Job 38:24

24 By what way is the light parted, [which] scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

Job 38:24 Meaning and Commentary

Job 38:24

By what way is the light parted
That is, dost thou know by what way it is parted or divided? as at the first creation, when God divided the light from darkness, ( Genesis 1:4 ) ; or at sun rising and sun setting; and so in the two hemispheres, when there is darkness on the one, and light on the other; or under the two poles, when there are interchangeably six months light and six months darkness. Or how it is parted in an unequal distribution of day and night, at different seasons and in different climates; or how on one and the same day, and at the same time, the sun shall shine in one part of the earth, and not another; and more especially if this had been now a fact, and known, that there should be darkness all over the land of Egypt, and light in Goshen. Some understand this of lightning, but that is later mentioned;

[which] scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
that rising sometimes with the sun, or first spring of light; see ( Jonah 4:8 ) ; or which light spreads and diffuses itself "from the east", as it may be rendered. The sun rises in the east, and in a very quick and surprising manner spreads and diffuses its light throughout the hemisphere. Or this may respect the east wind itself, which scatters the clouds; and either spreads them in the heavens over the earth, or disperses them and drives away rain F24, as the north wind does: or as Mr. Broughton renders the words, "and the east wind scattereth itself over the earth"; it blowing invisibly and without our knowledge, goes and returns as other winds do, ( John 3:8 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F24 "Agente nimbos ocyor euro". Horat. Carmin. l. 2. Ode 16.

Job 38:24 In-Context

22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is the light parted, [which] scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, [where] no man [is]; [on] the wilderness in which [there is] no man;
The Webster Bible is in the public domain.