King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Hast thou with him spread out the sky, [which is] strong, [and] as a molten looking glass?
Complete Jewish Bible:
can you, with him, spread out the sky, hard as a cast metal mirror?
Berean Standard Bible:
can you, like Him, spread out the skies to reflect the heat like a mirror of bronze?
American Standard Version:
Canst thou with him spread out the sky, Which is strong as a molten mirror?
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Hast thou with him spread out{H7554} the sky{H7834}, which is strong{H2389}, and as a molten{H3332} looking glass{H7209}?
Cross-References (KJV):
Isaiah 44:24
- Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I [am] the LORD that maketh all [things]; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
Psalms 104:2
- Who coverest [thyself] with light as [with] a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
Exodus 38:8
- And he made the laver [of] brass, and the foot of it [of] brass, of the lookingglasses of [the women] assembling, which assembled [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Proverbs 8:27
- When he prepared the heavens, I [was] there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
Isaiah 40:22
- [It is] he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof [are] as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
Job 9:8
- Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
Job 9:9
- Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
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Commentary for Job 37:18
Job 37:18 is a verse from the Book of Job, which is part of the Wisdom Literature in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament. The Book of Job deals with the themes of suffering, faith, and the nature of divine justice. It tells the story of Job, a righteous man who endures severe suffering as a test of his faith, orchestrated by God and permitted by Satan.
In this particular verse, Elihu, one of the characters who speaks in the latter part of the book, is addressing Job. Elihu is a younger man who offers his perspective on Job's situation and the nature of God's power and majesty. In Job 37:18, Elihu is asking Job rhetorically if he has been able to join with God in the act of stretching out the heavens, likening the sky to a strong, cast metal mirror. This metaphor emphasizes the firmness, smoothness, and reflective quality of the sky, suggesting both its vastness and the idea that it is a solid dome, which was a common ancient Near Eastern conception of the cosmos.
The verse reflects the awe and wonder with which ancient peoples viewed the heavens, and it underscores the vast difference between human capability and the power of God, who is portrayed as the ultimate creator and sustainer of the universe. Historically, this verse is consistent with the cosmology of the time, which often depicted the sky as a solid structure, and it serves to reinforce the idea that God's ways and works are beyond human comprehension and achievement.
In summary, Job 37:18 is part of a larger discourse on God's power and human limitations within the context of ancient cosmology. It uses the imagery of the sky as a solid, reflective surface to illustrate the might and majesty of the divine, contrasting human incapacity with God's creative abilities, and inviting reflection on the grandeur of the cosmos as a testament to God's greatness.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7554
There are 11 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָקַע
Transliteration: râqaʻ
Pronunciation: raw-kah'
Description: a primitive root; to pound the earth (as a sign of passion); by analogy to expand (by hammering); by implication, to overlay (with thin sheets of metal); beat, make broad, spread abroad (forth, over, out, into plates), stamp, stretch. - Strong's Number: H7834
There are 21 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שַׁחַק
Transliteration: shachaq
Pronunciation: shakh'-ak
Description: from שָׁחַק; a powder (as beaten small); by analogy, a thin vapor; by extension, the firmament; cloud, small dust, heaven, sky. - Strong's Number: H2389
There are 54 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָזָק
Transliteration: châzâq
Pronunciation: khaw-zawk'
Description: from חָזַק; strong (usu. in a bad sense, hard, bold, violent); harder, hottest, [phrase] impudent, loud, mighty, sore, stiff(-hearted), strong(-er). - Strong's Number: H3332
There are 51 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָצַק
Transliteration: yâtsaq
Pronunciation: yaw-tsak'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to pour out (transitive or intransitive); by implication, to melt or cast as metal; by extension, to place firmly, to stiffen or grow hard; cast, cleave fast, be (as) firm, grow, be hard, lay out, molten, overflow, pour (out), run out, set down, stedfast. - Strong's Number: H7209
There are 1 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רְאִי
Transliteration: rᵉʼîy
Pronunciation: reh-ee'
Description: from רָאָה; a mirror (as seen); looking glass.