Job 28:26 kjv
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
Job 28:26 nkjv
When He made a law for the rain, And a path for the thunderbolt,
Job 28:26 niv
when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm,
Job 28:26 esv
when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
Job 28:26 nlt
He made the laws for the rain
and laid out a path for the lightning.
Job 28 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 7:4 | "For in seven days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights..." | God determines the timing and duration of rain. |
| Deut 11:14 | "then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain..." | God's control over agricultural cycles. |
| 1 Sam 12:17-18 | "...He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great..." | God uses rain/thunder as a sign or judgment. |
| Job 37:3-5 | "He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His lightning to the ends of the earth... The voice of His thunder is marvelous..." | God controls the reach and wonder of lightning/thunder. |
| Ps 18:13 | "The LORD thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered His voice, hailstones and coals of fire." | God's powerful voice manifested in thunder. |
| Ps 29:3-9 | "The voice of the LORD is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; The LORD is over many waters... The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth..." | God's powerful voice (thunder) impacting creation. |
| Ps 77:18 | "Your thunder was in the whirlwind; The lightnings lit up the world; The earth trembled and shook." | Thunder and lightning reveal God's might. |
| Ps 104:24 | "O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all..." | God's wisdom evident in all creation. |
| Ps 135:7 | "He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries." | God's intricate control over weather patterns. |
| Ps 147:8 | "Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains." | God's provision through rain. |
| Prov 3:19-20 | "The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens; By His knowledge the depths were broken up and clouds drop down dew." | Wisdom's role in the original creation. |
| Jer 10:12-13 | "He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom... When He utters His voice, There is a multitude of waters in the heavens..." | God's power and wisdom in creation, including rain. |
| Jer 14:22 | "Are there any among the idols of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O LORD our God...?" | Only God can provide rain, unlike idols. |
| Amos 4:7 | "'I also withheld rain from you, When there were still three months to harvest...'" | God's ability to control and withhold rain. |
| Nahum 1:3 | "...His way is in the whirlwind and in the storm, And clouds are the dust of His feet." | God's power manifest in severe weather. |
| Zech 9:14 | "Then the LORD will be seen over them; And His arrow will go forth like lightning..." | Lightning as God's instrument or manifestation. |
| Rev 4:5 | "And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices..." | Thunder/lightning as manifestations of God's presence. |
| Rev 16:18 | "And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake..." | Divine power expressed through natural phenomena. |
| Prov 2:6 | "For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding." | God as the sole source of wisdom. |
| Dan 2:20-21 | "...Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His... He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise..." | God possesses ultimate wisdom and sovereignty. |
| Rom 1:20 | "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead..." | Creation reveals God's attributes, including wisdom. |
| Col 2:3 | "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." | Christ (who is God) is the embodiment of wisdom. |
| Jas 1:5 | "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach..." | God is the one who bestows wisdom upon request. |
Job 28 verses
Job 28 26 Meaning
Job 28:26 speaks to God's absolute sovereignty over the natural world, particularly the phenomena of rain, lightning, and thunder. It declares that God meticulously established a fixed decree for rain and charted a precise path for lightning accompanied by thunder. This verse underscores that His wisdom is supremely demonstrated through His ordered creation and His comprehensive control over even the most powerful and transient forces of nature.
Job 28 26 Context
Job 28 is a profound poem about wisdom, situated somewhat as an interlude within the broader dialogues between Job and his friends. It stands apart from the direct arguments about Job's suffering. The chapter first marvels at human ingenuity in mining, showing how humanity can uncover hidden precious metals and jewels from the earth's depths. However, despite this extraordinary human capability, the poem asserts that true wisdom (vv. 12-22) remains elusive and undiscoverable by human effort or exploration. It cannot be bought or traded.
Verses 23-28 then shift perspective, declaring that only God truly knows the path and dwelling place of wisdom because He surveys the entire creation. Verse 26, specifically, is a concrete example of God's application of this unparalleled wisdom. Having "looked to the ends of the earth and seen everything under the heavens" (v. 24), and having "weighted the wind" and "metered out the waters" (v. 25), God then established fixed ordinances for the most majestic natural phenomena—rain, thunder, and lightning. This meticulous ordering of creation is presented as irrefutable evidence for why true wisdom belongs to God alone. It serves to climax the argument that wisdom is a divine attribute, not a human acquisition, ultimately culminating in the declaration of God-given wisdom: "The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding" (v. 28).
