New King James Version
Job 38:34
34“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That an abundance of water may cover you?
Job 38:34 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
- New International Version (NIV)“Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of waters may cover you?
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Can you shout to the clouds and make it rain?
Context of Job 38:34
32Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs? 33Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth? “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That an abundance of water may cover you? 35Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, And say to you, ‘Here we are!’? 36Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart?
Read all of Job 38Job 38:34 word by word
הֲתָרִ֣ים לָעָ֣ב קוֹלֶ֑ךָ וְֽשִׁפְעַת־מַ֥יִם תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 38:34
- 1 Samuel 12:18So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.
- Amos 5:8He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning And makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the face of the earth; The Lord is His name.
- Zechariah 10:1Ask the Lord for rain In the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone.
- James 5:18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
Commentaries on Job 38:34
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34Canst 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 the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 34Canst 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? Bouillier supposes that there is an allusion here to the incantations which were pretended to be practiced by the Magi, by which they claimed the power of producing rain at pleasure; compare Jeremiah 14:22, “Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles (the idols that they worship)…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-41Verses 25-41 Hitherto God had put questions to Job to show him his ignorance; now God shows his weakness. As it is but little that he knows, he ought not to arraign the Divine counsels; it is but little he can do, therefore he ought not to oppose the ways of Providence. See the all-sufficiency of the Divine Providence; it has wherewithal to satisfy the desire of every living thing. And he that takes care of the young ravens, certainly will not be wanting…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-41God challenges Job. Job admits he cannot judge the moral world. God shows Job's ignorance of the natural world's elements related to the realm of heaven, weather, animals, and birds (38:4–21; 22–38; 39–39:30).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-3819-38. The marvels in heaven. "What is the way (to the place wherein) light dwelleth?" The origin of light and darkness. In Ge 1:3-5, 14-18, "light" is created distinct from, and previous to, light-emitting bodies, the luminaries of heaven.Read the comment
Topics related to Job 38:34
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries