Job 38:24

24 By what way is the light spread abroad, and by what way heat is parted upon earth? (By what way is the light spread abroad, and by what way is the east wind carried here and there, over 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 Whether thou enteredest into the treasures of snow, either beheldest thou the treasures of hail? (Hast thou entered into the treasure house of the snow? or beheldest thou the treasure house of the hail?)
23 which things I made ready into the time of an enemy, into the day of fighting and of battle. (which things I made ready for the time of an enemy, for the day of fighting and of battle.)
24 By what way is the light spread abroad, and by what way heat is parted upon earth? (By what way is the light spread abroad, and by what way is the east wind carried here and there, over the earth?)
25 Who gave course to the strongest rain, and way of the thunder sounding? (Who gave a course for the strongest rain, and a way for the sounding thunder?)
26 That it should rain on the earth without man, in desert, where none of deadly men dwelleth? (So that it would rain on the earth where there is no one, yea, in the wilderness, where no person liveth?)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.