put the stars of the Great Bear and the Little Bear
in their right places in the sky. ^{[ c ]}
³³ You do not know the rules that the stars above obey.
You cannot make the earth obey those rules.
³⁴ You cannot shout commands to the clouds.
You cannot tell them to pour down their rain,
so that a flood of water covers you.
³⁵ You cannot send the lightning
to hit the place that you want it to go.
The lightning does not say to you,
“We are ready to go wherever you want.”
³⁶ Who has given people wisdom,
so that they understand things with their minds?
³⁷ Is anyone wise enough to count the clouds?
Can anyone cause the clouds to pour down rain from above?
³⁸ The rain causes the dust of the dry ground to become hard.
The dry soil becomes pieces of mud.
³⁹ When the lions become hungry,
can you find food for the young lions to eat?
⁴⁰ You cannot do that for them
when they sit in their caves.
You cannot help them as they hide in the bushes,
ready to attack other animals.
⁴¹ You cannot find food for the ravens to eat.
You cannot help them when their babies cry to me
because they are weak and hungry.’

Footnotes

38:1 In chapters 38 to 41, God speaks to Job. He asks Job questions. He knows that Job must answer ‘No.’ There are a lot of things that only God knows. Job does not know these things. There are a lot of things that only God can do. Job cannot do any of these things. God tells Job that only he is completely wise and powerful. He knows what is right and fair.
38:21 God is laughing at Job. Job thinks that he knows everything about God. But Job was not with God when God made the world. So Job cannot know about all the things that God has done.
38:32 Pleiades, Orion, the Great Bear and the Little Bear are groups of stars.

God Speaks to Job

38 Then the Lord spoke to Job from a whirlwind and said,

² “Who is this ignorant person
saying these foolish things? ^{[ a ]}
³ Prepare yourself for an attack!
Get ready to answer the questions I will ask you.

⁴ “Where were you when I made the earth?
If you are so smart, answer me.
⁵ And who decided how big the earth should be?
Who measured it with a measuring line?
⁶ What is the earth resting on?
Who put the first stone in its place
⁷ when the morning stars sang together
and the angels ^{[ b ]} shouted with joy?

⁸ “Who closed the flood gates
as the sea gushed from the womb?
⁹ Who covered it with clouds
and wrapped it in darkness?
¹⁰ I set the limits for the sea
and put it behind locked gates.
¹¹ I said to the sea, ‘You can come this far, but no farther.
This is where your proud waves will stop.’

¹² “Did you ever in your life command the morning to begin
or the day to dawn?
¹³ Did you ever tell the morning light to grab the earth
and shake those who are evil out of their hiding places?
¹⁴ The morning light makes the hills
and valleys easy to see.
When the daylight comes to the earth,
the shapes of these places stand out like the folds of a coat.
They take shape like soft clay
that is pressed with a stamp.
¹⁵ Evil people don’t like the daylight.
When it shines bright, it keeps them from doing the bad things they do.

¹⁶ “Have you ever gone to the deepest parts of the sea?
Have you ever walked on the ocean bottom?
¹⁷ Has anyone shown you the gates to the world of the dead?
Have you ever seen those gates that lead to the dark place of death?
¹⁸ Do you really understand how big the earth is?
Tell me, if you know all this.

¹⁹ “Where does light come from?
Where does darkness come from?
²⁰ Can you take them back to where they belong?
Do you know how to get there?
²¹ Surely you know these things, since you are so old and wise.
You were alive when I made them, weren’t you? ^{[ c ]}

²² “Have you ever gone into the storerooms
where I keep the snow and the hail?
²³ I save them there for times of trouble,
for the times of war and battle.
²⁴ Have you ever gone to the place where the sun comes up,
where it makes the east wind blow all over the earth? ^{[ d ]}
²⁵ Who dug ditches in the sky for the heavy rain?
Who made a path for the thunderstorm?
²⁶ Who makes it rain even in desert places
where no one lives?
²⁷ The rain gives that dry empty land all the water it needs,
and grass begins to grow.
²⁸ Does the rain have a father?
Who produces the drops of dew?
²⁹ Does ice have a mother?
Who gives birth to the frost?
³⁰ That’s when the water freezes as hard as a rock.
Even the deep sea freezes over!

