Seventh-day Adventist Bible CommentaryJob 38

The Lord. God’s answer to Job occupies four chapters (38–41), broken in the middle by a short confession on Job’s part (ch. 40:3–5). Chapters 38 and 39 are closely connected, and constitute an appeal to Job, in view of his ignorance of God’s natural creation. God is endeavoring to broaden Job’s concept of the Deity. These two chapters may be subdivided as follows: The creation of the world (ch. 38:4–7); the sea (vs. 8–11); the dawn (vs. 12–15); other earthly phenomena such as the secrets of the sea, light and darkness, snow, hail, floods, rain, lightning, thunder, ice, dew, frost (vs. 16–30); the stars and the clouds (vs. 31–38); the animal world (ch. 38:39 to 39:30). Answered Job. God does not vindicate Job at once. His divine purpose is not to settle an argument, but to reveal Himself. Neither does He explain to Job the reason for his suffering. A clear understanding of God is superior in importance to an unfolding of all the reasons for divine providence. God does not explain why the wicked prosper or why the righteous suffer. He says nothing about the future world, or future compensation for present inequalities. God simply reveals Himself—His goodness, His power, His wisdom—and He intends that this revelation shall answer Job’s problems. God’s reply acquaints Job not merely with facts but with God. This approach was so effective that Job’s response was, “Now mine eye seeth thee” (ch. 42:5). When Job saw God, his perplexities disappeared. Only God could provide this kind of solution for his problems. There is a profundity about God’s way of answering Job’s questions that challenges the deepest thought.

Ellen G. White

Who is this? It is not clear whether God is referring to Job or to Elihu. In favor of interpreting the statement as referring to Elihu are the following: (1) It seems inconsistent for God to say in this instance that Job had darkened counsel by “words without knowledge” and then in ch. 42:7 for Him to say that the friends had not spoken right “as my servant Job hath.” (2) Elihu spoke immediately before God appeared, and it would not be inconsistent that God should wave aside his arguments, along with those of the other friends, before addressing Job. In favor of considering the statement as referring to Job are the following: (1) The speech is directed to Job (see chs. 38:1; 40:1, 6; 42:7). (2) Job appears to apply the comment to himself (ch. 42:3).

Gird up. God is now addressing Job. Job wanted to question God, but God takes the initiative and announces to him that he is about to be questioned (see chs. 9:32–35; 13:3, 18–22; 23:4–7; 31:35). To “gird up the loins” is a phrase that alludes to the ancient mode of dress. The loose, flowing robe that was commonly worn was fastened with a girdle when men ran or labored or engaged in conflict. The idea here is, “make thyself as strong and vigorous as possible. Be prepared to put forth the highest effort.”

Foundations. The figure of the earth having foundations is frequently employed (see Ps. 102:25; 104:5; Prov. 8:29; Isa. 48:13; 51:13, 16; Zech. 12:1; Heb. 1:10). Declare. These expressions have the effect of showing Job how limited his knowledge really was.

If thou knowest. Or, “for thou knowest.” The purpose of the statement is obviously to help Job to readjust his thinking. Stretched the line. A figure taken from the erection of a building. A Divine Architect laid out the plan of the earth.

Fastened. Literally, “sunk.” A figure referring to the sinking, or settling down, of a foundation stone until it becomes solid. God asks Job upon what the world rests. The figure must not be pressed into literality.

Morning stars. Here apparently synonymous with “sons of God.” For the identity of the “sons of God” see on ch. 1:6. Shouted for joy. Three times the angels are said to “shout for joy,” at creation, redemption, and the re-creation of the earth (see 6T 456: PP 65; 8T 42). 8 Sea. From the earth God transfers Job’s attention to the sea as the second great wonder of creation (see Gen. 1:9, 10; Ex. 20:11; Ps. 104:24, 25). Issued out. God compares the creation of the sea to the birth of an infant. The verse calls attention to two evidences of God’s power—first, the creation of the sea, and second, the limiting of the sea within its borders.

Cloud. The infant sea, just born, is represented as clothed with a cloud and swaddled in thick darkness.

