Job 38: Yahweh answers Job out of the whirlwind
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Yahweh answers Job out of the whirlwind. He asks who this is who darkens counsel by words without knowledge, tells Job to brace himself like a man, and then asks him question after question about the making of the earth, the sea, the morning, the deep, the gates of death, light and darkness, snow and hail, rain and ice, the stars, the clouds, and the feeding of the lioness and the raven.
Who is speaking?
The narrator speaks in verse 1, which says that Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind. Yahweh speaks in 40 of the 41 verses, from verse 2 to the end of the chapter: all of it is his speech. Job speaks no words in this chapter, and the speech goes on into Job 39. In verse 11 Yahweh tells what he said to the sea, and in verse 35 he asks whether lightnings would say "Here we are" to Job. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,
In plain English: Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
The Hebrew word: "Whirlwind" is sa'ar, which the dictionary gives as "a hurricane". It is in 22 verses of the Bible and in 2 verses of Job, this one and . The WEB says "storm" in 10 of the 22 verses, "whirlwind" in 8 and "tempest" in 1.
Good to know: In Job 3 to 37 the name Yahweh is in 1 verse only, . Here the narrator names Yahweh as the one who answers Job.
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2“Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?God speaks
In plain English: "Who is this who makes counsel dark with words that have no knowledge?
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3Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!God speaks
In plain English: Get ready like a man (the Hebrew says: tie up your loins), for I will ask you questions, and you will tell me the answers.
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4“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.God speaks
In plain English: "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
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5Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?God speaks
In plain English: Who set its measurements, if you know (or: for you know)? Or who stretched a measuring line over it?
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6What were its foundations fastened on? Or who laid its cornerstone,God speaks
In plain English: On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone,
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7when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?God speaks
In plain English: when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
The Hebrew words: "Sons of God" is bene elohim. The same two words, with "the" before "God", are in and . "Morning stars" is the stars of the morning.
Church tradition: Traditions read "the sons of God" in different ways, as angels, as a heavenly council, or in other ways. This verse says only that they shouted for joy, and does not say who they are.
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8“Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke out of the womb,God speaks
In plain English: "Or who shut the sea in with doors, when it burst out and came from the womb,
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9when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,God speaks
In plain English: when I made clouds its clothing and thick darkness its wrapping band,
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10marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,God speaks
In plain English: and I marked out my limit for it (the Hebrew word is: broke) and set a bar and doors,
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11and said, ‘You may come here, but no further. Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?God speaks
In plain English: and said, 'You may come here, but no further. Here your proud waves will be stopped.'
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12“Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place,God speaks
In plain English: "In your days, have you commanded the morning, or made the dawn know its place,
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13that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?God speaks
In plain English: so that it takes hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked are shaken out of it?
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14It is changed as clay under the seal, and presented as a garment.God speaks
In plain English: It is changed like clay under a seal, and presented like a garment.
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15From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.God speaks
In plain English: From the wicked their light is held back, and the raised arm is broken.
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16“Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?God speaks
In plain English: "Have you gone to the springs of the sea? Have you walked about in the depths of the deep?
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17Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?God speaks
In plain English: Have the gates of death been uncovered to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death (or: deep darkness)?
The Hebrew word: "The shadow of death" is tsalmaveth, which the dictionary gives as "shade of death, i.e. the grave (figuratively, calamity)". It is in 17 verses of the Bible and 9 of Job. In the WEB, 13 of those 17 verses have "shadow" and 11 have "darkness".
What changes: Read as "shade of death", the second question is about the gates of the grave. Read as "deep darkness", it is about the gates of a deep dark place. The text does not say which.
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18Have you comprehended the earth in its width? Declare, if you know it all.God speaks
In plain English: Have you understood the wide spaces of the earth? Tell me, if you know all of it.
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19“What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,God speaks
In plain English: "Where is the way to the place where light lives? And darkness, where is its place,
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20that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?God speaks
In plain English: that you could take it to its territory, and that you could understand the paths to its house?
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21Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!God speaks
In plain English: You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
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22Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,God speaks
In plain English: Have you gone into the storehouses of the snow? Have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
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23which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?God speaks
In plain English: which I have kept back for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?
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24By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?God speaks
In plain English: Where is the way by which the lightning (or: light) is divided, or the east wind is scattered over the earth?
The Hebrew word: "Lightning" is or, the ordinary word for "light". The dictionary gives it as "illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)". It is in 32 verses of Job, and the WEB says "lightning" in 5 of them. The word-by-word Hebrew here is "light".
What changes: With "light", the question is by what way light is divided. With "lightning", it is by what way lightning is divided. The text does not say which.
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25Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm,God speaks
In plain English: Who has cut a channel for the flood, and a path for the thunderstorm,
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26to cause it to rain on a land where there is no man, on the wilderness, in which there is no man,God speaks
In plain English: to send rain on a land where there is no man, on a wilderness in which there is no human,
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27to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow?God speaks
In plain English: to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, and to make the tender grass sprout?
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28Does the rain have a father? Or who fathers the drops of dew?God speaks
In plain English: Does the rain have a father? Or who fathered the drops of dew?
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29Whose womb did the ice come out of? Who has given birth to the gray frost of the sky?God speaks
In plain English: From whose womb did the ice come out? And the frost of the sky, who gave birth to it?
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30The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.God speaks
In plain English: The waters become hard like stone, and the surface of the deep freezes.
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31“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?God speaks
In plain English: "Can you tie the bonds (or: the cluster) of the Pleiades, or loosen the chains of Orion?
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew names here are Kimah and Kesil, which the WEB prints as "the Pleiades" and "Orion". The dictionary gives Kimah as "a cluster of stars, i.e. the Pleiades" and Kesil as "any notable constellation; specifically Orion (as if a burly one)". Kimah is in 3 verses of the Bible: , this verse and . Kesil is in 4 verses, and the WEB says "Orion" in 3 of them. "Bonds" is maadannot, which the dictionary gives as "a bond, i.e. group". It is in this verse only in the whole Bible, and the WEB says "cluster".
What changes: With "bonds" or with "cluster", the question is whether Job can bind the group named Kimah or loosen the chains of Kesil. The text gives the names and says no more about which stars they are.
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32Can you lead the constellations out in their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?God speaks
In plain English: Can you lead out the constellations at their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her young ones?
The Hebrew words: "Constellations" is mazzarot, which the dictionary gives as "some noted constellation" and says may be the zodiac. It is in this verse only in the whole Bible. "The Bear" is Ayish, which the dictionary gives as "the constellation of the Great Bear (perhaps from its migration through the heavens)". It is in 2 verses of the Bible, here and , and the WEB says "Bear" in both. "Her young ones" is, word for word, "her sons".
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33Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?God speaks
In plain English: Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up their rule over the earth?
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34“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?God speaks
In plain English: "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an abundance of water covers you?
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35Can you send out lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?God speaks
In plain English: Can you send out lightnings, so that they go and say to you, 'Here we are'?
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36Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?God speaks
In plain English: Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind (see the note)?
The Hebrew words: The two words are rare. "Inward parts" is tuchot, which the dictionary gives as "the kidneys (as being covered); hence (figuratively) the inmost thought". It is in 2 verses of the Bible, here and , and the WEB says "inward" in both. "Mind" is sekvi, which the dictionary gives as "observant, i.e. (concretely) the mind". It is in this verse only in the whole Bible.
What changes: Other readings take the two words as the names of two birds, the ibis and the cock, so that the verse asks who gave wisdom to the one and understanding to the other. With "inward parts" and "mind", it asks who put wisdom and understanding inside. The text does not say which is meant.
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37Who can count the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the containers of the sky,God speaks
In plain English: Who can count the clouds by wisdom? Or who can make the waterskins of the sky lie down (or: pour out),
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38when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?God speaks
In plain English: when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?
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39“Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,God speaks
In plain English: "Can you hunt the prey for the lioness (or: lion), or fill the appetite (the Hebrew says: life) of the young lions,
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40when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?God speaks
In plain English: when they crouch in their dens, and stay in the thicket to lie in wait?
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41Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?God speaks
In plain English: Who prepares for the raven its food, when its young ones cry for help to God, and wander about for lack of food?
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