Chapter Overview
Summary
Job 38 is THE TURNING-POINT of the entire book — God-finally-speaks from-the-whirlwind. The first divine-speech (chapters 38–39) is a-cosmological-tour: God-asks-Job-questions about the foundation of the earth (vv. 4–7), the sea (vv. 8–11), the dawn (vv. 12–15), the depths and gates of death (vv. 16–18), and the celestial-bodies (vv. 19–38), then the wild-animals (chapter 39). Verse 7's 'when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy' is one of the OT's most-magnificent creation-images.
Notable Variants
38:1 'the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind' divine-theophany; 38:7 'morning stars sang … sons of God shouted for joy' angelic-creation-witness; 38:31 'can you bind the chains of the Pleiades?' constellation-questioning.
Structural Notes
MT Job 38 = LXX Job 38. 41 verses. THE TURNING-POINT — first divine-speech.
Then YHWH answered Job from the whirlwind and said:
'Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said' tracks MT. WHIRLWIND-THEOPHANY. Ezekiel 1:4 (whirlwind-vision), 2 Kings 2:11 (Elijah taken-up in whirlwind), Nahum 1:3 ('his way is in whirlwind') share the storm-theophany tradition. Acts 2:2 (Pentecost 'sound like a mighty rushing wind') Christologically extends.
Who is this who darkens counsel with words empty of knowledge?
'Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?' tracks MT. WHO-IS-THIS — God's-first-question. Confronts Job's-self-darkening-counsel.
Brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me.
'Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me' tracks MT. GIRD-UP-LIKE-A-MAN. Reverses the courtroom — God-questions, Job-must-answer.
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you possess understanding.
'Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding' tracks MT. WHERE-WERE-YOU-AT-CREATION. Cosmological-questioning. Romans 11:34 ('who has known the mind of the Lord?') extends.
Who fixed its measurements — surely you know! Or who stretched the measuring line across it?
'Who determined its measurements — surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?' tracks MT.
On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone —
'On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone' tracks MT. CORNERSTONE — Christological-resonance. 1 Pet 2:6, Eph 2:20's Christ-as-cornerstone Christologically extends.
while the morning stars sang in chorus and every divine being shouted with joy?
'When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?' tracks MT. MORNING-STARS-SANG / SONS-OF-GOD-SHOUTED. Angelic-witness-of-creation. Hebrews 12:22's 'innumerable angels in festal gathering' Christologically extends. Revelation 5:11–12's myriad-angelic-praise scene shares vocabulary.
Who shut the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb?
'Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb' tracks MT. SEA-FROM-WOMB — chaos-water-as-newborn imagery.
When I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling cloth?
'When I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band' tracks MT.
I broke upon it my limit, and set bars and doors in place,
'And prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors' tracks MT. SEA-BARRED — divine-restraint of-chaos. Genesis 1:6–10 echoed.
and said, 'This far you may come, but no farther. Here your proud waves must stop.'
'And said: Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed?' tracks MT. THUS-FAR-AND-NO-FARTHER. Mark 4:39 (Jesus rebukes the sea: 'Peace! Be still!') Christologically extends — Christ enacts the divine-prerogative.
Have you ever in your life commanded the morning? Have you shown the dawn its place?
'Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place' tracks MT.
so that it seizes the edges of the earth and shakes the wicked out of it?
'That it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?' tracks MT.
The earth transforms like clay under a seal; its features stand out like folds in a garment.
'It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment' tracks MT.
From the wicked their light is withheld, and the upraised arm is broken.
'From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken' tracks MT.
Have you gone to the springs of the sea? Have you walked the floor of the deep?
'Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?' tracks MT.
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
'Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?' tracks MT. GATES-OF-DEATH. Matthew 16:18's 'gates of hell shall not prevail' Christologically extends. Revelation 1:18 ('I have the keys of Death and Hades') Christologically-answers.
Have you grasped the full breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all of it.
'Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this' tracks MT.
Where is the path to where light dwells? And darkness — where is its place?
'Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness' tracks MT.
Can you escort it to its territory? Do you know the paths to its home?
'That you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home?' tracks MT.
Surely you know — for you were already born then, and the number of your days is so great!
'You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!' tracks MT. SARCASTIC-AFFIRMATION — God's-irony directed at-Job.
Have you entered the storehouses of snow? Have you seen the storehouses of hail,
'Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail' tracks MT.
which I have stored for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?
'Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?' tracks MT. SNOW-AND-HAIL-AS-WAR-RESERVES — divinely-stored weapons.
By what path is lightning distributed? How is the east wind scattered across the earth?
'What is the way to the place where the light is distributed, or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?' tracks MT.
Who cut a channel for the torrents of rain, or a path for the thunderbolt,
'Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain and a way for the thunderbolt' tracks MT.
to bring rain on a land where no one lives, on a wilderness with no human in it,
'To bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man' tracks MT. RAIN-WHERE-NO-MAN — divine-care for non-human creation.
to satisfy the desolate wasteland and make the grass spring up?
'To satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground sprout with grass?' tracks MT.
Does the rain have a father? Who fathered the drops of dew?
'Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew?' tracks MT.
From whose womb did the ice come forth? Who gave birth to the frost of heaven?
'From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the frost of heaven?' tracks MT.
The waters harden like stone, and the surface of the deep locks tight.
'The waters become hard like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen' tracks MT.
Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades? Can you loosen the cords of Orion?
'Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion?' tracks MT. PLEIADES-AND-ORION — constellation-binding question. // Job 9:9, Amos 5:8.
Can you bring out the constellations in their season? Can you guide the Great Bear with her cubs?
'Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children?' tracks MT. MAZZAROTH — possibly the zodiac or constellation-procession. THE BEAR — Ursa Major / Minor.
Do you know the laws of heaven? Can you establish its authority over the earth?
'Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the earth?' tracks MT.
Can you raise your voice to the clouds so that a flood of water covers you?
'Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of waters may cover you?' tracks MT.
Can you send out lightning bolts so they go and say to you, 'Here we are'?
'Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go and say to you: Here we are?' tracks MT.
Who put wisdom in the hidden depths? Or who gave the rooster understanding?
'Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind?' tracks MT.
Who can count the clouds by wisdom? Who can tip the water-skins of heaven,
'Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens' tracks MT.
when the dust hardens into a mass and the clods stick together?
'When the dust runs into a mass and the clods stick fast together?' tracks MT.
Can you hunt prey for the lioness? Can you fill the appetite of her young,
'Can you hunt the prey for the lion or satisfy the appetite of the young lions' tracks MT. ANIMAL-PROVISIONS questioning begins (continues into chapter 39).
when they crouch in their dens, when they lie in ambush in the thicket?
'When they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in their thicket?' tracks MT.
Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?
'Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and wander about for lack of food?' tracks MT. PROVIDES-FOR-RAVEN. Luke 12:24 ('consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap … yet God feeds them') directly-extends.