Job 38:31-41

31 Whether thou shalt be able to join together [the] shining stars (called) Pleiades, that is, the seven stars, either thou shalt be able to destroy the compass of Arcturus? (or shalt thou be able to destroy the orbit of Orion?)
32 Whether thou bringest forth Lucifer, that is, the day star, in his time, and makest the even star to rise upon the sons of [the] earth? (Bringest thou forth Mazzaloth in its time, that is, the stars and the constellations, or makest Arcturus to rise upon the sons of the earth?)
33 Whether thou knowest the order of heaven, and shall set the reason thereof in [the] earth? (Knowest thou the order of the heavens, and can thou impose that order here on earth?)
34 Whether thou shalt raise thy voice into a cloud, and the fierceness of (their) waters shall cover thee? (Can thou raise up thy voice to the clouds, so that the fierceness of their waters shall then cover thee?)
35 Whether thou shalt send out lightnings (Can thou send out lightnings), and they shall go forth, and those shall turn again, and shall say to thee, We be present?
36 Who hath put wisdom (in)to the entrails of man, that is, (into his) soul, either who gave understanding to the cock?
37 Who shall tell out the reason of (the) heavens, and who shall make [the] according of heaven to sleep? (Who can count the clouds, and who can empty out all the rain from the heavens?)
38 When dust was founded on the earth, and clots were joined together? (Yea, when the dust is as hard as iron, and clods be joined together!)
39 Whether thou shalt take [the] prey to the lioness, and shalt fill the souls of her whelps, (Shalt thou take the prey for the lioness, and fulfill, or satisfy, the hunger of her whelps,)
40 when they lie in (their) caves, and (wait in) ambush in (their) dens?
41 Who maketh ready for the crow his meat, when his young cry to God, and wander about, for they have not meats? (Who prepareth food for the crow, when his young cry to God, and wander about, for they have no food?)

Job 38:31-41 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 38

In this chapter the Lord takes up the controversy with Job; calls upon him to prepare to engage with him in it, and demands an answer to posing questions he puts to him, concerning the earth and the fabric of it, Job 38:1-7; concerning the sea, compared to an infant in embryo, at its birth, in its swaddling bands and cradle, Job 38:8-11; concerning the morning light, its spread and influence, Job 38:12-15; concerning the springs of the sea, the dark parts of the earth, the place both of light and darkness, Job 38:16-21; concerning the various meteors, snow, hail, rain, thunder, lightning, and the influences of the stars, Job 38:22-38; and concerning provision for lions and ravens, Job 38:40,41.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.