Job 38:7-17

7 In the singing together of stars of morning, And all sons of God shout for joy,

8 And He shutteth up with doors the sea, In its coming forth, from the womb it goeth out.

9 In My making a cloud its clothing, And thick darkness its swaddling band,

10 And I measure over it My statute, And place bar and doors,

11 And say, `Hitherto come thou, and add not, And a command is placed On the pride of thy billows.'

12 Hast thou commanded morning since thy days? Causest thou the dawn to know its place?

13 To take hold on the skirts of the earth, And the wicked are shaken out of it,

14 It turneth itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.

15 And withheld from the wicked is their light, And the arm lifted up is broken.

16 Hast thou come in to springs of the sea? And in searching the deep Hast thou walked up and down?

17 Revealed to thee were the gates of death? And the gates of death-shade dost thou see?

Job 38:7-17 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.