Or [who] shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, [as if] it had issued out of the womb?
Or who shut up {H5526} the sea {H3220} with doors {H1817}, when it brake forth {H1518}, as if it had issued out {H3318} of the womb {H7358}?
"Who shut up the sea behind closed doors when it gushed forth from the womb,
Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,
Orwho shut up the sea with doors, When it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb;
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Genesis 1:9
¶ And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry [land] appear: and it was so. -
Proverbs 8:29
When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: -
Jeremiah 5:22
Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand [for] the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? -
Psalms 104:8
They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. -
Psalms 104:9
Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth. -
Psalms 33:7
He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. -
Job 38:10
And brake up for it my decreed [place], and set bars and doors,
Job 38:8 (KJV) is part of a profound series of rhetorical questions God poses to Job from a whirlwind, challenging Job's understanding and wisdom regarding the creation and maintenance of the universe. This particular verse highlights God's absolute control over the mighty and potentially chaotic forces of the sea.
Context
In Job chapter 38, God finally responds to Job's laments and questions. Instead of explaining Job's suffering, God confronts Job with His immeasurable power and wisdom, far beyond human comprehension. The divine interrogation begins with questions about the earth's foundations (Job 38:4), moving to the stars, light, darkness, and then, as in this verse, the vast and powerful sea. God’s questions serve to humble Job, demonstrating that if Job cannot even grasp the mechanics of creation, how can he presume to understand God's complex dealings with humanity?
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "shut up the sea with doors" uses the Hebrew word d'latayim (דלתים), meaning "doors" or "gates." This strong imagery suggests a deliberate, powerful act of containment, as if the mighty oceans were held back by physical barriers. The simile "as if it had issued out of the womb" (Hebrew: mibbeten yatza - מבטן יצא) vividly compares the sea's initial emergence to a birth, implying a natural, forceful, and perhaps initially formless outpouring, which God then precisely regulated and confined. This highlights both the sea's inherent power and God's superior power to control it.
Practical Application
Job 38:8 reminds us that the same God who controls the immense power of the oceans also oversees the details of our lives. When we face overwhelming or chaotic circumstances, this verse offers a powerful reassurance: God is sovereign. His wisdom and power are boundless, far exceeding any challenge we encounter. It calls us to humility, acknowledging our limited understanding compared to God's infinite knowledge, and encourages us to place our trust in His unfailing control, even when His ways are mysterious to us. We can rest in the knowledge that the One who set boundaries for the sea also has a plan for our lives (Proverbs 3:5-6).