Job 26:8 kjv
He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.
Job 26:8 nkjv
He binds up the water in His thick clouds, Yet the clouds are not broken under it.
Job 26:8 niv
He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
Job 26:8 esv
He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them.
Job 26:8 nlt
He wraps the rain in his thick clouds,
and the clouds don't burst with the weight.
Job 26 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:6-8 | Then God said, “Let there be a firmament... separating the waters... heaven.” | God's original act of separating and ordering waters in creation. |
| Psa 18:11 | He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters and thick clouds. | God's dwelling and majestic power are associated with clouds. |
| Psa 24:1-2 | The earth is the Lord's... for He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. | God's sovereign ownership and establishment of the earth and its waters. |
| Psa 33:7 | He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses. | God's power to control and store vast bodies of water. |
| Psa 65:9-10 | You visit the earth and water it... enrich it abundantly... providing grain... watering its furrows. | God's providential care in bringing rain and sustaining life. |
| Psa 104:3 | He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot. | God using water and clouds as part of His cosmic domain. |
| Psa 104:13 | From Your lofty dwelling You water the mountains; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works. | God as the source of rain that sustains the earth. |
| Psa 135:7 | He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings for the rain... | God controls the entire cycle of atmospheric phenomena. |
| Pro 30:4 | Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in His garment? | Rhetorical questions highlighting God's exclusive, unmatched power over creation's elements. |
| Isa 40:12 | Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand...? | God's immeasurable power and control over the waters. |
| Isa 40:26 | Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars... | God's creative power seen in the vastness of the heavens. |
| Jer 5:24 | They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the Lord our God, Who gives rain... in its season... harvest." | God as the ultimate provider of rain, highlighting human failure to acknowledge Him. |
| Jer 10:13 | When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, And He causes the mists to ascend from the ends of the earth. | God's control over mists and the vast waters in the sky. |
| Jer 14:22 | Are there any among the idols of the nations who can bring rain?... Is it not You, O Lord our God...? | Direct polemic affirming Yahweh as the sole bringer of rain, discrediting idols. |
| Job 36:29 | Can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, The thundering of His pavilion? | Questions posed about the mysteries of clouds, emphasizing God's unique understanding. |
| Job 37:11-12 | Also with moisture He loads the thick cloud... for the direction of His turning around the world. | God's purpose and direction in managing the clouds. |
| Job 37:16 | Do you know about the layers of the clouds, The wonders of Him who is perfect in knowledge? | Emphasizes God's perfect knowledge in sustaining the intricate workings of clouds. |
| Job 38:22 | Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail? | God challenging Job to explain His control over atmospheric phenomena. |
| Job 38:25 | Who has split a channel for the torrents of rain, or a path for the thunderbolt? | God's active control in directing natural forces like rain and storms. |
| Heb 1:3 | and He upholds all things by the word of His power... | The continuous sustaining power of God throughout creation. |
| Rom 1:20 | For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen... | God's power is revealed through the things He has made, including natural phenomena. |
| 2 Tim 2:13 | If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. | God's unfailing faithfulness, reflected in the reliable order of creation. |
Job 26 verses
Job 26 8 Meaning
Job 26:8 declares God's magnificent and mysterious power over creation, specifically highlighting His sovereign control over the hydrological cycle. It describes how the Almighty precisely "wraps up" or contains immense quantities of water within the seemingly fragile structure of "thick clouds," and these clouds, defying natural expectations, do not "burst" or rupture under the enormous weight of the water. This verse serves as a profound testimony to God's incomprehensible wisdom, omnipotence, and meticulous preservation of the natural order, demonstrating His active superintendence over even the most subtle yet essential forces of nature.
Job 26 8 Context
Job 26 is part of Job’s profound response to his friend Bildad’s final, brief discourse. Having patiently listened to his friends' limited wisdom regarding suffering and divine justice, Job eloquently asserts God’s unmatched power and majesty as the true explanation for the mysteries of creation and governance of the world. Job 26:5-14 specifically enumerates God's control over the deep (Sheol), the cosmos (heaven, stars, the pole), and the earthly atmosphere. This section is a theological tour de force where Job defends God’s incomprehensible sovereignty against human attempts to fully grasp or contain Him. Verse 8, within this grand declaration, offers a concrete, observable, yet seemingly miraculous phenomenon of the natural world – the clouds – as tangible proof of God's meticulous and powerful hand. Historically, in the ancient Near East, control over weather and water was attributed to various deities (e.g., Baal as the storm god). Job’s affirmations implicitly serve as a polemic against such polytheistic beliefs, emphasizing Yahweh as the singular, all-sufficient God who orchestrates even the most ordinary yet profound workings of nature without rival.
