Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.
Hast thou perceived {H995} the breadth {H7338} of the earth {H776}? declare {H5046} if thou knowest {H3045} it all.
Have you surveyed the full extent of the earth? Say so, if you know it all!
Have you surveyed the extent of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.
Hast thou comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if thou knowest it all.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.
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Jeremiah 31:37
Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD. -
Psalms 89:11
The heavens [are] thine, the earth also [is] thine: [as for] the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. -
Psalms 89:12
The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. -
Revelation 20:9
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. -
Job 28:24
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, [and] seeth under the whole heaven; -
Psalms 74:17
Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter. -
Isaiah 40:28
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, [that] the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? [there is] no searching of his understanding.
Context
Job 38:18 is part of God's profound discourse to Job, delivered from a whirlwind, beginning in Job 38:1. After chapters of Job's lamentations and his friends' theological debates, God finally speaks, not to explain Job's suffering directly, but to showcase His own infinite wisdom, power, and sovereign control over all creation. This verse, like many others in God's speech, employs a rhetorical question to highlight the immense gap between God's comprehensive knowledge and Job's (and humanity's) limited understanding. God challenges Job's ability to comprehend even the physical world, setting the stage for Job's ultimate acknowledgement of God's unquestionable authority and Job's profound humility.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The KJV phrase "Hast thou perceived" translates the Hebrew word yada'ta (ידעת), which means "to know" or "to understand." This isn't merely about seeing, but about having a deep, comprehensive, and experiential knowledge. God challenges Job to claim such intimate understanding of the "breadth of the earth" (rochav aretz), which refers to its vast expanse, its dimensions, and perhaps all its hidden details. The concluding rhetorical question, "declare if thou knowest it all," underscores the absolute impossibility of any human possessing such complete knowledge, emphasizing God's unique unsearchable wisdom and knowledge.
Practical Application
Job 38:18 serves as a timeless reminder of our finite nature and God's infinite wisdom. In a world where we often seek to understand and control everything, this verse encourages profound humility and trust in God's sovereign plan. When we face circumstances that seem incomprehensible or injustices we cannot explain, this passage invites us to remember that the One who created and sustains the immense "breadth of the earth" surely knows and controls all things. It challenges us to surrender our limited understanding and rest in the perfect wisdom of our Creator, whose thoughts and ways are infinitely higher than our own. It also prompts us to marvel at the intricate beauty and vastness of creation, seeing it as a constant testimony to our awe-inspiring God.