Job 37:8 kjv
Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.
Job 37:8 nkjv
The beasts go into dens, And remain in their lairs.
Job 37:8 niv
The animals take cover; they remain in their dens.
Job 37:8 esv
Then the beasts go into their lairs, and remain in their dens.
Job 37:8 nlt
The wild animals take cover
and stay inside their dens.
Job 37 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 104:20-22 | "You bring darkness... Then all the beasts of the forest creep forth. The young lions roar... they seek their food from God." | God's provision for nocturnal animals. |
| Psa 145:15-16 | "The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season... you satisfy the desire of every living thing." | God provides for all living creatures. |
| Psa 147:9 | "He gives to the beast its food, and to the young ravens that cry." | God's sustenance for animals. |
| Mat 6:26 | "Look at the birds of the air... your heavenly Father feeds them." | God's care for creation, including birds. |
| Mat 10:29 | "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall... apart from your Father." | God's specific knowledge and care for animals. |
| Job 38:39-41 | "Can you hunt the prey for the lion...? When they crouch in their dens, or lie in wait in the thicket?" | God knows and sustains animal behavior. |
| Psa 50:10 | "For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills." | God's ownership of all animals. |
| Gen 7:8-9 | "Of clean animals... two by two they went into the ark... as God had commanded Noah." | Animals' obedient movement by divine impulse. |
| Prov 30:26 | "The rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the rocks;" | Animals' instinctual search for shelter. |
| Isa 11:6-8 | "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb... and a little child shall lead them." | Future harmonious state of creation. |
| Job 12:7-9 | "But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell you... Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?" | Creation teaches about God's power. |
| Rom 1:20 | "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes... are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made." | Creation reveals God's attributes. |
| Jer 5:24 | "nor say in our heart, ‘Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives the rain in its season, both autumn rain and spring rain, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.’" | God's control over seasons and rain. |
| Nah 1:3 | "The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet." | God's power manifest in storms. |
| Psa 29:3-9 | "The voice of the LORD is over the waters... The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare." | God's powerful voice affects creation. |
| Job 37:1-7 | "At this also my heart trembles... He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ likewise to the torrents of rain... So that all men may know His work." | Immediate context of Elihu's discourse on weather. |
| Job 38:25-27 | "Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain... to satisfy the desolate wasteland... to make the ground sprout with grass?" | God's comprehensive control over weather. |
| Psa 104:19 | "He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting." | God orders all natural cycles. |
| Ecc 3:1 | "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:" | God's ordering of time and events. |
| Isa 40:26 | "Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number." | God as the creator and ordainer. |
| Joel 1:20 | "Even the beasts of the field pant for you because the water brooks are dried up..." | Animals' dependence on natural resources. |
Job 37 verses
Job 37 8 Meaning
Job 37:8 declares that in response to God's magnificent display of power in natural phenomena—such as severe weather, cold, and storms—the wild animals withdraw into their secure dens and remain there. This verse highlights God's universal sovereignty and the instinctual response of all creation, including the animal kingdom, to His appointed order and prevailing conditions. It demonstrates that even the creatures of the wilderness are under His meticulous care and respond to His provident hand, seeking refuge as He designed.
Job 37 8 Context
Job 37:8 is part of Elihu's extended discourse to Job, preceding God's direct intervention from the whirlwind (Job 38). Throughout Job 36 and 37, Elihu passionately describes God's awesome power and wisdom as displayed in the natural world. He particularly focuses on meteorological phenomena like thunder, lightning, clouds, snow, and rain, attributing their manifestation to God's deliberate control. Elihu emphasizes God's majesty and inscrutability, contrasting it with human limitations and Job's perceived lack of understanding. Verse 8, specifically, builds upon Elihu's descriptions of severe winter weather and heavy rainfall (Job 37:6-7), which compel humans to cease their work and contemplate God's hand. In this context, the withdrawal of animals into their dens signifies their instinctual submission to the same divine meteorological power, seeking refuge and thus demonstrating the universal scope of God's dominion over all creation.
Job 37 8 Word analysis
- Then (וְ- ve-): A conjunctive "and" or "but," translated as "then" in English to show sequence. It links this action to the preceding natural phenomena described by Elihu, indicating a consequence of God's manifest power in the weather.
- the beasts (חַיַּ֤ת - chayyat): The Hebrew word chayyah refers to any living creature, often translated as "wild animal" or "beast of the field." Here, combined with ophel ("darkness"), it likely emphasizes animals that typically reside in wild, remote, or nocturnal environments, or those responding to the darkened, storm-filled conditions. It implies that even these unmanageable creatures respond to God's ordained order.
- of darkness (אֹ֣פֶל - ophel): This critical Hebrew word, meaning "darkness" or "gloom," often suggests mystery, concealment, or literally absence of light. Its direct association with chayyat ("beasts") points to either: (1) animals whose natural habitat is dark (caves, thickets), (2) nocturnal animals, or (3) animals driven into hiding by the "darkness" of severe storms. It underscores the severity of the weather conditions that prompt their withdrawal, linking it back to the cloudy and thundering heavens mentioned previously.
- go into their dens (בִּֽמְעוֹנָ֣הּ תֵּשַׁב - bim'onah teshab):
- in their dens (בִּֽמְעוֹנָ֣הּ - bim'onah): Me'onah signifies a dwelling place, lair, den, or refuge, particularly for wild animals. It implies a place of safety and seclusion. The prefix bi- means "in" or "into." This points to a secure and chosen retreat.
- will remain / sit (תֵּשַׁב - teshab): The verb yashav means "to sit," "dwell," "inhabit," or "remain." It conveys a sense of settling in and staying put, not just a brief entry. It highlights the purposeful and sustained withdrawal of the animals.
- "And living creature of darkness in its dwelling place will remain" (Literal): This phrase describes a universal and instinctive response of wildlife to the meteorological forces orchestrated by God. It implies that as human work is halted by the severity of the weather (as mentioned in preceding verses), even the untamed "beasts of darkness" seek out their appointed refuges, settling in until the divine command subsides. This underscores God's meticulous and comprehensive control over all of creation, from the heavens to the deepest parts of the earth where animals make their homes, all responding to His order. The withdrawal is a sign of both natural instinct and divine providence.
Job 37 8 Bonus section
The mention of "beasts of darkness" (חַיַּת אֹפֶל) is a striking detail in the original Hebrew that enriches the verse. While some translations simplify it to "wild beasts," the more literal "creature of darkness" could imply several nuances: it might refer to animals active during twilight or night, who are now forced into deeper seclusion by the unnatural storm-driven darkness; or simply to those wild creatures whose natural habitat is in hidden, dark places like caves or dense thickets. This imagery contrasts with human visibility and activity, highlighting that even in the hidden corners of the earth, under conditions of reduced light or severe weather, God's order prevails and impacts every living thing. It serves as a subtle reminder of God's omnipresence and the pervasive reach of His commands over all life, whether seen or unseen, known or unknown to man. Elihu is building a theological argument that emphasizes God's wisdom in ordering the natural world in ways that humble humanity.
Job 37 8 Commentary
Job 37:8 powerfully illustrates God's sovereign command over creation. Elihu, speaking before God appears, highlights how the Creator's power is evident in everyday natural phenomena, even in the behavior of wild animals. As severe weather—like snow, rain, and cold (described in the preceding verses)—halts human activity and drives them indoors, similarly, by a divinely implanted instinct, even wild "beasts of darkness" respond by withdrawing into their safe havens. This is not merely an observable natural cycle but a testament to God's continuous providential care and the universal order He imposes on all living things. It speaks to the absolute rule of God; from the majestic thunder to the quiet settling of a wild animal in its lair, all things are orchestrated by His wisdom, underscoring human incapacity to comprehend or replicate such magnificent control.