Job 38:25 kjv
Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
Job 38:25 nkjv
"Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water, Or a path for the thunderbolt,
Job 38:25 niv
Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm,
Job 38:25 esv
"Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain and a way for the thunderbolt,
Job 38:25 nlt
"Who created a channel for the torrents of rain?
Who laid out the path for the lightning?
Job 38 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 29:3-4 | The voice of the LORD is over the waters; The God of glory thunders... The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty. | God's powerful voice controls storms. |
| Psa 29:7 | The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire. | Divine control over lightning. |
| Psa 77:18 | The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; The lightnings lit up the world... | God's presence manifest in storm. |
| Psa 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 creates and controls weather. |
| Psa 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 and control of rain. |
| Jer 10:13 | When He utters His voice, There is a multitude of waters in the heavens... He makes lightnings with rain... | God's power linked to weather. |
| Jer 51:16 | When He utters His voice, There is a multitude of waters in the heavens; He causes the vapors to ascend... He makes lightnings for the rain... | Reinforces God's sole dominion over natural elements. |
| Nah 1:3 | The LORD is slow to anger and great in power... His way is in the whirlwind and in the storm... | God's sovereignty extends to all storms. |
| Zec 10:1 | Ask the LORD for rain... The LORD gives flashes of lightning; He gives them showers of rain... | God as the source of rain and lightning. |
| Exo 9:23-24 | ...and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire came down to the earth... and there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very severe... | God uses weather as a powerful judgment. |
| 1 Sam 12:17-18 | Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive... the LORD sent thunder and rain that day... | God responds to prophets through nature. |
| Job 36:31-32 | For by these He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance. He covers His hands with the lightning, And directs it to its target. | God directs lightning with precision. |
| Job 37:3-4 | He sends it forth under the whole heaven... After it a voice roars... He does not restrain them when His voice is heard. | God's expansive control over lightning and thunder. |
| Job 38:22 | Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail...? | Parallel questions about God's control over weather phenomena. |
| Isa 40:12 | Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand...? | God's ultimate measure and control over vastness. |
| Amos 4:7 | "I also withheld rain from you... and caused it to rain on one city and not to rain on another city." | God's direct and specific control over rain. |
| 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 power. |
| Col 1:16-17 | For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth... all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. | Christ's role in sustaining creation, highlighting divine power. |
| Gen 7:11 | ...on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. | God's direct causation of the Great Flood's torrents. |
| Psa 65:9 | You visit the earth and make it to overflow; You greatly enrich it... You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it. | God as the provider and controller of natural forces for fruitfulness. |
| Rev 4:5 | And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices... | Divine presence in Revelation echoed with natural power. |
Job 38 verses
Job 38 25 Meaning
Job 38:25 encapsulates God's rhetorical challenge to Job, highlighting His unique and incomprehensible sovereignty over the most formidable and destructive forces of nature. The verse questions who among creation could establish order and direction for overwhelming torrents of rain and the swift, piercing thunderbolts, thereby asserting that only the Creator possesses such ultimate control, wisdom, and power. It signifies God's governance even over chaotic elements, proving His supreme majesty and the finite limits of human understanding.
Job 38 25 Context
Job 38:25 marks a pivotal moment as God speaks to Job out of the whirlwind, initiating His first discourse (chapters 38-39). Prior to this, Job and his friends have debated the problem of suffering, questioning God's justice. Job himself has passionately desired an audience with God to present his case. Instead of directly addressing Job's accusations, God responds by launching a series of rhetorical questions about the natural world, illustrating His limitless wisdom and power. These questions are unanswerable by human reason, emphasizing the chasm between divine knowledge and human ignorance. The immediate context of verse 25 is a broader inquiry into meteorological phenomena like snow, hail, rain, and lightning, setting the stage for God to highlight His absolute sovereignty over forces beyond human comprehension or control. Culturally, the control over rain, storms, and lightning was often attributed to various deities in the Ancient Near East, such as Baal, a storm god. God's questions implicitly challenge such polytheistic notions, affirming Yahweh as the sole and supreme sovereign over creation.
