Job 38 3

Job 38:3 kjv

Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

Job 38:3 nkjv

Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

Job 38:3 niv

Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.

Job 38:3 esv

Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.

Job 38:3 nlt

Brace yourself like a man,
because I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.

Job 38 verses

Job 38 3 Meaning

Job 38:3 marks a pivotal moment in the Book of Job where God, for the first time, speaks directly to Job out of a whirlwind. It signifies a dramatic reversal of roles; Job, who has persistently sought to contend with God and demand an explanation for his suffering, is now commanded to prepare himself to be questioned by the Almighty. God challenges Job to stand with the strength and resolve of a man, to gird his loins – a cultural idiom for preparing for demanding physical or intellectual exertion – because God Himself will now interrogate Job, demanding an account, which Job is expected to make known and declare. This is not an invitation to debate, but a sovereign summons to a divine interrogation, immediately highlighting the immense power differential and the unfathomable wisdom of God.

Job 38 3 Context

This verse serves as the immediate turning point following chapters of Job's lamentations and his friends' failed attempts to provide an explanation for his suffering. Throughout the book, Job maintained his innocence and passionately desired an audience with God to present his case, often daring to question divine justice. Elihu's speech immediately preceding God's divine address set the stage, emphasizing God's transcendence and majesty, hinting at the limitations of human understanding. Chapter 38, therefore, begins the grand culmination where God speaks directly to Job from the midst of a powerful storm, symbolizing His presence and power. Instead of answering Job's "why" questions about suffering, God turns the tables, presenting a barrage of rhetorical questions about the creation and sustenance of the natural world, all designed to highlight Job's minuscule understanding and power in comparison to the omniscient and omnipotent Creator. Job 38:3, specifically, is God's direct challenge for Job to shed his human frailty and prepare intellectually and spiritually to engage with the Creator of the cosmos on the Creator's terms. It sets the tone for a humbling display of divine sovereignty, shifting the focus from Job's personal predicament to the grand, unfathomable majesty of God.

Job 38 3 Word analysis

• "Now prepare yourself" (חֲגׇר־נׇא `ḥagōr-nāʾ`)
  • `ḥagōr` (חָגַר): This verb means "to gird," "to put on a belt." It implies fastening one's clothing securely. It is an imperative, a direct command.
  • `nāʾ` (נׇא): An emphatic particle, often translated as "now," "please," or "pray." It adds urgency and directness to the command, not as a polite request, but as an immediate and authoritative instruction.
  • Significance: This phrase is an idiom for getting ready for action or strenuous effort, whether physical (e.g., a journey, labor, battle) or, in this context, intellectual and spiritual engagement. It suggests seriousness, alertness, and commitment.
• "like a man" (כְּגֶבֶר `kəgeḇer`)
  • `kə` (כְּ): A preposition meaning "like" or "as."
  • `geḇer` (גֶּבֶר): This noun signifies a "strong man," "a mighty man," "a valiant man," or "a hero." It connotes strength, courage, dignity, and fortitude, especially in the face of adversity. It is not used here to diminish Job, but rather to elevate him, calling him to muster all his intellectual and spiritual strength to meet the divine challenge.
  • Significance: God is challenging Job to step up with integrity, intellectual rigor, and courage, demanding Job face the confrontation with divine truth and power not as a helpless victim, but as one capable of comprehension and response, albeit limited. It implicitly contrasts Job's earlier, often emotional and complaining speeches with the mature and strong posture God demands.
• "I will question you" (וְאֶשְׁאֲלֶךָּ `wəʾešʾālḵā`)
  • `wəʾešʾālḵā`: From `šāʾal` (שָׁאַל), meaning "to ask," "to question," "to demand." It signifies an interrogation, often in a judicial or authoritative context.
  • Significance: This reverses the power dynamic completely. Job had repeatedly called for God to answer him; now God asserts His prerogative to question Job. This shifts the focus from Job's supposed righteousness and demand for justice to God's inherent right to sovereignty and unquestionable authority. It frames the following chapters as a divine cross-examination of human knowledge.
• "and you shall answer Me" (הוֹדִיעֵנִי `hôḏîʿēnî`)
  • `hôḏîʿēnî`: From `yādʿa` (יָדַע) meaning "to know," here in the Hifil stem, which is causative, meaning "cause to know," "make known," "declare to me."
  • Significance: This is more profound than a simple "answer." God demands a full declaration, a demonstration of Job's supposed knowledge or understanding. It implies a demand for Job to present clear, coherent, and profound wisdom, challenging his claims of understanding the divine plan or divine wisdom. It underscores Job's impending inability to provide any sufficient explanation or wisdom, setting him up for profound humility.

Job 38 3 Bonus section

• Echo in Covenant Lawsuit: God's opening challenge echoes the structure of a covenant lawsuit (rib or riv pattern) found in prophetic literature, where God summons His people (or in this case, a man) to a legal dispute to show their error and His righteousness. The "questioning" serves as a judicial examination.
• God's Presence in the Whirlwind: Theophany from the whirlwind (sāʿar or sûpâ) indicates immense power and mystery (Ezek 1:4, Zech 9:14, Nah 1:3). This specific manifestation highlights God's transcendence and awe-inspiring presence, making His command even more forceful.
• "Man" (geber): This particular Hebrew word for "man" often carries a nuance of an "elite man," "valiant man," or "master," suggesting a call for Job to embody the peak of human capability and understanding in confronting the divine. It elevates the expectation for Job's intellectual and spiritual readiness, yet sets the stage for his utter failure to meet divine wisdom.

Job 38 3 Commentary

Job 38:3 is God's declarative call to Job, launching a profound dialogue that redefines their relationship and Job's understanding of his place in the cosmos. Far from providing a direct explanation for Job's suffering, God initiates a formidable challenge. The command "Gird up your loins like a man" signifies an imperative for Job to shed his emotional posture and complaints, and instead stand intellectually robust and courageous, prepared to engage with divine truth. It's an invitation to elevate his understanding, albeit within his human limits. God declares His intent to question Job, shifting the role of the interrogated from God to Job, reversing the dramatic tension. This interrogation is designed not for God to gain information, but for Job to recognize his profound ignorance regarding the Creator's vast power, wisdom, and sovereign control over creation. The very nature of the questions God subsequently poses emphasizes Job's finitude and the unfathomable transcendence of the divine, ultimately leading Job to repent in humility and newfound awe of God, not based on understanding the "why" of suffering, but based on who God is.