Job 38:34 — Word Study
WLCהֲתָרִ֣ים לָעָ֣ב קוֹלֶ֑ךָ וְֽשִׁפְעַת־ מַ֥יִם תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃
BSACan you commandrûwm▸ [lift up, exalt] the cloudsʻâb [dark clouds, thicket] so that a floodshiphʻâh [resulting in, leading to, abundance, multitude] of watermayim [liquid, source of refreshment] covers youkâçâh▸ [to cover, fill up]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הֲתָרִ֣ים | ¿ will you lift up | Particle, verb hiphil imperfect second person masculine singular |
| לָעָ֣ב | to the cloud[s] | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| קוֹלֶ֑ךָ | voice your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וְֽשִׁפְעַת־ | and an abundance of | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct |
| מַ֥יִם | water | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃ | will you cover? yourself | Verb piel imperfect third person feminine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Can you command the clouds so that a flood of water covers you? |
| KJV | Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? |
| ASV | Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover thee? |
| YLT | Dost thou lift up to the cloud thy voice, And abundance of water doth cover thee? |
| WEB | “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you? |
| BBE | Is your voice sent up to the cloud, so that you may be covered by the weight of waters? |
Where they part company is שִׁפְעָה — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause with a subordinate phrase that describes the outcome of the action.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 38:34
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Questions to Jobgenerated
Job 38:34 is part of a series of questions from God to Job, challenging him to consider the power and authority of God over creation. In this context, God asks Job if he can command the clouds to produce a flood, illustrating the vast difference between divine capability and human limitation. This passage reflects the broader themes of the book of Job, where Job grapples with suffering and the nature of God's justice.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Samuel 12:18 | So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. |
| 2 | Amos 5:8 | He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth— the LORD is His name— |
| 3 | Zechariah 10:1 | Ask the LORD for rain in springtime; the LORD makes the storm clouds, and He will give everyone showers of rain and crops in the field. |
| 4 | James 5:18 | Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth yielded its crops. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שִׁפְעָה, ve.shif.'at-generated
The noun שִׁפְעָה (shiph'ah) means abundance or multitude. It is used to describe a large quantity of something, often in the context of blessings or provisions. The parsing indicates it is a feminine noun in the construct state, suggesting a relationship to something that is plentiful.
This word conveys the idea of overflowing or copiousness, emphasizing the richness of what God can provide. In this verse, it describes the flood of water that could cover Job, highlighting the power of God to create abundance.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the meaning of שִׁפְעָה as 'abundance' or 'multitude', with the BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all reflecting this idea.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in this verse is הֲתָרִ֣ים, will you lift up, which governs the entire sentence. The structure includes a prepositional phrase that specifies the object of the action, followed by a noun phrase that describes the resulting state of covering with water.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the action of lifting up, followed by the conditions of the clouds and the resulting abundance of water.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew שִׁפְעָה is rendered as τρόμῳ, which suggests a focus on the overwhelming nature of the abundance. This choice indicates a broader interpretation of the term, emphasizing not just quantity but also the impact of that abundance.
The Greek translation reflects a similar understanding of the power of God to command nature, aligning with the original Hebrew intent.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 38:34 asks if Job can command the clouds to cover him with a flood of water. This question highlights God's power over nature and Job's human limitations. It reminds us of the vast difference between God's capabilities and our own.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
God is illustrating His own power and authority over creation, showing that Job, as a human, cannot control natural phenomena.
The abundance signifies God's ability to provide and overwhelm, contrasting human limitations with divine capabilities.
It emphasizes the theme of God's sovereignty and the mystery of His ways, reminding Job of his position in relation to God.
We learn that God is powerful and in control of all creation, capable of commanding nature in ways that humans cannot.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to recognize God's authority and power?
- How can I respond to the challenges I face with the understanding of God's sovereignty?
- What does it mean for me to trust in God's provision and abundance?
- How can I better appreciate the natural world as a reflection of God's power?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like John Chrysostom and Gregory the Dialogist reflect on God's questions to Job, emphasizing the divine authority and the human need for refuge in God.
