Job 38:30

The waters are hid as [with] a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

The waters {H4325} are hid {H2244} as with a stone {H68}, and the face {H6440} of the deep {H8415} is frozen {H3920}.

when water becomes as hard as stone, and the surface of the deep freezes solid?

when the waters become hard as stone and the surface of the deep is frozen?

The waters hide themselvesand becomelike stone, And the face of the deep is frozen.

Commentary

Job 38:30 is part of God's profound challenge to Job, delivered from a whirlwind. In this majestic discourse, God systematically questions Job's understanding of the natural world, asserting His own unparalleled wisdom and omnipotence over creation.

Context

This verse comes towards the end of God's initial series of questions to Job (Job 38-39), where He highlights His complete control over phenomena that are beyond human comprehension or manipulation. After discussing light, darkness, the sea, and the clouds, God turns to the powerful and transformative nature of cold. He asks Job if he knows the "treasures of the snow" or "the hailstones" (Job 38:22), leading into the description of frozen waters in this verse. The aim is to demonstrate that if Job cannot even grasp the mechanics of natural weather, how can he question the ways of the Almighty?

Key Themes

  • God's Absolute Sovereignty: The verse powerfully illustrates God's complete dominion over nature. He is not merely an observer but the active agent who can transform vast bodies of water into solid ice.
  • The Mystery of Creation: For ancient peoples, and even for us today, the process of water solidifying into stone-like ice was a profound mystery, highlighting the unfathomable wisdom of the Creator.
  • Divine Power: The imagery of "waters hid as with a stone" and "the face of the deep is frozen" speaks to an immense, unchallengeable power that can bring immobility and hardness to the most fluid elements. This power is exclusively God's.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "hid as [with] a stone" (Hebrew: ืึถื‘ึถืŸ, 'even, "stone") emphasizes the incredible solidity and immobility that water takes on when frozen. It's not just cold, but hardened and concealed like something encased in rock. The "face of the deep" (ืชึฐึผื”ื•ึนื, tehom) refers to the vast, primordial waters, suggesting not just small puddles but immense bodies of water, further magnifying the scale of God's power to freeze them solid. This vivid imagery conveys total transformation and control.

Practical Application

Job 38:30 serves as a powerful reminder of our human limitations and God's boundless power. In a world where we often strive for control, this verse calls us to humility and awe before the Creator. It encourages us to trust in a God who governs even the most extreme and seemingly chaotic natural forces. Just as He controls the freezing deep, He is sovereign over all circumstances in our lives, offering a foundation for faith in His wisdom and plan, even when we don't understand them. Psalm 147:16-18 also speaks to God's mastery over ice and frost, echoing this theme of divine control over the elements.

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Cross-References

  • Job 37:10 (4 votes)

    By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.