Job 38:1

Job 38:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
• New Living Translation (NLT)Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:

Context of Job 38:1

Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: 2“Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? 3Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.

Job 38:1 word by word

וַיַּֽעַן־יְהוָ֣ה אֶת־אִ֭יּוֹב מִ֥ן׀ הַסְּעָרָ֗ה וַיֹּאמַֽר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• Jobאִיּוֹב'îyôb · JobH347
• out of the whirlwindסְעָרָהsa‛ar se‛ârâh · tempestH5591
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559

Cross-references for Job 38:1

• Job 37:1“At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place.
• Exodus 19:16On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.
• Deuteronomy 4:11You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.
• Deuteronomy 5:22These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.
• 1 Kings 19:11The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
• 2 Kings 2:1When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
• Ezekiel 1:4I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,
• Nahum 1:3The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.

Commentaries on Job 38:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind - It is not סופה suphah, as in the preceding chapter, Job 37:9; but סורה searah, which signifies something turbulent, tumultuous, or violently agitated; and here may signify what we call a tempest, and was intended to fill Job's mind with solemnity, and an awful sense of the majesty of God. The Chaldee has, a whirlwind of grief, making the whole rather allegorical than real; impressing the scene on Job's…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Then the Lord answered Job - This speech is addressed particularly to Job, not only because he is the principal personage referred to in the book, but particularly because he had indulged in language of murmuring and complaint. God designed to bring him to a proper state of mind before he appeared openly for his vindication. It is the purpose of God, in his dealings with his people, “to bring them to a proper state of mind” before he appears as their…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1God calls upon Job to answer. (1-3) God questions Job. (4-11) Concerning the light and darkness. (12-24) Concerning other mighty works. (25-41) Verses 1-3 Job had silenced, but had not convinced his friends. Elihu had silenced Job, but had not brought him to admit his guilt before God. It pleased the Lord to interpose. The Lord, in this discourse, humbles Job, and brings him to repent of his passionate expressions concerning God's providential dealings…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Then the LORD answered Job: In this last part, the LORD challenges Job's strong self-defense by showing his works. This reminds Job of God's supreme greatness.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-41Job 38:1-41. 1. Jehovah appears unexpectedly in a whirlwind (already gathering Job 37:1, 2), the symbol of "judgment" (Psa 50:3, 4, &c.), to which Job had challenged Him. He asks him now to get himself ready for the contest. Can he explain the phenomena of God's natural government? How can he, then, hope to understand the principles of His moral government? God thus confirms Elihu's sentiment, that submission to, not reasonings on, God's ways is man's…Read the comment

Topics related to Job 38:1

• Blessing
• God
• Whirlwind

In the dictionaries

• Job
• Bar
• Consume
• Covert
• Dark
• Hitherto
• Loose
• Reserve
• Satisfy
• Spring

Commentaries on Job 38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings