Job 38 summary meaning ai explained commentary

Job 38 meaning explained in AI Summary

In Job chapter 38, God finally responds to Job's complaints and questioning. However, instead of providing direct answers or explanations for Job's suffering, God challenges Job's understanding of the universe and his place within it.

of the chapter:

God's Entrance (vv. 1-3): God speaks from a whirlwind, a powerful symbol of his might and unpredictable nature. He questions Job's right to question him, highlighting the difference in their knowledge and perspective.
Creation Account as Interrogation (vv. 4-38): God bombards Job with a series of rhetorical questions about the natural world. He describes his role in creating the foundations of the earth, the seas, the heavens, light and darkness, weather patterns, constellations, and the animal kingdom.
Emphasis on God's Power and Wisdom (vv. 39-41): Each question emphasizes the complexity and wonder of creation, showcasing God's power, wisdom, and sovereignty over all things. Job, unable to answer, is forced to confront the vastness of what he doesn't know.

The chapter's purpose is to humble Job and remind him of his limited human perspective. God doesn't explain Job's suffering, but instead reveals the vastness of his creation and the mysteries beyond human comprehension. This forces Job to acknowledge God's power and wisdom, ultimately leading him to a place of trust and submission.

Job 38 bible study ai commentary

In this majestic chapter, the silent God of the whirlwind finally speaks, not to answer Job's legal challenge but to issue one of His own. God responds to Job's agonizing quest for "why" with an overwhelming revelation of "who." He doesn't provide an explanation for suffering; He provides a transformative encounter with the Creator. Through a series of intense, unanswerable questions about the cosmos, God confronts Job's limited understanding, demonstrating that the wisdom required to govern the universe far surpasses human comprehension. The speech is a therapeutic polemic, designed not to crush Job but to reorient his perspective from the mystery of his own pain to the majesty and benevolent wisdom of his sovereign Lord.

Job 38 context

Job is set in the patriarchal era, a time without the Law of Moses. Its wisdom literature speaks to universal human questions. The central polemic in Job 38 is against Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) cosmology. In myths like the Babylonian Enuma Elish, creation arises from violent conflict between chaotic gods (e.g., Marduk slaying the sea-monster Tiamat to form the heavens and earth). In contrast, Yahweh's speech portrays a universe created by a single, sovereign will, through wisdom and design, not conflict. The sea is not a rival deity to be defeated but a baby to be swaddled. The whirlwind (saʿărâ) itself is a classic biblical symbol of a theophany, a powerful and awe-inspiring manifestation of God's presence, signifying that a divine verdict is about to be rendered.

Job 38:1–3

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.”

In-depth-analysis

The Whirlwind (saʿărâ): The setting for God's speech is a powerful storm, a common Old Testament symbol for a theophany (a visible manifestation of God). It represents divine power and a reality beyond human control. It arrives immediately after Elihu's speech, signifying that human wisdom has reached its limit.
"Darkens counsel": God immediately challenges Job's core complaint. Job, in his ignorance of God's full plan (ʿēṣâ - counsel, purpose), has obscured the truth with his speeches.
"Words without knowledge": God doesn't call Job a sinner but one who is speaking beyond his understanding. It's a rebuke of presumption, not morality.
"Dress for action like a man": The Hebrew (gabar) means a mighty man or warrior. God is ironically summoning Job to the confrontation Job himself has demanded (Job 13:22, 31:35). It is a call to a contest of wisdom, not physical strength. God grants Job's wish for a divine audience, but on God's terms.

Bible references

Ezekiel 1:4: "As I looked, behold, a stormy wind (whirlwind) came out of the north... and brightness was all around it..." (Theophany from a whirlwind).
Ephesians 6:14: "Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth..." (Girding loins for spiritual warfare).
1 Corinthians 1:25: "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (Contrasts divine and human wisdom/strength).

Cross references

Job 40:7 (God's second challenge); Job 42:3 (Job's repentance, quoting God); Job 23:3-5 (Job's desire for an audience); Job 31:35 (Job's signed indictment); 1 Tim 1:7 (Desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding).

Job 38:4–7

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”

In-depth-analysis

God's first category of questions: Cosmology and the founding of the world. The imagery is architectural, portraying a meticulously planned and constructed universe.
Unanswerable Questions: These questions immediately establish the vast gap between God's knowledge and Job's. Job wasn't present, let alone involved, in creation.
Morning Stars & Sons of God: Creation is depicted as a joyous, celebratory event, attended by heavenly beings ("sons of God," i.e., angels). This serene, joyful creation is the direct opposite of ANE creation myths which are filled with chaos, war, and violence among the gods.
bənê ’ĕlōhîm: "Sons of God" here clearly refers to angelic beings, rejoicing in God's creative work, establishing a pre-human celestial audience.

Bible references

Proverbs 8:27-30: "...when he drew a circle on the face of the deep... then I [Wisdom] was beside him, like a master workman..." (Wisdom personified as present and delighting in creation).
Psalm 104:5: "He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved." (Echoes the theme of a stable, designed earth).
Colossians 1:16: "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible... all things were created through him and for him." (New Testament clarification of Christ's role as the agent of creation).

Cross references

Gen 1:1 (The act of creation); Isa 40:21-22 (God sits above the circle of the earth); Psa 19:1 (The heavens declare God's glory); Zec 4:7-10 (Cornerstone imagery); Heb 1:10 (Quoting Psa 102, ascribing creation to the Son).

Polemics

This section is a powerful polemic against the Babylonian Enuma Elish. In that myth, the world is violently formed from the carcass of the slain goddess Tiamat. Here, creation is a rational, architectural feat, celebrated with angelic song. There is no cosmic battle; only the uncontested power and wisdom of a single Creator.

Job 38:8–11

“Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?”

In-depth-analysis

The Sea as a Newborn: The sea, a potent symbol of chaos and destructive power in the ANE, is here personified not as a fearsome monster, but as a helpless infant bursting from the womb.
God as Midwife/Parent: God doesn't fight the sea; He restrains, clothes, and sets boundaries for it. He swaddles it in clouds and puts it in a playpen with "bars and doors."
Sovereign Command: The final command, "'Thus far... and no farther,'" demonstrates God's absolute and effortless authority over the most powerful and feared natural force. This is not a truce after a battle, but a sovereign decree.

Bible references

Psalm 104:9: "You set a boundary that they [the waters] may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth." (God's firm boundary on the sea).
Jeremiah 5:22: "Do you not fear me? declares the LORD... I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea... though they toss, they cannot pass..." (God's control over the sea as a reason for mankind to fear Him).
Mark 4:39: "And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Peace! Be still!' And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." (Jesus demonstrates the same divine authority over the sea, identifying Him with the Creator in Job).

Cross references

Gen 1:9 (The gathering of the waters); Psa 33:7 (He gathers the waters as in a bottle); Pro 8:29 (Giving the sea its boundary).

Job 38:12–15

“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? It is changed like clay under a seal, and its parts stand out like a garment. From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken.”

In-depth-analysis

Commanding the Dawn: God moves from the one-time acts of creation to daily, repeatable phenomena. Job cannot even control a single sunrise.
Light as a Moral Agent: The dawn is not just a physical event; it has a moral purpose. It "shakes out" the wicked who thrive in darkness. It exposes and disrupts evil.
Clay and Seal: As light spreads, the formless earth takes on shape and detail, like a clay tablet being impressed with a cylinder seal. It's an image of order and identity being impressed upon the world each day.

Bible references

Psalm 74:16: "The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon." (God's ownership of the daily cycle).
John 3:20: "For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed." (The moral dimension of light and darkness).

Cross references

Psa 104:20-23 (Night for predators, day for man's labor); Isa 45:7 (God forms light and creates darkness); Psa 19:4-6 (The sun's circuit).

Job 38:16–18

“Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this.”

In-depth-analysis

The Hidden Realms: God now challenges Job's knowledge of the earth's most inaccessible places: the sources of the oceans ("springs of the sea") and Sheol ("gates of death"). These are realms totally outside human experience.
Recesses of the Deep: The term ḥēqer ("recesses") implies an investigative search. Has Job explored these places? The answer is an obvious no.
Sheol: God alone knows the realm of the dead. This addresses Job's frequent contemplations of death and the underworld, reminding him he speaks of things he cannot possibly understand.

Bible references

Psalm 139:8: "If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!" (God's omnipresence, even in the most extreme and hidden locations).
Revelation 1:18: "I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." (Christ claims ultimate authority over the realm Job could not comprehend).

Cross references

Pro 8:24, 28 (Springs of the deep); Psa 9:13 (Gates of death); Jonah 2:5-6 (Jonah's descent to the 'roots of the mountains').

Job 38:19–21

“Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And where is the place of darkness? That you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home? You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!”

In-depth-analysis

Light and Darkness as Substances: God speaks of light and darkness as if they are physical things with a "dwelling" and "territory" that can be visited. This poetic language emphasizes their mysterious nature.
Sarcasm: Verse 21 is a moment of divine sarcasm. "Surely you know... you're so old!" God mocks Job's limited lifespan and implied claim to wisdom by sarcastically suggesting he was present at the beginning of time. It's a sharp, humbling jab.

Bible references

1 John 1:5: "...God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." (Theological statement on the nature of God, contrasting with the physical phenomena in Job).
2 Corinthians 4:6: "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God..." (Connects the God of creation with the God of salvation).

Cross references

Gen 1:3-4 (Separation of light and darkness); Psa 104:20 (God makes darkness); Isa 45:7 (God forms light and creates darkness).

Job 38:22–30

“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war? ... Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain...? to bring rain on a land where no one is, on the desert in which there is no man... Can you lift up your voice to the clouds...? ”

In-depth-analysis

Meteorology as Divine Arsenal: Snow and hail are kept in "storehouses," like weapons in an armory, reserved by God for judgment ("day of battle"). This portrays weather not as random, but as part of God's sovereign toolkit.
Unseen Providence: God's care extends beyond human utility. He waters the uninhabited desert. This is a crucial, subtle point for Job. It implies that God has purposes and exercises benevolence in ways humans cannot see or appreciate. If God cares for the empty wilderness, perhaps He has a benevolent purpose in Job's seemingly senseless suffering.
Physics of Water: These verses poetically describe the water cycle, condensation, and freezing—all phenomena that Job witnesses but cannot explain or control.

Bible references

Joshua 10:11: "And as they fled before Israel... the LORD threw down large stones from heaven on them... there were more who died because of the hailstones..." (Hail used as a divine weapon in battle).
Psalm 147:8: "He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills." (God's general providence through weather).
Matthew 5:45: "...for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (The indiscriminate, gracious nature of God's common grace, seen in the weather).

Cross references

Exo 9:18 (Hail in Egypt); Rev 16:21 (Hail in eschatological judgment); Psa 29 (The voice of the LORD in the storm); Jer 14:22 (Idols cannot bring rain).

Job 38:31–33

“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion? Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the earth?”

In-depth-analysis

Astrology and Astronomy: God moves to the celestial sphere. Job can observe the constellations, but he cannot influence their movement or timing. Pleiades and Orion were well-known seasonal markers.
Mazzaroth: This Hebrew word (mazzārōt) is of uncertain meaning, but is universally understood to refer to the constellations, likely the constellations of the zodiac, which appear in sequence through the year.
Ordinances of Heaven: God points to the fixed, unchangeable laws (ḥuqqōt) that govern the cosmos. These laws influence the earth (e.g., seasons, tides), but are completely outside of human control.

Bible references

Amos 5:8: "He who made the Pleiades and Orion... the LORD is his name." (Names God as the creator of the very constellations Job cannot control).
Genesis 1:14: "And God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens... and let them be for signs and for seasons...'" (The purpose of celestial bodies is to mark God's appointed times).
Psalm 19:1: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." (The heavens as a silent witness to the Creator's power).

Cross references

Job 9:9 (Job's earlier mention of these constellations); Isa 40:26 (God calls the stars by name).

Job 38:34–38

“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of waters may cover you? Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are’? Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind? Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens...?”

In-depth-analysis

From Observation to Command: The questions escalate. It's not just "Do you understand?" but "Can you command?" Can Job order the clouds or direct the lightning? Lightning is depicted as a servant awaiting orders.
Wisdom's Source: God shifts from the macrocosm (heavens) to the microcosm (the mind, the inward parts, ṭuḥôt). This word is obscure, but refers to the inner self. Who is the source of intelligence itself? The answer is God. This brings the argument full circle, from the foundations of the world to the foundation of Job's own ability to think.
Waterskins of Heaven: A common desert metaphor for clouds, emphasizing God's role as the one who provides life-giving rain by "tilting" them.

Bible references

Proverbs 2:6: "For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." (God as the sole source of wisdom).
James 1:17: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights..." (God as the source of all good, including wisdom and rain).

Cross references

Jer 10:13 (God utters His voice, waters roar); Psa 29:3-7 (The voice of the Lord over the waters and with fire).

Job chapter 38 analysis

A Therapeutic Rebuke: The purpose of God's speech is not to provide information but to initiate a divine encounter. It’s a "therapy of perspective." By displaying His immense, benevolent, and detailed care for a universe Job cannot begin to comprehend, God invites Job to trust Him with the one part of that universe—Job’s own life—that currently makes no sense.
Polemics against Human-centered Theology: Job and his friends operated on the assumption that the world should be understandable from a human point of view (i.e., retribution theology). God shatters this by showing a cosmos filled with phenomena (like rain on the desert) that serve purposes completely independent of human utility. This opens the door to the possibility that Job's suffering may have a purpose beyond his understanding.
From Retribution to Revelation: The entire book up to this point has been a debate about the "rules" of God's justice. God ignores this debate entirely. He doesn't defend the rules; He reveals Himself. The solution to Job’s crisis is not an answer, but a Person. Relationship with this awesome and wise Creator transcends the need for a neat, logical explanation for everything.
The Unifying Theme: The unifying theme is "Were you there?" (’ēpōh hāyîtā). This question underpins the entire speech. Job's lack of presence at creation is the ultimate disqualifier for his sitting in judgment upon the Creator.

Job 38 summary

God answers Job from a whirlwind, bypassing Job's demand for justice and instead challenging his ignorance. In a stunning monologue, God cross-examines Job with a torrent of rhetorical questions about the creation and sustenance of the cosmos. He details His effortless sovereignty over the earth's foundations, the chaotic sea, the daily dawn, the underworld, the weather, and the stars. The purpose is not to bully Job, but to radically shift his perspective from his own suffering to the infinite wisdom and majesty of the Creator, proving that the One who masterfully runs the universe can be trusted with the life of one man.

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Job 38 AI Image Audio and Video

Job chapter 38 kjv

¹ 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.

Job chapter 38 nkjv

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 chapter 38 niv

¹ Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
² "Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?
³ Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.
⁴ "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
⁵ Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?
⁶ On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone?
⁷ while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
⁸ "Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,
⁹ when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness,
¹⁰ when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,
¹¹ when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?
¹² "Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place,
¹³ that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?
¹⁴ The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment.
¹⁵ The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.
¹⁶ "Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?
¹⁷ Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
¹⁸ Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.
¹⁹ "What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside?
²⁰ Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
²¹ Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!
²² "Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail,
²³ which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle?
²⁴ What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
²⁵ Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm,
²⁶ to water a land where no one lives, an uninhabited desert,
²⁷ to satisfy a desolate wasteland and make it sprout with grass?
²⁸ Does the rain have a father? Who fathers the drops of dew?
²⁹ From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens
³⁰ when the waters become hard as stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen?
³¹ "Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades? Can you loosen Orion's belt?
³² Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs?
³³ Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God's dominion over the earth?
³⁴ "Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?
³⁵ Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, 'Here we are'?
³⁶ Who gives the ibis wisdom or gives the rooster understanding?
³⁷ Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
³⁸ when the dust becomes hard and the clods of earth stick together?
³⁹ "Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions
⁴⁰ when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in a thicket?
⁴¹ Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?

Job chapter 38 esv

¹ Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
² "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
³ Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.
⁴ "Where were you when I laid the foundation 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 On what were its bases sunk, 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 out from the womb,
⁹ when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band,
¹⁰ and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors,
¹¹ and said, 'Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed'?
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 skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
¹⁴ It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment.
¹⁵ From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken.
¹⁶ "Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or 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 comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this.
¹⁹ "Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness,
²⁰ that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home?
²¹ You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
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?
²⁴ What is the way to the place where the light is distributed, or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?
²⁵ "Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain and a way for the thunderbolt,
²⁶ to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man,
²⁷ to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground sprout with grass?
²⁸ "Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew?
²⁹ From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the frost of heaven?
³⁰ The waters become hard like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
³¹ "Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion?
³² Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children?
³³ Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the earth?
³⁴ "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of waters may 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 inward parts or given understanding to the mind?
³⁷ Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,
³⁸ when the dust runs into a mass and the clods stick fast 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 lie in wait in their thicket?
⁴¹ Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and wander about for lack of food?

Job chapter 38 nlt

¹ 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 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.
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?