Job 38

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] answered [responded, sang out] Job [the patriarch, a righteous man] out of the whirlwind [a strong storm, tempest] and said [spoke, declared]: word study 2 “Who [this person, the one speaking] is this who obscures [darkens, hides] My counsel [plan, purpose, advice] by words [speech, utterances] without [lacking, devoid of] knowledge [understanding, wisdom]? word study 3 Now brace [prepare, gird] yourself like a man [strong individual]; I will question [demand, ask] you, and you shall inform [answer, declare unto] Me [as your Lord, in reverence]. word study 4 Where [in what location, at what point] were you when I laid [founded, established] the foundations [the base, the starting point] of the earth [the land, the material world]? Tell [declare, make known] Me, if [on the condition that, provided that] you have [possess, understand] understanding [discernment, wisdom]. word study 5 Who [the one responsible] fixed its measurements [the size and dimensions, standards of size]? Surely you know [are aware, have understanding]! Or who [the one with authority] stretched [extended, spread out] a measuring line [cord, rule] across it [upon, over, above]? word study 6 On what [its base, foundation] were its foundations [pillars, sockets] set, or who [what person, which being] laid its cornerstone [corner stone, angle-stone], word study 7 while the morning [break of day, dawn] stars [celestial bodies, princes] sang [praising, shouting for joy] together [in unity, as one] and all [every single one, the entire group] the sons [descendants, children] of God [Elohim, the supreme Being] shouted [cried out, made a joyful noise] for joy [rejoicing, triumphant praise]? word study 8 Who enclosed [shut up, laid down boundaries] the sea [a large body of water] behind doors [gates, valves] when it burst forth [came out, gushed] from the womb [the place of birth, the matrix], word study 9 when I made the clouds [its robe, a covering] its garment [clothing, wrapper] and thick darkness [a swaddling band, deep gloom] its blanket [swaddling band, wrapping], word study 10 when I fixed [set in place, stablished] its boundaries [my decreed place, limits] and set [appointed, marked out] in place its bars [bolts, fortresses] and doors [gates, entrances], word study 11 and I declared [said, commanded]: ‘You may come [approach, draw near] this far [till here, to this point], but no [not, none] farther [beyond this]; here [at this point, in this place] your proud [exalted, majestic] waves [surging waters, billows] must stop’? word study 12 In your days [since your birth, from your earliest moments], have you commanded [given orders to, appointed] the morning [dawn, break of day] or assigned [caused to know] the dawn [time of new light] its place [location, position], word study 13 that it might spread [take hold, grasp] to the ends [corners, extremities] of the earth [land, territory] and shake [tremble, be shaken out] the wicked [morally wrong, guilty] out of it [from the land, from its borders]? word study 14 The earth [as clay, like wet earth] takes shape [is changed, turned] like clay [a dry measure, heap of material] under a seal [signet, signature ring]; its hills [features, high points] stand out [are presented, station themselves] like [as, similar to] the folds [creases, layers] of a garment [clothing, robe]. word study 15 Light [natural and spiritual illumination, happiness] is withheld [taken away, kept back] from the wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin], and their upraised [exalted, lifted up in pride] arm [the arm as stretched out; strength, might, power] is broken [shattered, ruptured]. word study 16 Have you journeyed [traveled, come into] to the vents [springs, sources] of the sea [a large body of water] or walked [gone, traveled] in the trenches [recesses, lowest parts] of the deep [the abyss, the subterranean water supply, tehom]? word study 17 Have the gates [doors, entrances] of death [the state of being dead, eternal separation] been revealed [opened, uncovered] to you? Have you seen [looked upon, perceived] the gates [doors, portals] of the shadow [darkness, gloom] of death [the place of eternal darkness, the abyss]? word study 18 Have you [comprehended, perceived] surveyed the extent [breadth, width] of the earth [land, territory]? Tell [declare, inform] Me, if [whether, if indeed] you know [have understanding, are aware] all [everything, the whole] this. word study 19 Where [in what direction or location] is the way [path or journey] to the home [dwelling place or abode] of light [natural illumination, spiritual enlightenment, or divine presence]? Do you know [are you aware or have understanding] where darkness [absence of light, spiritual gloom, or evil] resides [dwells or has its being], word study 20 so you can lead [take, guide] it back to its [appointed, designated] border [boundary, limit]? Do you know [understand, discern] the paths [roads, ways] to its [dwelling, resting] home [house, abode]? word study 21 Surely you know [are aware, have understanding], for