Up to this point God divides the heavenly realities in terms of those through which he punishes us, as distinguished from those through which he benefits us. Notice how the lightnings answer.Early Church Fathers on Job 38 →
1. Blessed Job is asked by God, Who questions him, whether he has done such things as man is surely unable to do; in order that, when he discovers that he cannot do them, he may fly for refuge to Him,Early Church Fathers on Job 38 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 38:34 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleCanst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?] Thy gardens, fields, and farms; canst thou, in a magisterial way, call to and demand of the clouds to let down
Read John Gill on Job 38 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryCanst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou at will command the clouds to send down abundance of rain?
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 38 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleCanst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds; either thundering in them, or calling to them with a loud voice, commanding them to rain? May cover thee, i.e. thy land, when it needs and requires rain.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 38 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 38:34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?Ver. 34. Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds?] Thy commanding voice, as Numbers 9:23. Some render it, Thy thunder. Will the clouds obey thee, and rain upon thee at thy pleasure? Something thou mayest get by thy prayers, as Elias did, James 5:17, and the thundering legion in the ecclesiastical history, but nothing by command or compulsion. The monarch of Mexico is a mad man to take an oath at his coronation, that it shall be what weather soever he pleaseth all the time of his reign (Lopez de Gomara).
Read John Trapp on Job 38 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 34. Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds] Canst thou produce lightning and thunder, that water may be formed, and poured down upon the earth? Thunder is called קלות koloth, voices; for it is considered the voice of God: here then Job's voice, קולך kolecha, is opposed to the voice of JEHOVAH!
Read AdamClarke on Job 38 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4–38. A survey of the inanimate creation, the wonders of earth and sky—the earth, Job 38:4-18; the heavens, Job 38:18-38
Read Cambridge on Job 38 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleCanst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? - That is, canst thou command the clouds so that they shall send down abundant rain?
Read Albert Barnes on Job 38 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bibleγ. Maybe Job can legislate for the firmament by wielding the thunder, draw down and empty the cloud, or by a word give life to the lightnings, that they may fulfil his behests, Job 38:34-35.34.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 38 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Can you command the clouds so that a flood of water covers you?
“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?
Can you command the clouds so that a flood of water covers you?
Can you raise your voice to the clouds so that a flood of water covers you?
Tyndale line
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover thee?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
Canst thou lift thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
Canst thou lift vp thy voice to the cloudes that the aboundance of water may couer thee?
Strictly literal
Dost thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that floods of waters may cover thee?
Dost thou lift up to the cloud thy voice, And abundance of water doth cover thee?
Do you lift up your voice to the cloud, || And abundance of water covers you?
Canst thou lift up to the clouds thy voice, that the abundance of waters may cover thee?
Can you raise your voice up to the clouds, so that an abundance of rainwater may cover you?
From the Latin
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that an abundance of waters may cover thee?
Simplified
Can you shout to the clouds and command them to pour rain down on you?
Is your voice sent up to the cloud, so that you may be covered by the weight of waters?
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of Job 38:34, with all six words matched. This consistency suggests a shared understanding of the verse's meaning across these ancient texts.
הֲתָרִ֣ים לָעָ֣ב קוֹלֶ֑ךָ וְֽשִׁפְעַת־ מַ֥יִם תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 38:34
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
רוּם (ruwm) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be high or exalted, covering a range of actions such as rising, lifting, and promoting. It can refer to physical elevation, like raising an ark or setting up a throne, as well as figurative exaltation, particularly in relation to God. The word also has a related form, רָמַם (ramam), which means to be wormy.
רוּם vb. be high, exalted, rise
Qal
be high, lit. rock (in fig.)
esp. of י׳
be raised, uplifted
be lifted, rise, of ark
Pō‛lēl
raise, rear, children
cause tree to grow
lift up
exalt, extol, acc. י׳
Pō‛lal be lift up
Hiph.
raise, rear, c. acc., hand
raise poor
lift up voice
(take into one's hand and) lift, take up, stone
set up, erect, stone
set on high, throne
lift up, exalt, c. acc. pers.
lift up and take away, remove
lift off and present, contribute, offer
Hoph. be taken off from; be abolished
Hithpō‛l. and he shall exalt and magnify himself above, etc.; I will raise myself
base
[רָמַם] vb. denom. be wormy;—Ex 16:20
ref
H7311a רוּם be high, exalted, rise .. . be high, lit. rock (in fig.)
. esp. of י׳
. be raised, uplifted
. be lifted, rise, of ark
.. . raise, rear, children
. cause tree to grow
. lift up
. exalt, extol, acc. י׳
.be lift up
. . . . raise, rear, c. acc., hand
. raise poor
. lift up voice
. (take into one's hand and) lift, take up, stone
. set up, erect, stone
. set on high, throne
. lift up, exalt, c. acc. pers.
. lift up and take away, remove
. lift off and present, contribute, offer
. be taken off from; be abolished
. and he shall exalt and magnify himself above, etc.; I will raise myself
H7311b רָמַם vb. denom. be wormy
7311 ruwm room
a primitive root; to be high actively, to rise or raise (in
various applications, literally or figuratively):--bring up,
exalt (self), extol, give, go up, haughty, heave (up), (be,
lift up on, make on, set up on, too) high(-er, one), hold up,
levy, lift(-er) up, (be) lofty, (X a-)loud, mount up, offer
(up), + presumptuously, (be) promote(-ion), proud, set up,
tall(-er), take (away, off, up), breed worms.
רוּם (rum) — to exalt.
1) to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be high, be set on high
1a2) to be raised, be uplifted, be exalted
1a3) to be lifted, rise
1b) (Polel)
1b1) to raise or rear (children), cause to grow up
1b2) to lift up, raise, exalt
1b3) to exalt, extol
1c) (Polal) to be lifted up
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to raise, lift, lift up, take up, set up, erect, exalt, set on high
1d2) to lift up (and take away), remove
1d3) to lift off and present, contribute, offer, contribute
1e) (Hophal) to be taken off, be abolished
1f) (Hithpolel) to exalt oneself, magnify oneself
Aramaic equivalent: rum (רוּם "to rise" H7313)
רָמַם (ra.mam) — be rotten.
(Qal) to be rotten, be wormy
Part | V-Hiphil-Imperf-2ms — Particle · verb hiphil imperfect second person masculine singularHTi/Vhi2ms
עָב (‘ab) refers to a dark cloud or cloud mass, and can also mean a thicket. The word is derived from a root meaning to envelop or cover, suggesting density or darkness. It appears in contexts related to clouds and thick vegetation, as noted in 2 Chronicles 4:17.
עָב 53 n.m. dark cloud, cloud-mass, thicket
base
H5645 עָב dark cloud, cloud-mass, thicket
5645 `ab awb
(masculine and feminine); from 5743; properly, an envelope,
i.e. darkness (or density, 2 Chron. 4:17); specifically, a
(scud) cloud; also a copse:--clay, (thick) cloud, X thick,
thicket. Compare 5672.
see HEBREW for 05743
see HEBREW for 05672
עָב (av) — cloud.
1) darkness, cloud, thicket
1a) dark cloud
1b) cloud mass
1c) thicket (as refuge)
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
קוֹל (qol) primarily means 'voice' or 'sound,' encompassing various contexts such as music, noise, and even thunder. It can also denote lightness or frivolity. The word is built from a root meaning to call aloud and appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament, including a reference in Jeremiah 3:9.
ref
H6963a קוֹל sound, voice H6963b קֹל lightness, frivolity
6963 qowl kole
or qol {kole}; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a
voice or sound:--+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out),
fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-)claim,
proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, +
yell.
קוֹל (qol) — voice.
: voice/shout/loud
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קֹל (qol) — frivolity.
lightness, frivolity
קוֹל (qol) — voice: sound.
: sound/noise
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קוֹל (qol) — voice: thunder.
