Job38

In Job 38, the LORD answers Job out of a whirlwind, challenging his understanding and wisdom. God begins by questioning Job's presence and knowledge during the creation of the earth, the containment of the sea, and the establishment of the morning. Through a series of rhetorical questions, God highlights His own omnipotence and Job's profound limitations in comprehending the natural world and its intricate workings.

The LORD Answers Job from the Whirlwind

1
Then answered the Lord vnto Iob out of the whirle winde, and said,
2
Who is this that darkeneth the counsell by wordes without knowledge?
3
Girde vp nowe thy loynes like a man: I will demande of thee and declare thou vnto me.

God’s Questions on Creation and Design

4
Where wast thou when I layd the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast vnderstanding,
5
Who hath layde the measures thereof, if thou knowest, or who hath stretched the line ouer it:
6
Whereupon are the foundations thereof set: or who layed the corner stone thereof:
7
When the starres of the morning praysed me together, and all the children of God reioyced:
8
Or who hath shut vp the Sea with doores, when it yssued and came foorth as out of the wombe:
9
When I made the cloudes as a couering thereof, and darkenesse as the swadeling bands thereof:
10
When I stablished my commandement vpon it, and set barres and doores,
11
And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no farther, and here shall it stay thy proude waues.

Control Over Light, Time, and Moral Order

12
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy dayes? hast thou caused the morning to knowe his place,
13
That it might take hold of the corners of the earth, and that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14
It is turned as clay to facion, and all stand vp as a garment.
15
And from the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the hie arme shalbe broken.

Exploring the Unknowable Depths of Creation

16
Hast thou entred into the bottomes of the sea? or hast thou walked to seeke out the depth?
17
Haue the gates of death bene opened vnto thee? or hast thou seene the gates of the shadowe of death?
18
Hast thou perceiued the breadth of the earth? tell if thou knowest all this.
19
Where is the way where light dwelleth? and where is the place of darkenesse,
20
That thou shouldest receiue it in the boundes thereof, and that thou shouldest knowe the paths to the house thereof?
21
Knewest thou it, because thou wast then borne, and because the nomber of thy dayes is great?

The Treasures of Snow, Hail, and Weather

22
Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seene the treasures of ye haile,
23
Which I haue hid against the time of trouble, against the day of warre and battell?
24
By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the East winde vpon the earth?
25
Who hath deuided the spowtes for the raine? or the way for the lightning of ye thunders,
26
To cause it to raine on the earth where no man is, and in the wildernes where there is no man?
27
To fulfil the wilde and waste place, and to cause the bud of the herbe to spring forth?
28
Who is the father of the rayne? or who hath begotten the droppes of the dewe?
29
Out of whose wombe came the yee? who hath ingendred the frost of the heauen?
30
The waters are hid as with a stone: and the face of the depth is frosen.
31
Canst thou restraine the sweete influences of the Pleiades? or loose the bandes of Orion?
32
Canst thou bring foorth Mazzaroth in their time? canst thou also guide Arcturus with his sonnes?
33
Knowest thou the course of heauen, or canst thou set the rule thereof in the earth?
34
Canst thou lift vp thy voice to the cloudes that the aboundance of water may couer thee?
35
Canst thou sende the lightenings that they may walke, and say vnto thee, Loe, heere we are?

Source of Wisdom and Sustaining Providence

36
Who hath put wisedome in the reines? or who hath giuen the heart vnderstanding?
37
Who can nomber cloudes by wisedome? or who can cause to cease the bottels of heaue,
38
When the earth groweth into hardnesse, and the clottes are fast together?

Sustaining the Wild Animal Kingdom

39–41
Consolidated into verse 38 by this translation.
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