Brake up. The LXX here reads, “I set bounds to it.”

Hitherto. The beautiful poetic structure of these lines possesses a special appeal for those who love the sea.

Ellen G. White

Morning. From the sea, God turns to the sunrise. The daybreak is a constantly recurring miracle, and Job is asked whether he exercises any control over it. Dayspring. That is, “dawn.”

Shaken out of it. The idea seems to be that the dawn seizes hold of the earth, and shakes the wicked out of it. This vivid figure refers to the fact that the wicked hate light (see ch. 24:16, 17). When sunrise comes, they disappear.

Turned. Or, “transforms itself.” As clay. As the seal changes the clay from a dull, shapeless lump to a figured surface, so the coming of the dawn changes the earth from an indistinct mass to an object having form and color. As a garment. Sunrise causes the earth to take on form and color, like the richly embroidered pattern on a garment. The hills, trees, flowers, houses, and fields become prominent and beautiful, whereas during the night the earth seemed desolate and uninteresting.

Their light is withholden. Daylight brings no joy to the wicked. Darkness within causes them to seek escape from light without. Detection and punishment fall upon them when daylight breaks. High arm. The arm raised to commit some violent act is “broken” by the coming of light. Lawless activity is checked.

Springs of the sea. Job is asked whether he has been where the sea has its source.

Depth. The unexplored caverns at the bottom of the sea are unknown and unexplored by Job.

Gates of death. See Ps. 107:18; cf. Isa. 38:10; Rev. 20:14.

Breadth of the earth. Job’s world was small. He had probably traveled within the radius of only a few miles. When God asked him whether he comprehended the expanse of the earth, the thought must have been overwhelming to him.

Where light dwelleth. Job is challenged to explain the phenomena of light and darkness.

To the house thereof. Light and darkness are personified and conceived of as residing in dwellings. When night falls light returns to its abode, and darkness walks forth. In the morning, darkness goes to its abode and light walks forth.

Knowest thou? The LXX connects this verse with the preceding thus: “If thou couldest bring me to their utmost boundaries, and if also thou knowest their paths; I know then that thou wert born at that time, and the number of thy years is great.” The Hebrew of v. 21 is ambiguous and may be translated either as a question or as an affirmative statement as follows: “Thou knowest, because thou wast born then; and the number of thy days is great.” Since the affirmative statement represents such an extreme form of irony, it is probably better to retain the interrogative form or adopt the idea suggested by the LXX. Compare the ironical question of Eliphaz (ch. 15:7).

Snow. Such natural phenomena as snow and hail were mysteries to man for many ages, but they were not mysteries to God.

Reserved. Hail is reckoned throughout the Scriptures as an instrument of divine judgment (see Ex. 9:18–29; Joshua 10:11; Ps. 18:12, 13; 78:47, 48; 105:32; Isa. 30:30; Eze. 13:11, 13; Rev. 11:19; 16:21).

By what way? Many of God’s questions go back to the basic question of origins. Job’s philosophic problem was that he did not understand the source of his trouble.

Divided a watercourse. Or, “cleft a channel.” The channels that carried off the overflow from violent rains had not been plowed by man and his beasts of burden. Way for the lightning. No man can chart the course of a thunderbolt.

Where no man is. God’s providence does not stop with supplying the wants of men, but has tender regard for animal life as well.

Canst thou? God turns the attention of Job from the created wonders of earth to the splendors of the heavens. Pointing to several brilliant, familiar constellations, God inquires whether Job thinks himself able to guide them in their courses across the sky. Pleiades. Heb. kimah, perhaps a designation for the Pleiades, from the Arabic root kum, meaning “group,” or “herd.” In Amos 5:8 kimah is translated “seven stars” and is again mentioned together with Orion, an adjacent constellation in the winter sky. From the most ancient times men have regarded the Pleiades, a brilliant star cluster in the constellation Taurus (the Bull), the most beautiful and fascinating display in the sky. Tennyson described them as a swarm of fireflies caught in a silver braid. Even through small telescopes the scintillating beauty of this cluster strikes the observer with the same sense of awe and wonder that comes over one who gazes into the vast depths of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River. The word translated “sweet influences,” Heb. ma‘adannoth, seems to mean “bonds,” or “fetters.” The RSV translation, “chains,” would thus render the thought of the original