: thunder
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קוֹל (qol) — voice: message.
: message/proclaim
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קוֹל (qol) — voice: [sound of].
: [sound_of](THING)
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קוֹל (qol) — voice: listen.
: listen
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
HNcmsc/Sp2ms — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
שִׁפְעָה (shiph'ah) refers to abundance, quantity, or multitude. It is a feminine noun derived from a related term, indicating a sense of copiousness. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to plentifulness without significant disagreement among lexicons.
[שִׁפְעָה], שִׁפְעַת n.f. abundance, quantity
base
H8229 [שִׁפְעָה] שִׁפְעַת abundance, quantity
8229 shiph`ah shif-aw'
feminine of 8228; copiousness:--abundance, company,
multitude.
see HEBREW for 08228
שִׁפְעָה (shiph.ah) — abundance.
abundance, quantity, multitude
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular constructHC/Ncfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 mayim mah'-yim
dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+
piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
wo'-ter (mayim; hudor):
(1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creation (Ge 1:2) water plays an elemental part.
(2) Because of the scarcity of water in Palestine it is especially appreciated by the people there. They love to go and sit by a stream of running water. Men long for a taste of the water of their native village (1Ch 11:17). A town or village is known throughout the country for the quality of its water, which is described by many adjectives, such as "light," "heavy," etc.
(3) The rainfall is the only source of supply of water for Palestine. The moisture is carried up from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow.…
See CISTERN and WELLS.
In Isa 35:7, the Hebrew word for "parched ground" that shall become a pool of water, is the same with the Arabic term for the mirage, a peculiar optical illusion by which travelers in hot and dry deserts think they see broad lakes and flowing waters; they seem to discern the very ripple of the waves, and the swaying of tail trees on the margin in the cool breeze; green hills and houses and city ramparts rise before the astonished sight, recede as the traveler advances, and at length melt away in the hot haze. Not so the blessings of the gospel; they are no alluring mockery, but real waters of everlasting life, Isa 55:1 Joh 4:14 Re 22:1. Compare
→ Creation of Ps 148:4,5
→ Covered the whole earth Ge 1:9
→ Daily allowance of Eze 4:11
→ City waterworks 2Ki 20:20
→ Vision of, by Ezekiel Eze 47:1-5
→ Of separation Nu 19:2-22
The Hebrew word כָּסָה (*kacah*) primarily means to cover or conceal. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to clothe, hide, or overwhelm. The entries describe various forms of the verb, such as being covered or covering oneself, and its use in contexts like protection or sin. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[כָּסָה] vb. cover
Qal
conceal
pass. (cstr.) covered in respect of sin (by God, which he thus puts out of sight)
Niph. covered
Pi.
cover, clothe
cover, conceal blood
cover (with covering of protection)
cover, spread over
cover, overwhelm
cover over
Pual.
be covered
be clothed
Hithp. cover, clothe oneself
base
H3680 כָּסָה cover .. conceal
. pass. (cstr.) covered in respect of sin (by God, which he thus puts out of sight)
. covered
. . cover, clothe
. cover, conceal blood
. cover (with covering of protection)
. cover, spread over
. cover, overwhelm
. cover over
. . be covered
. be clothed
. cover, clothe oneself
3680 kacah kaw-saw'
a primitive root; properly, to plump, i.e. fill up hollows;
by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy):--clad
self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide,
overwhelm. Compare 3780.
see HEBREW for 03780
כָּסָה (ka.sah) — to cover.
1) to cover, conceal, hide
1a) (Qal) conceal, covered (participle)
1b) (Niphal) to be covered
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to cover, clothe
1c2) to cover, conceal
1c3) to cover (for protection)
1c4) to cover over, spread over
1c5) to cover, overwhelm
1d) (Pual)
1d1) to be covered
1d2) to be clothed
1e) (Hithpael) to cover oneself, clothe oneself
V-Piel-Imperf-3fs | Suff — Verb piel imperfect third person feminine singular · suffixHVpi3fs/Sp2ms