Jó 38

¹ Then the LORD answered Job out of theThat his words might have greater majesty, and that Job might know with whom he had to do.whirlwind, and said,

² Who [is] this thatWhich by seeking out the secret counsel of God by man's reason, makes it more obscure, and shows his own folly.darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

³ Gird up now thy loins like a man; for IBecause he wished to dispute with God, (Job_23:3), God reasons with him, to declare his rashness.will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

⁴ Where wast thou when ISeeing he could not judge those things which were done so long before he was born, he was not able to comprehend all God's works: much less the secret causes of his judgments.laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

⁵ Who hath layde the measures thereof, if thou knowest, or who hath stretched the line ouer it:

⁶ Whereupon are the foundations thereof set: or who layed the corner stone thereof:

⁷ When the morning starsThe stars and dumb creatures are said to praise God, because his power, wisdom and goodness is manifest and known in it.sang together, and all theMeaning the angels.sons of God shouted for joy?

⁸ Or who hath shut vp the Sea with doores, when it yssued and came foorth as out of the wombe:

⁹ When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness aAs though the great sea was but as a little baby in the hands of God to turn to and fro.swaddlingband for it,

¹⁰ When I stablished my commandement vpon it, and set barres and doores,

¹¹ And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves beThat is, God's decree and commandment as in (Job_38:10).stayed?

¹² Hast thou commanded theThat is, to rise, since you were born?morning since thy days; [and] caused the dayspring to know his place;

¹³ That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might beWho having in the night been given to wickedness, cannot abide the light, but hide themselves.shaken out of it?

¹⁴ It is turned as clay [to] the seal;The earth which seemed in the night to have no form by the rising of the sun, is as it were created anew, and all things in it clad with new beauty.and they stand as a garment.

¹⁵ And from the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the hie arme shalbe broken.

¹⁶ Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of theIf you are not able to seek out the depth of the sea, how much less are you able to comprehend the counsel of God?depth?

¹⁷ Haue the gates of death bene opened vnto thee? Or hast thou seene the gates of the shadowe of death?

¹⁸ Hast thou perceiued the breadth of the earth? Tell if thou knowest all this.

¹⁹ Where is the way where light dwelleth? And where is the place of darkenesse,

²⁰ That thouThat you might appoint its highways and limits.shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths [to] the house thereof?

²¹ Knewest thou it, because thou wast then borne, and because the nomber of thy dayes is great?

²² Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow? Or hast thou seene the treasures of ye haile,

²³ Which I have reservedTo punish my enemies with them, (Exo_9:18; Jos_10:11).against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

²⁴ By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the East winde vpon the earth?

²⁵ Who hath deuided the spowtes for the raine? Or the way for the lightning of ye thunders,

²⁶ To cause it to raine on the earth where no man is, and in the wildernes where there is no man?

²⁷ To fulfil the wilde and waste place, and to cause the bud of the herbe to spring forth?

²⁸ Who is the father of the rayne? Or who hath begotten the droppes of the dewe?

²⁹ Out of whose wombe came the yee? Who hath ingendred the frost of the heauen?

³⁰ The waters are hidThe ice covers it, as though it were paved with stone.as [with] a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

³¹ Canst thou bind the sweet influencesWhich rise when the sun is in Taurus, which is the spring, and brings flowers.of Pleiades, or loose the bands ofWhich comes in winter.Orion?

³² Canst thou bring forthCertain stars so called, some think they were the twelve signs.Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guideThe north star with those that are about him.Arcturus with his sons?

³³ Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set theCan you cause the heavenly bodies to have any power over the earthly bodies?dominion thereof in the earth?

³⁴ Canst thou lift vp thy voice to the cloudes that the aboundance of water may couer thee?

³⁵ Canst thou sende the lightenings that they may walke, and say vnto thee, Loe, heere we are?

³⁶ Who hath put wisdom in theIn the secret parts of man.inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

³⁷ Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay theThat is, the clouds in which the water is contained as in bottles.bottles of heaven,

³⁸ When the dust groweth into hardness,For when God does not open these bottles, the earth comes to this inconvenience.and the clods cleave fast together?

³⁹ WiltAfter he had declared God's works in the heavens, he shows his marvellous providence in earth, even toward the brute beasts.thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

⁴⁰ {cf2 (39:2)} When they couch in their places, and remaine in the couert to lye in waite?

⁴¹ Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young onesRead (Psa_147:9).cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.