Job 38:36
Read Job 38:36 Using Other Translations
What does Job 38:36 mean?
Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts?
&c.] That is, of man, in his heart, as explained in the next
clause; such wisdom as to guide the stars, know the ordinances of
heaven, set their dominion on earth, manage and direct the clouds
and lightning; no such wisdom is put in man:
or who hath, given understanding to the heart?
to understand all the above things, and answer to the several
questions put in this chapter; though, as these clauses may
respect much one and the same thing, they may be understood of
wisdom and understanding in man, whether natural or spiritual;
and seeing they are found there, the question is, who put them
there, or how came they there? who gave them to him? the answer
must be, God himself, and no other; man has his rational soul,
his intellectual powers, the light of nature and reason in him;
all his understanding in arts and sciences, trades and
manufactures, is of the Lord, and not of himself or another, see
( Job 32:8 ) (
Exodus 36:1
Exodus 36:2 )
( Isaiah
28:23-29 ) ; all spiritual wisdom and understanding which
lies in a man's concern for his eternal welfare in the knowledge
of himself, and of his state and condition by nature, and of the
way of life and salvation by Christ, and of the truths and
doctrines of the Gospel, is all of God and Christ, and by the
spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; no man,
therefore, has any reason to glory in his wisdom and knowledge,
of whatsoever kind, as though he had not received it; nor should
he dare to arraign the wisdom of God in his providential dealings
with men; since he that teaches man knowledge must needs know
better than man how to govern the world he has made, and dispose
of all things in it. The last clause is in the Vulgate Latin
rendered, "who hath given to the cock understanding?" and so the
Targums and other Jewish writers F16 interpret it; and they
observe F17, that in Arabia a cock is called by
the word that is here used; and in their morning prayers, and at
hearing a cock crow F18,
``Blessed be the Lord, who giveth to the cock understanding to distinguish between the day and the night:''but however remarkable the understanding of this creature is, which God has given it, and which is even taken notice of by Heathen writers F19; that it should know the stars, distinguish the hours of the night by crowing, and express its joy at the rising of the sun and moon; yet such a sense of the text seems impertinent, as well as that of the Septuagint version, of giving to women the wisdom and knowledge of weaving and embroidery.
F16 Jarchi, Ramban, Simeon Bar. Tzemach.
F17 Vajikra Rabba, s. 25. fol. 166. 1. Vid. T. Roshhashanah, fol. 26. 1.
F18 Seder Tephillot. fol. 2. 2. Ed. Basil. & Bab. Beracot, fol. 60. 2.
F19 Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 21. Aelian. de Animal. l. 4. c. 29.
