Job 38:12

12 "And have you ever ordered Morning, 'Get up!' told Dawn, 'Get to work!'

Job 38:12 Meaning and Commentary

Job 38:12

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days;
&c.] Job had lived to see many a morning, but it never was in his power to command one; he had been in such circumstances as to wish for morning light before it was, but was obliged to wait for it, could not hasten it, or cause it to spring before its time; see ( Job 7:3 Job 7:4 ) ; one of the Targums is,

``wast thou in the days of the first creation, and commandedst the morning to be?''

he was not, God was; he was before the first morning, and commanded it into being, ( Genesis 1:3-5 ) ( Isaiah 43:13 ) ;

[and] caused the dayspring to know his place;
the first spring of light or dawn of day; which though it has a different place every day in the year, as the sun ascends or descends in the signs of the Zodiac, yet it knows and observes its exact place, being taught of God.

Job 38:12 In-Context

10 Then I made a playpen for it, a strong playpen so it couldn't run loose,
11 And said, 'Stay here, this is your place. Your wild tantrums are confined to this place.'
12 "And have you ever ordered Morning, 'Get up!' told Dawn, 'Get to work!'
13 So you could seize Earth like a blanket and shake out the wicked like cockroaches?
14 As the sun brings everything to light, brings out all the colors and shapes,
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.