Job 38
Job 38 is part of “The LORD Speaks: Creation's Wonders” (38:1–40:2) in the outline of Job.
Job 38 summary
In most disputes the strife is who shall have the last word. Job's friends had, in this controversy, tamely yielded it to Job, and then he to Elihu. But, after all the wranglings of the counsel at bar, the judge upon the bench must have the last word; so God had here, and so he will have in every controversy, for every man's judgment proceeds from him and by his definitive sentence every man must stand or fall and every cause be won or lost. Job had often appealed to God, and had talked boldly how he would order his cause before him, and as a prince would he go near unto him; but, when God took the throne, Job had nothing to say in his own…
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In most disputes the strife is who shall have the last word. Job's friends had, in this controversy, tamely yielded it to Job, and then he to Elihu. But, after all the wranglings of the counsel at bar, the judge upon the bench must have the last word; so God had here, and so he will have in every controversy, for every man's judgment proceeds from him and by his definitive sentence every man must stand or fall and every cause be won or lost. Job had often appealed to God, and had talked boldly how he would order his cause before him, and as a prince would he go near unto him; but, when God took the throne, Job had nothing to say in his own defence, but was silent before him. It is not so easy a matter as some think it to contest with the Almighty. Job's friends had sometimes appealed to God too: "O that God would speak!" Job 11:7. And now, at length, God does speak, when Job, by Elihu's clear and close arguings was mollified a little, and mortified, and so prepared to hear what God had to say. It is the office of ministers to prepare the way of the Lord. That which the great God designs in this discourse is to humble Job, and bring him to repent of, and to recant, his passionate indecent expressions concerning God's providential dealings with him; and this he does by calling upon Job to compare God's eternity with his own time, God's omniscience with his own ignorance, and God's omnipotence with his own impotency. I. He begins with an awakening challenge and demand in general (Job 38:2, Job 38:3). II. He proceeds in divers particular instances and proofs of Job's utter inability to contend with God, because of his ignorance and weakness: for, 1. He knew nothing of the founding of the earth (Job 38:4-7). 2. Nothing of the limiting of the sea (Job 38:8-11). 3. Nothing of the morning light (Job 38:12-15). 4. Nothing of the dark recesses of the sea and earth (Job 38:16-21). 5. Nothing of the springs in the clouds (Job 38:22-27), nor the secret counsels by which they are directed. 6. He could do nothing towards the production of the rain, or frost, or lightning (Job 38:28-30, Job 38:34, Job 38:35, Job 38:37, Job 38:38), nothing towards the directing of the stars and their influences (Job 38:31-33), nothing towards the making of his own soul (Job 38:36). And lastly, he could not provide for the lions and the ravens (Job 38:39-41). If, in these ordinary works of nature, Job was puzzled, how durst he pretend to dive into the counsels of God's government and to judge of them? In this (as bishop Patrick observes) God takes up the argument begun by Elihu (who came nearest to the truth) and prosecutes it in inimitable words, excelling his, and all other men's, in the loftiness of the style, as much as thunder does a whisper.
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Key verses in Job 38
Job 38 (GNV)
Geneva Bible 1599 (public domain)
The Lord Answers Job: Where Were You?
1Then answered the Lord vnto Iob out of the whirle winde, and said, 2Who is this that darkeneth the counsell by wordes without knowledge? 3Girde vp nowe thy loynes like a man: I will demande of thee and declare thou vnto me. 4Where wast thou when I layd the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast vnderstanding, 5Who hath layde the measures thereof, if thou knowest, or who hath stretched the line ouer it: 6Whereupon are the foundations thereof set: or who layed the corner stone thereof: 7When the starres of the morning praysed me together, and all the children of God reioyced: 8Or who hath shut vp the Sea with doores, when it yssued and came foorth as out of the wombe: 9When I made the cloudes as a couering thereof, and darkenesse as the swadeling bands thereof: 10When I stablished my commandement vpon it, and set barres and doores, 11And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no farther, and here shall it stay thy proude waues. 12Hast thou commanded the morning since thy dayes? hast thou caused the morning to knowe his place, 13That it might take hold of the corners of the earth, and that the wicked might be shaken out of it? 14It is turned as clay to facion, and all stand vp as a garment. 15And from the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the hie arme shalbe broken. 16Hast thou entred into the bottomes of the sea? or hast thou walked to seeke out the depth? 17Haue the gates of death bene opened vnto thee? or hast thou seene the gates of the shadowe of death? 18Hast thou perceiued the breadth of the earth? tell if thou knowest all this. 19Where is the way where light dwelleth? and where is the place of darkenesse, 20That thou shouldest receiue it in the boundes thereof, and that thou shouldest knowe the paths to the house thereof? 21Knewest thou it, because thou wast then borne, and because the nomber of thy dayes is great? 22Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seene the treasures of ye haile, 23Which I haue hid against the time of trouble, against the day of warre and battell? 24By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the East winde vpon the earth?
God Questions Job About Nature
25Who hath deuided the spowtes for the raine? or the way for the lightning of ye thunders, 26To cause it to raine on the earth where no man is, and in the wildernes where there is no man? 27To fulfil the wilde and waste place, and to cause the bud of the herbe to spring forth? 28Who is the father of the rayne? or who hath begotten the droppes of the dewe? 29Out of whose wombe came the yee? who hath ingendred the frost of the heauen? 30The waters are hid as with a stone: and the face of the depth is frosen. 31Canst thou restraine the sweete influences of the Pleiades? or loose the bandes of Orion? 32Canst thou bring foorth Mazzaroth in their time? canst thou also guide Arcturus with his sonnes? 33Knowest thou the course of heauen, or canst thou set the rule thereof in the earth? 34Canst thou lift vp thy voice to the cloudes that the aboundance of water may couer thee? 35Canst thou sende the lightenings that they may walke, and say vnto thee, Loe, heere we are? 36Who hath put wisedome in the reines? or who hath giuen the heart vnderstanding? 37Who can nomber cloudes by wisedome? or who can cause to cease the bottels of heaue, 38When the earth groweth into hardnesse, and the clottes are fast together?