³¹ “Can you tie up the Pleiades ^{[ e ]} ?
Can you unfasten the belt of Orion ^{[ f ]} ?
³² Can you bring out the other constellations ^{[ g ]} at the right times?
Can you lead out the Bear ^{[ h ]} with its cubs?
³³ Do you know the laws that control the sky?
Can you put each star in its place above the earth? ^{[ i ]}

³⁴ “Can you shout at the clouds
and command them to cover you with rain?
³⁵ Can you give a command to the lightning?
Will it come to you and say, ‘Here we are; what do you want, sir?’
Will it go wherever you want it to go?

³⁶ “Who makes people wise?
Who puts wisdom deep inside them?
³⁷ Who is wise enough to count the clouds
and tip them over to pour out their rain?
³⁸ The rain makes the dust become mud,
and the clumps of dirt stick together.

³⁹ “Do you find food for the lions?
Do you feed their hungry babies?
⁴⁰ No, they hide in their caves
or wait in the grass, ready to attack their prey.
⁴¹ Who feeds the ravens when their babies cry out to God
and wander around without food?

Footnotes

Job 38:2 Or “Who is this person darkening advice with ignorant words.”
Job 38:7 angels Literally, “sons of God.”
Job 38:21 This is sarcasm—saying something in a way that everyone understands it is not really true.
Job 38:24 Or “Where is the place that the fog disperses and the place where the east wind scatters it all over the earth?”
Job 38:31 Pleiades A famous group of stars. It is often called, “The Seven Sisters.”
Job 38:31 Orion A famous group of stars. It looks like a hunter or powerful soldier.
Job 38:32 constellations Groups of stars in the night sky. Here, this probably means the twelve constellations of the Zodiac. They seem to pass through the sky so that a new constellation is in a certain part of the sky each month.
Job 38:32 Bear A famous group of stars. It looks like a bear. It is often called, “the Big Dipper.” Near it is a smaller constellation that looks like a small bear. It is often called, “the Little Dipper.”
Job 38:33 Can you … earth Or “Can you put it in charge over the earth?”

38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

² Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

³ Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

⁴ Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

⁵ Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

⁶ Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

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

⁸ Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

⁹ When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

¹⁰ And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

¹¹ And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

¹² Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

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

¹⁴ It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

¹⁵ And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

¹⁶ Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

¹⁷ Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

¹⁸ Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

¹⁹ Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

²⁰ That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

²¹ Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

²² Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

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

²⁴ By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

²⁵ Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

²⁶ To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

²⁷ To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

²⁸ Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

²⁹ Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

³⁰ The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

³¹ Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

³² Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

³³ Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

³⁴ Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?

³⁵ Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are?

³⁶ Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

³⁷ Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,

³⁸ When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?

³⁹ Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

⁴⁰ When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

⁴¹ Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

God Speaks Now to Job

38 Then the Lord ^{( A )} answered Job from the whirlwind and said,

² “Who is this who ^{( B )} darkens the divine plan
By words without knowledge?
³ Now ^{[ a ]} ^{( C )} tighten the belt on your waist like a man,
And ^{( D )} I shall ask you, and you inform Me!
⁴ Where were you ^{( E )} when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me , if you ^{[ b ]} have understanding,
⁵ Who set its ^{( F )} measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the measuring line over it?
⁶ On what ^{( G )} were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
⁷ When the morning stars sang together
And all the ^{( H )} sons of God shouted for joy?

⁸ “Or who ^{( I )} enclosed the sea with doors
When it went out from the womb, bursting forth;
⁹ When I made a cloud its garment,
And thick darkness its swaddling bands,
¹⁰ And I ^{[ c ]} ^{( J )} placed boundaries on it
And set a bolt and doors,
¹¹ And I said, ‘As far as this point you shall come, but no farther;
And here your proud waves shall stop’?

God’s Mighty Power

¹² “Have you ^{[ d ]} ever in your life commanded the morning,
And made the dawn know its place,
¹³ So that it would take hold of ^{( K )} the ends of the earth,
And ^{( L )} the wicked would be shaken off from it?
¹⁴ It is changed like clay under the seal;
And they stand out like a garment.
¹⁵ ^{( M )} Their light is withheld from the wicked,
And the ^{( N )} uplifted arm is broken.

¹⁶ “Have you entered ^{( O )} the springs of the sea,
And walked ^{[ e ]} in the depth of the ocean?
¹⁷ Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
And have you seen the gates of ^{( P )} deep darkness?
¹⁸ Have you understood the ^{[ f ]} expanse of ^{( Q )} 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 would take it to ^{( R )} its territory,
And discern the paths to its ^{[ g ]} home?
²¹ You know, for ^{( S )} you were born then,
And the number of your days is great!
²² Have you entered the storehouses ^{( T )} of the snow,
And have you seen the storehouses of the ^{( U )} hail,
²³ Which I have reserved for a time of distress,
For a day of war and battle?
²⁴ Where is the way that ^{( V )} the light is divided,
And the east wind scattered on the earth?

²⁵ “Who has split open a channel for the flood,
And a way for the thunderbolt,
²⁶ To bring ^{( W )} rain on a land without ^{[ h ]} people,
On a desert without a person in it,
²⁷ To ^{( X )} satisfy the waste and desolate land,
And to make the ^{[ i ]} seeds of grass to sprout?
²⁸ Does ^{( Y )} the rain have a father?
Or who has fathered the drops of dew?
²⁹ From whose womb has come the ^{( Z )} ice?
And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?
³⁰ Water ^{[ j ]} becomes hard like stone,
And the surface of the deep is imprisoned.

³¹ “Can you tie up the chains of the ^{( AA )} Pleiades,
Or untie the cords of Orion?
³² Can you bring out a ^{[ k ]} constellation in its season,
And guide the Bear with her ^{[ l ]} satellites?
³³ Do you know the ^{( AB )} ordinances of the heavens,
Or do you establish their rule over the earth?

³⁴ “Can you raise your voice to the clouds,
So that an ^{( AC )} abundance of water will cover you?
³⁵ Can you ^{( AD )} send flashes of lightning, so that they may go
And say to you, ‘Here we are’?
³⁶ Who has ^{( AE )} put wisdom in the innermost being,
Or given ^{( AF )} understanding to the ^{[ m ]} mind?
³⁷ Who can count the clouds by wisdom,
And ^{( AG )} pour out the water jars of the heavens,
³⁸ When the dust hardens into a mass
And the clods stick together?

³⁹ “Can you hunt the ^{( AH )} prey for the lioness,
Or satisfy the appetite of young lions,
⁴⁰ When they ^{( AI )} crouch in their hiding places,
And lie in wait in their lair?
⁴¹ Who prepares ^{[ n ]} feed for ^{( AJ )} the raven
When its young cry to God,
And wander about without food?

Footnotes

Job 38:3 I.e., as if for battle
Job 38:4 Lit know understanding
Job 38:10 Lit broke My decree on it
Job 38:12 Lit from your days commanded
Job 38:16 Or in search of the deep
Job 38:18 Or width
Job 38:20 Lit house
Job 38:26 Lit man
Job 38:27 Or growth
Job 38:30 Lit hides itself like
Job 38:32 Heb Mazzaroth
Job 38:32 Lit sons
Job 38:36 Or rooster
Job 38:41 Lit its feed

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BibleStudyIt Job 38

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Table of Contents

The Lord asks Job some questions ^{[ a ]}

Footnotes

God Speaks to Job

Footnotes

God Speaks Now to Job

God’s Mighty Power

Footnotes

Cross references

The Lord Speaks

Footnotes

Cross references

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BibleStudyIt Job 38

Job 38's Chapter Tabs Scroll past these tabs to continue or click on one of them to navigate out of this webpage.

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The Lord asks Job some questions [ a ]

Footnotes

God Speaks to Job

Footnotes

God Speaks Now to Job

God’s Mighty Power

Footnotes

Cross references

The Lord Speaks

Footnotes

Cross references

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Job 38's Chapter Tabs
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The Lord asks Job some questions ^{[ a ]}