you were already born [brought into existence, came to birth]! And the number [quantity, multitude] of your days [time, lifetime] is great [many, abundant]! word study 22 Have you entered [come into, approached] the storehouses [treasuries, secret places] of snow [frozen crystals] or observed [seen, looked upon] the storehouses [treasuries, repositories] of hail [a sign of God’s judgment], word study 23 which [that I have set apart] I hold [withhold, spare, preserve] in reserve for times [seasons, occasions] of trouble [distress, affliction, narrow circumstances], for the day [a specific period, a time of crisis] of war [battle, conflict] and battle [war, fighting, hostile encounter]? word study 24 In which direction [where, by what way] is the lightning [light, natural or divine illumination] dispersed [scattered, parted], or the east [direction, wind from the east] wind [air in motion, breath of God] scattered [dispersed, spread out] over the earth [land, ground, terrestrial sphere]? word study 25 Who [the one responsible, by whom] cuts a channel [divides, clears a path] for the flood [overflowing of waters, downpour] or clears a path [way, road] for the thunderbolt [lightning, flash of lightning], word study 26 to bring rain [to cause it to rain, to send rain] on a barren land [a land where no man is, uninhabited], on a desert [wilderness, open field] where no man [no human, no person] lives [dwells, resides], word study 27 to satisfy [fill to the full, meet the needs of] the parched [desolate, barren] wasteland [desert, ravaged land] and make it sprout [cause to grow, bring forth] with tender [new, young] grass [green vegetation, new growth]? word study 28 Does the rain [water from the sky] have a father [a progenitor, one who gives life]? Who [what being, which one] has begotten [given birth to, brought into existence] the drops [small particles, reservoirs] of dew [moisture, overnight mist]? word study 29 From whose [whose body] womb does the ice [frost, frozen water] emerge? Who gives birth [begets, brings forth] to the frost [hoary frost, cold mist] from heaven [the sky, the heavens above], word study 30 when the waters [liquid, source of refreshment] become hard [frozen, rock-like] as stone [a rock, weight, or precious gem] and the surface [face] of the deep [abyss, subterranean water supply] is frozen [captured, seized]? word study 31 Can you bind [tie together, restrain] the chains [sweet influences, bonds] of the Pleiades [a cluster of seven stars] or loosen [release, open] the belt [cord, band] of Orion [a constellation]? word study 32 Can you bring forth [lead out, guide] the constellations [Mazzaroth, the zodiac] in their seasons [at the right time, in their appointed order] or lead out [guide, direct] the Bear [Arcturus, Ursa Major] and her cubs [sons, offspring]? word study 33 Do you know [have knowledge of, understand] the laws [ordinances, statutes] of the heavens [the visible universe, sky]? Can you set [establish, appoint] their dominion [rule, authority] over the earth [land, territory]? word study 34 Can you [lift up, exalt] command the clouds [dark clouds, thicket] so that [resulting in, leading to] a flood [abundance, multitude] of water [liquid, source of refreshment] covers [to cover, fill up] you? word study 35 Can you [cause to depart, send forth] send the lightning bolts [flashes of lightning, thunder-flames] on their way [to walk, to go]? Do they [lightnings, flashes] report to you [saying, declaring], ‘Here we are’? word study 36 Who [the questioner] has put [to set, appointed] wisdom [skill, prudence, or good judgment] in the heart [inward parts, the seat of emotions and thoughts] or [as an alternative] given [to give, put, or set] understanding [discernment, wisdom, or knowledge] to the mind [the heart, the center of thinking and decision]? word study 37 Who [the one with understanding] has the wisdom [skill, prudence, or good judgment] to count [number, declare the order of] the clouds [thin vapors in the sky]? Or who can tilt [pour out, cause to lie down] the water jars [bags, skin-bottles] of the heavens [the visible universe, the abode of God] word study 38 when the dust [dry earth, clay, or mortar] hardens [becomes hard as metal, is baked] into a mass [a large amount, a casting] and the clods [lumps of dirt or clay] of earth stick [cleave, cling] together [fast, firmly]? word study 39 Can you hunt [hunt and provision] the prey [food, torn flesh] for a lioness [fierce, powerful] or satisfy [fill, complete] the hunger [appetite, desire] of young lions [village, lion cubs] word study 40 when they crouch [bow down, stretch out] in their dens [habitations, dwelling places] and lie in wait [abide, remain] in the thicket [covert, brushwood, booth]? word study 41 Who [prepares] provides food [meat, provisions, wild game] for the raven [a dark-colored bird] when its young [youth, children] cry out [cry unto, shout for help] to God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] as they wander about [go astray, without direction] for lack [without, nothing] of food [nourishment, sustenance]? word study