King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?
Complete Jewish Bible:
so that the dust becomes a mass [of mud], and its clods stick together?
Berean Standard Bible:
when the dust hardens into a mass and the clods of earth stick together?
American Standard Version:
When the dust runneth into a mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
When the dust{H6083} groweth{H3332} into hardness{H4165}, and the clods{H7263} cleave fast together{H1692}?
Cross-References (KJV):
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Commentary for Job 38:38
Job 38:38 is a part of the poetic dialogue found in the Book of Job, which is set in the ancient Near East during the time of the patriarchs, traditionally believed to be around the second millennium BCE. The Book of Job wrestles with the timeless question of why suffering occurs, particularly to the righteous, and challenges the simplistic notion that suffering is always a direct result of sin.
In the broader context of the book, Job has lost everything—his wealth, his children, and his health—and has been engaged in a prolonged debate with his friends about the cause of his misfortunes. His friends insist that his suffering must be a punishment for wrongdoing, but Job maintains his innocence. The dialogue reaches a climax when God finally speaks to Job out of a whirlwind, beginning in chapter 38.
Job 38:38 is part of God's response to Job, where God questions Job's understanding of creation and challenges his right to question the divine order. In this verse, God is emphasizing His control over the natural world, describing how He can make the dust harden and clods of earth stick together. This imagery serves to illustrate God's sovereignty over the elemental aspects of the universe, suggesting that if God has power over such minute details, then surely He has a purpose for the trials that Job is enduring.
The themes of this verse include the sovereignty of God, the limits of human understanding, and the complexity of the created order. It highlights the idea that the workings of the world are under God's governance and that human beings, with their limited perspective, cannot fully comprehend divine wisdom. This verse, and the speech it belongs to, confronts Job (and the reader) with the reality that there are mysteries in the divine plan that are beyond human scrutiny, and it calls for trust in God's wisdom and justice even in the face of unexplained suffering.
*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: H6083
There are 103 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָפָר
Transliteration: ʻâphâr
Pronunciation: aw-fawr'
Description: from עָפַר; dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth, mud; ashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder, rubbish. - 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: H4165
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מוּצָק
Transliteration: mûwtsâq
Pronunciation: moo-tsawk'
Description: from עָגִיל; properly, fusion, i.e. literally, a casting (of metal); figuratively, a mass (of clay); casting, hardness. - Strong's Number: H7263
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רֶגֶב
Transliteration: regeb
Pronunciation: reh'-gheb
Description: from an unused root meaning to pile together; a lump of clay; clod. - Strong's Number: H1692
There are 52 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דָּבַק
Transliteration: dâbaq
Pronunciation: daw-bak'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to impinge, i.e. cling or adhere; figuratively, to catch by pursuit; abide fast, cleave (fast together), follow close (hard after), be joined (together), keep (fast), overtake, pursue hard, stick, take.