Job 28 26 Word analysis
- When (בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ, ba'asôthow): This word indicates an active, decisive, and deliberate action by God. It signifies "in His making" or "when He appointed," emphasizing His agency and forethought in creation, rather than a passive observation or a random occurrence.
- a decree (חֹק, chôq): A fundamental term denoting an established law, statute, or ordinance. It conveys the idea of a fixed boundary, an appointed limit, or an unbreakable regulation. In this context, it highlights God's role as the divine legislator, establishing the precise and ordered nature of natural phenomena. Rain is not chaotic but operates under a divine, established principle.
- for the rain (לַמָּטָר, lammâtâr): Refers to precipitation essential for life and agriculture. God's specific decree concerning rain underscores His comprehensive control over sustenance and the life-cycles on earth, demonstrating a purposeful design.
- and a path (וְדֶרֶךְ, w'derekh): Signifies a way, a course, a defined route or direction. This implies precise navigation and intentional routing, even for transient and seemingly chaotic forces like lightning. It speaks to God's micro-level management of the cosmos.
- for the lightning of the thunder (לַחֲזִיז קוֹלֹת, lachazeez qôlôth):
- lightning (חֲזִיז, chazîz): A flash, a streak of light, a lightning bolt. It represents immense, instantaneous, and often destructive power. Its inclusion demonstrates God's sovereignty over the most formidable and awe-inspiring natural forces.
- thunder (קוֹלֹת, qôlôth): Literally "voices" or "sounds" in the plural, here referring to thunderclaps. Often associated in Scripture with the "voice of God" due to its overwhelming sound. The combined phrase highlights God's command over the full spectrum of a powerful storm, from its dazzling visual display to its resounding sound.
Word Group Analysis:
- "When he made a decree for the rain": This phrase portrays God as the supreme ordainer of the natural water cycle. It speaks of divine legislation that ensures the life-giving processes of the earth function with precise order, challenging ancient pagan beliefs in arbitrary divine actions or multiple deities governing weather.
- "and a path for the lightning of the thunder": This emphasizes God's minute and intentional direction over even the most violent and unpredictable elements of a storm. Lightning, with its rapid, unpredictable, and powerful nature, is not left to chance but has a predetermined course established by God. This illustrates God's wisdom and power extending to the chaotic, untameable aspects of the physical world, asserting that all forces are subject to His detailed command.
Job 28 26 Bonus section
- This verse provides a powerful theological statement against polytheistic conceptions common in the Ancient Near East, where different gods were believed to control specific natural elements (e.g., Baal as a storm god). Job declares that there is only one God who exercises precise and complete dominion over all these forces.
- It highlights the "regularity" and "laws" of nature long before the rise of modern science, attributing these to God's intentional "decrees" and "paths." God isn't capricious; He instills order.
- The chapter overall, with verse 26 as a prime example, sets the stage for God's ultimate answer to Job from the whirlwind, where God largely appeals to His wisdom demonstrated in creation (Job 38-41).
- The placement of this hymn in Job 28 suggests that before humans can begin to comprehend the complexities of suffering or God's ways, they must first acknowledge His unfathomable wisdom revealed in the visible world.
- The verse emphasizes God's personal involvement and continuous governance over the world, not just a distant act of creation and then abandonment. He continues to "decree" and "path."
Job 28 26 Commentary
Job 28:26 is a majestic assertion of divine wisdom and omnipotence, positioned as the climax of Job's profound discourse on the unknowability of true wisdom for humanity. Having detailed man's astonishing ability to mine the earth's deepest treasures, the poem then contrasts this human ingenuity with humanity's utter inability to discover wisdom's hiding place. Only God knows its way, and verse 26 provides the tangible evidence: God's wisdom is not a hidden secret He keeps from creation but is profoundly demonstrated in His creative acts.
The verse shows that God's wisdom is practical, embedded in the very fabric of the cosmos. He doesn't merely observe the weather; He ordains its function by establishing "decrees" (fixed laws) for rain and charting "paths" for the raw, awe-inspiring power of lightning and thunder. This legislative and directional activity over such vital and formidable elements unequivocally proves His supreme understanding and authority. Rain, vital for life, and lightning/thunder, symbolic of power and judgment, are both meticulously orchestrated by His will. This dispels any notion of randomness in natural phenomena or control by lesser gods; all operates under the single, wise sovereignty of the Almighty. Ultimately, the verse reveals that true wisdom is not a concept man uncovers through effort, but an attribute of God intrinsically expressed in the consistent and orderly operation of the universe He brought forth.