more closely. Perhaps ma‘adannoth refers to the forces of gravity that hold the individual members of the cluster together in their flight through space. It is known that these stars compose a closely associated physical group and pursue parallel courses. Some have suggested that ma‘adannoth refers to the conspicuous nebulosity in which the Pleiades are immersed. This nebulous material, illuminated by the stars immersed in it as if it were gas in a neon tube, is clearly visible even with a low-powered telescope, and on a photographic plate makes the Pleiades an object of beauty unequaled in the heavens. However, appealing as this explanation is, it should be remembered that Job could not see the nebulosity. It is therefore more probable that God would direct Job’s attention to something he could see, and that ma‘adannoth refers to the “chains” of gravity that hold the members of this exquisite cluster together in their journey through space. Orion. This identification is considered certain. But what is meant by the “bands,” or “cords,” of Orion is not clear. Some have suggested that the word translated “bands” designates the three stars popularly known as the “belt” of Orion. Though apparently close together in the sky, these stars are not members of a cluster like the Pleiades. Actually, they are traveling in different directions at great velocity. This suggestion would be in harmony with the obvious contrast of the text between the “binding” of the Pleiades and the “loosing” of Orion.

Mazzaroth. Not knowing what the word thus rendered means, the translators simply transliterated it into English. The margin offers the translation “the twelve signs [of the Zodiac].” These 12 “signs,” or constellation—Aries (Ram), Taurus (Bull), Gemini (Twins), Cancer (Crab), Leo (Lion), Virgo (Virgin), Libra (Balance), Scorpio (Scorpion), Sagittarius (Archer), Capricornus (Goat), Aquarius (Water Bearer), and Pisces (Fishes)— belt the celestial equator and thus mark the path through which the sun appears to travel in its circuit of the starry heavens during the course of a year. Because mazzaroth is from a root meaning “to shine,” or “to be bright,” Lange translates it, “the bright stars.” Arcturus. Generally thought to refer to the constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear, rather than to Arcturus, though neither identification is positive. If Arcturus is here designated, “his sons” would be the seven stars of the Big Dipper, which form part of the neighboring constellation Ursa Major. The word Arcturus is from two Greek words, arktos, “bear,” and ouros, “guard.” Being the brightest star in the constellation Bötes, Arcturus is sometimes pictured as a hunter, or “bear driver,” who, with his hunting dogs (the nearby constellation Canes Venatici) on leash, appears to be chasing the Great Bear around and around the northern heavens. Those who favor the rendering “Arcturus” point to the remarkably great “proper motion” of this star, that is, to its apparent motion in relation to neighboring stars, as making it appropriate to the words of Job 38:32. If, on the other hand, reference is to the constellation Ursa Major, “his sons” would be the various stars of that group. It has been pointed out that the stars forming the Big Dipper, while appearing relatively close together in the sky, are actually not members of a true cluster, but are rushing apart in different directions at tremendous speeds.

Inward parts. This text is perfectly plain as it reads, but the difficulty of accounting for a sudden transition from clouds and celestial phenomena in vs. 34, 35 to man and then back to clouds in v. 37 has led many to attempt to discover other meanings

for the Hebrew words translated “inward parts” and “heart.” The RSV renders them “clouds” and “mists.” These definitions are only conjectural.

Clouds. The clouds, like the sands of the seashore, are beyond statistical computation. Stay the bottles. Literally, “cause the bottles to lie,” that is, tip them so that the contents run out.

Groweth into hardness. This verse completes the thought of the previous figure. When the ground is hard and baked, who can persuade the clouds to pour water upon it?

Lion. The picture changes again. Logically, ch. 39, which is a discussion of the animal kingdom, should begin at this point. God is asking Job whether he could succeed were he given the responsibility of feeding a family of lions. Divinely implanted instincts lead the animals to do what it would be difficult or impossible for man to do.