Job 26 8 Word analysis
- He: This pronoun directly refers to God, underscoring His singular, absolute agency and exclusive power in this cosmic act. It reinforces the monotheistic understanding that there is only one true God who governs creation, in stark contrast to the polytheistic worldviews prevalent in Job's time.
- wraps up (צָרַר, tsarar): This Hebrew verb carries the sense of "to bind," "to enclose tightly," "to tie up," or "to confine." It's stronger than merely "holds." It suggests an active, deliberate, and forceful containment of something that inherently desires to flow or disperse. It evokes the image of God gathering and bundling vast amounts of water within a seemingly flimsy medium, implying both strength and precision in preventing escape or rupture.
- the waters (מַ֫יִם, mayim): This refers to a vast quantity of water, not just a small amount. It signifies the enormous volume of water suspended in the atmosphere that eventually descends as rain, highlighting the sheer scale of the phenomenon God controls.
- in His thick clouds (בַּעֲבָיו, ba'abaw): The word עָב (av) denotes dense, substantial clouds, a mass of vapor, often dark and laden with moisture. This detail emphasizes the paradoxical nature of the miracle: immense weight is held within a structure that appears to be insubstantial. It points to God's power defying what appears to be natural fragility.
- And the cloud (וְעָב, ve'av): The repetition of "cloud" reinforces the focus on this particular vessel, emphasizing its resilience under divine control.
- does not burst (לֹא יִבָּקַע, lo yibbaqa'): The negation (לֹא, lo - "not") with the verb בָּקַע (baqa'), meaning "to cleave," "to break open," or "to split apart," is critical. It signifies divine integrity and stability. Despite the immense weight and pressure of the contained waters, the cloud maintains its structural cohesion, a feat that defies ordinary physical expectations. It's a testament to God's precise, sustaining power, not just a one-time creation, but a continuous upholding.
- under them (תַחְתָּם, takhtam): This specifies that the clouds are bearing the full burden and weight of the waters, emphasizing the constant pressure exerted and supernaturally managed.
- "He wraps up the waters in His thick clouds": This phrase portrays God as an active, omnipotent architect who not only creates the components of the hydrological cycle but continually and precisely manages its operation. The imagery of "wrapping up" implies meticulous care and supreme control, holding together what would naturally give way, demonstrating an unseen, continuous divine intervention in maintaining natural laws.
- "And the cloud does not burst under them": This part highlights the miraculous and counter-intuitive aspect of the phenomenon. It underscores God's unfailing power that sustains against the natural forces of gravity and pressure. This common occurrence, often overlooked, becomes a profound testimony to God's continuous preservation of His creation and the perfect execution of His divine design, demonstrating reliability far beyond human capacity or understanding.
Job 26 8 Bonus section
- Theology of Divine "Hiddenness" in Nature: This verse illustrates a principle where God's power is not always manifest in overt, dramatic miracles but often in the consistent, orderly, and seemingly subtle operation of natural laws. His creative and sustaining work is embedded within the very fabric of existence, testifying to a God who continually maintains what He has brought into being.
- A Continuous Act of Creation: Rather than just a past act of creation, Job 26:8 speaks to God's continuous sustenance (creatio continua). The stability of the clouds isn't a passive outcome of initial laws, but an ongoing act of divine binding and preservation, demonstrating His active presence in the cosmos at every moment.
- A Call to Awe and Humility: For Job and for us, contemplating such an ordinary yet profound miracle should elicit awe and humility before a God whose wisdom and power far exceed human understanding or ability to explain fully. It counters intellectual pride and points to a realm of divine operation that transcends scientific observation alone.
Job 26 8 Commentary
Job 26:8 captures a profound truth about God's nature revealed through a common natural phenomenon. The seemingly ordinary stability of clouds holding immense volumes of water without collapsing is presented not as a natural given, but as an ongoing testament to God's invisible, sustaining power. This verse succinctly conveys God's meticulous care, unparalleled strength, and unsearchable wisdom in upholding creation moment by moment. It invites reflection on how often we overlook the 'ordinary miracles' of His providence. The passage urges us to recognize that even the simple mechanics of rain clouds point to a sovereign God whose ways are beyond full human comprehension or scientific reduction, requiring an acknowledgment of His continuous upholding presence.