Job 38 26

Job 38:26 kjv

To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

Job 38:26 nkjv

To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one, A wilderness in which there is no man;

Job 38:26 niv

to water a land where no one lives, an uninhabited desert,

Job 38:26 esv

to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man,

Job 38:26 nlt

Who makes the rain fall on barren land,
in a desert where no one lives?

Job 38 verses

Job 38 26 Meaning

Job 38:26 describes God's sovereign control over the natural world, specifically His ability to bring rain to uninhabited regions. This verse highlights that God's providence and care extend beyond human observation or utility, reaching even the most desolate and remote parts of the earth where no human dwells. It underscores His comprehensive knowledge and deliberate design in maintaining the vast and intricate ecosystems of creation, irrespective of human presence or perceived benefit.

Job 38 26 Context

Job 38:26 is part of God's majestic and challenging discourse to Job, beginning in Job 38:1. After chapters of Job questioning God's justice and demanding an audience, God speaks from a whirlwind. His reply is not a direct explanation of Job's suffering but a profound series of rhetorical questions designed to highlight Job's limited understanding of creation and God's boundless wisdom and power. God asks Job if he was present during creation, if he comprehends the intricate workings of the cosmos, the oceans, the weather, and the animal kingdom. Verse 26, specifically, points to the phenomenon of rain in uninhabited lands, serving as an example of God's purposeful design that extends beyond human awareness or direct benefit, emphasizing His complete sovereignty and wisdom in maintaining the natural order. Historically and culturally, in the ancient Near East, control over rain was often attributed to various storm deities, such as Baal. God's declarations in Job decisively refute such polytheistic notions, establishing Yahweh as the sole, independent, and ultimate controller of all weather phenomena, a power unmatched by any human or pagan deity. This declaration asserts Yahweh's unique divinity against contemporary pagan beliefs.

Job 38 26 Word analysis

• לְהַמְטִיר֙ (lᵉhamṭir):
  • Original word meaning: "to cause to rain," "to make it rain," from the root māṭar (rain).
  • Significance: This is an active causative verb, signifying direct divine agency. It's not rain that happens naturally by chance, but actively brought forth by God's will and power. It highlights God's initiative and control.
  • Database Insight: In the Hebrew Bible, God is consistently depicted as the sole dispenser of rain (Deut 11:14; Psa 147:8). This distinguishes Yahweh from rain gods of surrounding cultures.
• עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ (ʿal-ʾerets):
  • Original word meaning: "on/upon a land," "earth."
  • Significance: Refers to the geographical surface, encompassing diverse terrains. It denotes the broad reach of God's control.
• לֹא־אִ֔ישׁ (loʾ-ʾîš):
  • Original word meaning: "no man," "not a human person." ʾîš refers to a male person, but often used generically for "someone" or "man."
  • Significance: Emphasizes the absence of humanity. This challenges anthropocentric views, demonstrating God's care extends beyond human immediate needs or observation. It shows God's actions are not solely motivated by human utility.
• מִדְבָּ֖ר (midbār):
  • Original word meaning: "wilderness," "desert," "steppe," "pasture land."
  • Significance: A vast, often uninhabited or sparsely populated region, typically arid but can also be grasslands used for grazing. It represents desolate or remote areas. The word itself hints at a place where one wanders or drives flocks, implying less structured human settlement.
  • Cultural Context: For ancient Israelites, the midbar was a place of testing, desolation, but also where God provided (e.g., manna in the wilderness).
• לֹא־אָדָֽם׃ (loʾ-ʾāḏām):
  • Original word meaning: "no human," "not a human being." ʾāḏām refers to humanity in general, the broader human race.
  • Significance: A poetic parallel and intensification of "lo-ish." By using both terms for "man/human," it comprehensively stresses the absolute lack of human presence. It reiterates that God's providence is for the sake of the creation itself, not solely for humanity. This suggests intrinsic value in the wilderness to God.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "To bring rain on a land where no man is,": This phrase emphasizes God's direct and purposeful action (bringing rain) onto a specific type of land: one devoid of human inhabitants. It immediately confronts Job (and the reader) with the reality of God's activity occurring in spaces completely separate from human society and interests. This is God's power acting beyond human observation or requirement.
• "on the wilderness where there is no human being,": This phrase acts as a parallel synonymous repetition, intensifying the previous thought. "Wilderness" (midbar) specifically designates a wild, often barren or uncultivated region, further stressing the desolate nature of the land. "No human being" (lo-adam) reiterates the lack of human presence in the broadest sense. Together, these phrases highlight the divine purposefulness in watering what humanity considers "wasteland," supporting flora and fauna crucial to the intricate balance of God's vast creation. It points to God's all-encompassing governance and the non-anthropocentric value of creation.

Job 38 26 Bonus section

This verse serves as a subtle yet potent polemic against ancient polytheistic beliefs, where storm gods like Baal were worshipped to bring rain. By asserting His singular, effortless ability to send rain even where there is no human intercession or cultic practice, God establishes Himself as the true, independent sovereign over all nature, discrediting the reliance on lesser deities. The rhetorical question here isn't to solicit an answer from Job but to force Job (and by extension, us) to acknowledge the overwhelming evidence of divine wisdom in creation. The existence of flourishing ecosystems in the absence of human "management" or need underscores that creation has purposes and values beyond merely serving humanity.

Job 38 26 Commentary

Job 38:26 encapsulates God's ultimate sovereignty, demonstrating that His wisdom and power extend far beyond human comprehension and perceived utility. By posing the rhetorical question about raining on uninhabited wilderness, God highlights that His acts of creation and providence are not solely for human benefit or observation. This reveals an intrinsic value in creation, valued and sustained by God for its own sake, apart from humanity. The verse humbles Job by illustrating the vastness of God's ordered world, where even the most remote and desolate regions are part of His meticulous plan, contributing to larger ecosystems (as suggested by the following verses about wild animals). It challenges any human-centric view of the universe, affirming God's independent and complete control over natural phenomena. God does not just sustain what is useful to humanity but maintains the entire fabric of existence, showing His glory in every aspect.