Job 38 17

Job 38:17 kjv

Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

Job 38:17 nkjv

Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?

Job 38:17 niv

Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?

Job 38:17 esv

Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

Job 38:17 nlt

Do you know where the gates of death are located?
Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?

Job 38 verses

Job 38 17 Meaning

Job 38:17 is a rhetorical question posed by God to Job, challenging Job's limited understanding and knowledge of the divine governance of the world. It asserts God's exclusive and profound insight into the deepest mysteries of existence, particularly the hidden, fearsome realms associated with death and the afterlife (Sheol), which are completely beyond human perception or control. God is emphasizing Job's finite human perspective in contrast to His own infinite wisdom and authority over all creation, visible and invisible.

Job 38 17 Context

Job 38:17 is part of the Lord's majestic, poetic address to Job, commencing in chapter 38 after Job's long and arduous period of suffering and complaint. Having listened to Job's questions and demands for a confrontation, God finally speaks from a whirlwind. However, God does not offer a direct explanation for Job's suffering, but instead poses a barrage of rhetorical questions concerning the creation, governance, and unfathomable mysteries of the universe. This strategy is designed to humble Job, demonstrating the infinite chasm between human understanding and divine wisdom. God challenges Job's claim to comprehend His justice by highlighting Job's ignorance even of the physical world He governs, culminating in questions about realms like the "gates of death" and "deep darkness"—areas completely beyond human access or comprehension. In the historical and cultural context, ancient peoples regarded the realm of the dead (Sheol) as a shadowy, mysterious place with literal gates that guarded its secrets, an impenetrable boundary between the living and the deceased. God's question powerfully asserts His unique and absolute sovereignty over even these most secret and feared domains.

Job 38 17 Word analysis

• Have been revealed (הֲנִגְלוּ - ha-niglū): This is a rhetorical question, anticipating a negative answer ("No, they have not!"). The Hebrew root gālâ means "to uncover, reveal, expose." The verb form used implies something hidden and secret that only a superior being could disclose or have access to. It underscores God's exclusive knowledge and control.
• to you (לְךָ - ləḵā): Directly addresses Job, personally highlighting his human limitation and lack of divine insight.
• gates (שַׁעֲרֵי - shaʿărê): The plural construct form of sha'ar, meaning "gate" or "portal." In ancient Near Eastern thought, gates were symbolic of power, authority, access, and decision-making. Referring to "gates of death" suggests an unassailable barrier, a controlled entry point into the realm of the dead, emphasizing its guarded and inaccessible nature from a human perspective.
• death (מָוֶת - māwet): The common Hebrew word for physical cessation of life, but here used metonymically for the realm of the dead, often referred to as Sheol. It signifies the ultimate human boundary and an unknowable domain from a mortal standpoint.
• and (וְ - wə): A conjunction linking the two parallel phrases, intensifying the concept.
• gates (שַׁעֲרֵי - shaʿărê): Repeats the powerful imagery of an impenetrable barrier and exclusive domain.
• deep darkness (צַלְמָוֶת - tsal·māwet): This profound Hebrew compound noun, debated by scholars, is most widely understood as "shadow of death" or "deepest darkness/gloom." It is an intensified form of darkness, associated directly with the realm of the dead (Sheol) or extreme peril. It portrays the underworld as a place of absolute, oppressive obscurity, terrifyingly unknown to human experience, further emphasizing the depth of God's hidden knowledge.
• have you seen (תִּרְאֶה - tirʾe): Parallel to "have been revealed," this question emphasizes personal visual experience. The rhetorical nature confirms Job's lack of such unique insight or access.

Words-group analysis

• the gates of death: This phrase collectively points to Sheol, the common grave, conceived as a literal, guarded entrance to the underworld. It stresses that no human being has unique or comprehensive understanding of this ultimate boundary of life. God alone holds dominion over this realm.
• the gates of deep darkness: Reinforces the first phrase through powerful synonymous parallelism. Tsalmawet deepens the imagery from mere death to the most profound, terrifying, and impenetrable gloom associated with the realm of the deceased. It underscores the utter obscurity and fearfulness of this domain, completely beyond human exploration or knowledge.
• Have...been revealed to you? Or have you seen...?: These are divine rhetorical questions. They are not asked to gain information, but to assert God's singular omnipotence and omniscience, confronting Job's limited human perspective. They highlight God's absolute and exclusive knowledge and control over creation's profoundest mysteries, including the afterlife and destiny, serving to humble Job into recognizing the vast difference between the Creator and the created.

Job 38 17 Bonus section

• The structure of Job 38:17 uses a Hebrew poetic device known as synonymous parallelism. The second clause (gates of deep darkness have you seen) echoes and intensifies the first clause (gates of death been revealed to you), creating a fuller, more impactful expression of the same underlying truth.
• God's questions here are part of a broader argument (chapters 38-41) where He systematically challenges Job's understanding of various natural phenomena and creatures, leading to the logical conclusion that if Job cannot grasp these 'simpler' aspects of creation, he certainly cannot grasp God's ultimate plan or His governance of justice.
• This verse can be understood as a divine challenge to ancient Near Eastern beliefs that might have suggested human heroes, kings, or even certain deities had knowledge of or access to the underworld's secrets. God firmly establishes His exclusive, unparalleled sovereignty over this profound and fearful realm.
• The rhetorical questions not only expose Job's ignorance but also invite him to consider the incredible power of the One who does possess such knowledge, moving Job from a posture of complaint to one of awe and worship.

Job 38 17 Commentary

Job 38:17 stands as a cornerstone in God's response to Job, profoundly showcasing the limits of human knowledge in contrast to divine wisdom. By asking if Job has navigated or witnessed the "gates of death" and "deep darkness," God highlights His unique authority over Sheol, the ancient Hebrew concept of the abode of the dead, often pictured as a guarded and dark underworld. This isn't just about geographical or spatial knowledge, but about dominion over life and the mysterious journey beyond. The "gates" signify ultimate boundaries and inaccessible thresholds, implying that understanding and control over death's domain rest solely with the Almighty. The choice of "deep darkness" over simple darkness underscores the terrifying, unknowable, and overwhelming nature of this realm for mortals. Ultimately, the verse functions to humble Job, demonstrating that if he lacks insight into these fundamental, universal mysteries of existence, he cannot presume to comprehend or challenge the infinite wisdom behind God's moral governance of the world, much less the reasons for his own suffering.