Job 38 25 Word analysis
- Who (מִי - miy): An interrogative pronoun, a forceful rhetorical question demanding an answer. In this context, it carries the strong implication that no one, other than God Himself, possesses such capability, thereby underscoring God's singular and unparalleled power.
- has cleft (פָּלַג - palag): To divide, split, cleave, or distribute. This verb suggests an active, deliberate, and forceful action. It implies the intentional formation or designation of a path or channel, rather than a natural, undirected flow. The term appears elsewhere in the Bible, notably in Gen 10:25, from which the name Peleg (meaning "division") is derived, linked to the "division" of the earth or its inhabitants. Here, it denotes precise, creative shaping of destructive forces.
- a channel (לַשֶּׁטֶף - lash-sheṭep̄): "for the overflow" or "for the deluge/torrent." The Hebrew word sheṭep̄ refers to an overwhelming gushing or outpouring, often associated with a flood or destructive current (e.g., Ps 32:6). The phrase "has cleft a channel for the torrents" signifies that God doesn't just allow floods to occur, but meticulously guides and directs even their overwhelming power.
- and a path (וְדֶרֶךְ - v-dereḵ): "and a way" or "a road." This noun consistently refers to a designated course, a deliberate trajectory, or an ordered route. Its presence alongside "cleft a channel" reiterates the idea of intentionality and precise control, not randomness.
- for the thunderbolt (לַחֲזִיז קוֹלֹת - laḥăziyz qolōṯ): This phrase is highly significant:
- לַחֲזִיז (laḥăziyz): "for the lightning flash" or "thunderbolt." The noun ḥăziyz specifically refers to the sudden, dazzling flash of lightning. It appears rarely in the Old Testament, but consistently denotes the swift and powerful visual aspect of a storm (cf. Zec 10:1).
- קוֹלֹת (qolōṯ): "voices" or "sounds." In the context of divine manifestations, qolōṯ frequently refers to thunder, "the voice of God" (e.g., Ps 29). Thus, "ḥăziyz qolōṯ" together means "flash of thunder" or "lightning with thunder"—the complete manifestation of a powerful celestial event. God controls both the blinding flash and the resounding roar.
- Words-Group analysis:
- "Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain": This group highlights God's command over the destructive force of water. The imagery is not of wild, uncontained floods, but of waters directed and given a specific path by God, showcasing His ability to channel even chaos.
- "and a path for the thunderbolt?": This group extends the divine control to atmospheric electricity. Lightning is inherently erratic and instantaneous, yet the verse asserts God provides it with a "path," implying divine direction, precision, and ultimate command over its movement and impact. Together, these phrases depict God's mastery over the two most awe-inspiring and unpredictable natural phenomena.
Job 38 25 Bonus section
This verse is part of God's self-revelation from the whirlwind, which serves as a majestic manifestation of His presence (cf. Eze 1:4; Nah 1:3). The phenomena mentioned, like lightning and rain, were not merely scientific wonders, but deeply symbolic elements of divine presence and judgment throughout the Bible. By commanding Job to acknowledge control over these, God is asserting His identity as the unique Lord of creation and challenging any competing claims or human pretensions of wisdom. The precise language of "cleft" and "channel" speaks not of simple creation, but of intricate, ongoing governance of natural systems.
Job 38 25 Commentary
Job 38:25 is a rhetorical question designed to humble Job by confronting his limited understanding with the boundless wisdom and power of God. By pointing to torrents and thunderbolts – natural forces that are overwhelming and unpredictable to humanity – God highlights His exclusive dominion. The use of "channel" and "path" is crucial, transforming potentially chaotic phenomena into elements operating under precise divine control and direction. This isn't just about God's raw power, but His ordered and purposeful power. God alone guides the deluge and dictates the trajectory of lightning, proving His unchallengeable authority over creation and His sovereign right to act as He wills. The implicit answer to the "Who?" is always "Only I, the Lord," thus reinforcing the unworthiness of human questioning regarding divine ways.