Job 9 7

Job 9:7 kjv

Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

Job 9:7 nkjv

He commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals off the stars;

Job 9:7 niv

He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars.

Job 9:7 esv

who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars;

Job 9:7 nlt

If he commands it, the sun won't rise
and the stars won't shine.

Job 9 verses

Job 9 7 Meaning

Job 9:7 conveys God's absolute and unchallengeable sovereignty over creation. It declares that God possesses the power to suspend or reverse the most fundamental and reliable natural phenomena, such as the daily rising of the sun and the appearance of stars. This illustrates His supreme majesty, control over the cosmic order, and transcendence over all creation, highlighting His immeasurable power that extends even to defying the expected regularities of the universe.

Job 9 7 Context

Job 9:7 is part of Job’s first response to Bildad, who had affirmed that God justly punishes the wicked and restores the righteous. Job agrees that God is indeed just and overwhelmingly powerful (9:2), but then immediately despairs, asking, "How can a man be righteous before God?" (9:2). Job feels that God's power is so absolute and inscrutable that no one can contend with Him, comprehend His ways, or hope to establish their innocence. The verses leading up to 9:7 describe God's monumental power in creating and moving mountains, shaking the earth, and stretching out the heavens (9:5-6). Within this escalating display of divine might, verse 7 serves as a further declaration of God's unrestrained control, emphasizing His ability to disrupt even the most reliable cosmic cycles, a power that makes Him both awe-inspiring and terrifying from Job's perspective, given his overwhelming suffering and sense of abandonment by an all-powerful, yet silent, God. This absolute divine sovereignty profoundly contributes to Job's theological dilemma and his struggle with inexplicable suffering.

Job 9 7 Word analysis

• He: Refers to God. While not explicitly named with a divine title in this verse, the preceding verses (Job 9:4-6) clearly identify Him as the omnipotent Creator and Sustainer, whose power transcends all earthly and cosmic boundaries. This personal pronoun highlights Job's acknowledgment of a distinct, active agent.
• commands (יֹאמֶר - yo'mer): Literally "says" or "speaks." This verb emphasizes divine decree and spoken authority. God's will is executed through His authoritative word, much like in the Genesis creation account ("God said, 'Let there be light'"). It conveys a power that is effortless, direct, and universally effective, without the need for physical exertion.
• the sun (לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ - lashshemesh): Refers to the most prominent celestial body, the source of light and warmth for life on earth, and in many ancient cultures, a deity in itself (e.g., the Egyptian god Re, or the Mesopotamian god Shamash). In Job's declaration, the sun is shown not as an autonomous god but as a mere servant, completely subservient to the one true God's command.
• and it does not rise (וְלֹא יִזְרָח - welo' yizrach): This phrase illustrates God's capacity to overrule established natural laws. The daily rising of the sun is one of creation's most consistent and indispensable rhythms. God's ability to command it not to rise demonstrates an unassailable authority that can suspend or reverse even the most fundamental elements of cosmic order, emphasizing His independence from, and superiority to, creation.
• He seals up (וְיַחְתֹּם - w'yachtom): This verb carries connotations of closing, hiding, shutting away, or even bringing to an end. It implies a definitive action to obscure or make something disappear from view or function. Applied to stars, it suggests that God can obscure their light, conceal their presence, or render them ineffectual, demonstrating control even over distant and seemingly unassailable cosmic entities.
• the stars (כּוֹכָבִים - kokhavim): Celestial bodies, often considered numerous, constant, and mysterious. In pagan cultures, stars were often associated with divine beings, destiny, or powerful omens. Here, they are entirely subject to God’s will, demonstrating that His power extends not just to the obvious, daily sun, but also to the countless, seemingly unchanging cosmic lights, further diminishing any concept of their independent power or influence.

• He commands the sun, and it does not rise: This group of words underscores God's absolute sovereignty over the most visible, life-giving, and reliable element of the cosmos. If God were to withhold the sun's rising, it would plunge the world into darkness, disrupting all life and order, an image of overwhelming divine power beyond human comprehension or resistance.
• He seals up the stars: This phrase emphasizes God's comprehensive authority, extending even to the numerous and seemingly permanent fixtures of the night sky. The act of "sealing up" speaks to a complete suppression or concealment of their light or presence, reinforcing that no part of creation is outside His direct control. Together with the sun imagery, it presents a picture of a God who orchestrates the entire cosmic order and can override it at will.

Job 9 7 Bonus section

• The imagery of cosmic disruption in Job 9:7 is a theological challenge to any worldview, ancient or modern, that deifies nature or attributes independent power to celestial bodies. It asserts that the Creator God stands utterly apart from and superior to His creation, reducing even the most grand elements of the cosmos to mere instruments of His will.
• Job's lament about God's power anticipates the broader biblical theme of "The Day of the Lord," a future time when God will supernaturally intervene in history, often accompanied by cosmic signs like the sun being darkened or stars falling (e.g., Isa 13:10; Joel 2:31; Rev 6:12). Job, in his immediate suffering, experiences a foretaste of a world where conventional order can suddenly be subverted by divine decree.
• The phrase "He seals up" not only suggests hiding or obscuring but can also imply "bringing to a close" or "finishing." If the stars are sealed up in this sense, it points to God’s power to conclude an era or activity related to them, reinforcing His ultimate authority over their very existence and purpose.
• While spoken by Job in despair, this verse inadvertently serves as a powerful declaration of monotheistic theology in contrast to the polytheistic and animistic beliefs common in the Ancient Near East, affirming a singular, unmatched deity.

Job 9 7 Commentary

Job 9:7 profoundly articulates Job’s deep awareness of God’s absolute dominion over creation. In Job’s anguish, God's boundless power is not a source of comfort but of dread, as it renders human complaint or self-justification futile. The verse portrays God as the sole Sovereign who is utterly unbound by the regularities He Himself established. He can command the sun, the ultimate symbol of daily constancy and pagan worship, not to fulfill its daily function. He can "seal up" the stars, objects revered in other cultures, instantly obscuring their light. This control highlights His transcendence and His capacity to overturn the cosmos, placing all existence, including Job's suffering, squarely under His inscrutable will. This absolute, undeniable, and potentially disruptive power leaves Job with no logical argument against his plight, only despair in the face of such overwhelming might and hidden judgment.