The Lord Speaks

38 Then the Lord spoke to Job(A) out of the storm.(B) He said:

“Who is this that obscures my plans(C)
    with words without knowledge?(D)
Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.(E)

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?(F)
    Tell me, if you understand.(G)
Who marked off its dimensions?(H) Surely you know!
    Who stretched a measuring line(I) across it?
On what were its footings set,(J)
    or who laid its cornerstone(K)
while the morning stars(L) sang together(M)
    and all the angels[a](N) shouted for joy?(O)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 38:7 Hebrew the sons of God

12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning,(A)
    or shown the dawn its place,(B)

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17 Have the gates of death(A) been shown to you?
    Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?(B)
18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?(C)
    Tell me, if you know all this.(D)

19 “What is the way to the abode of light?
    And where does darkness reside?(E)
20 Can you take them to their places?
    Do you know the paths(F) to their dwellings?
21 Surely you know, for you were already born!(G)
    You have lived so many years!

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31 “Can you bind the chains[a] of the Pleiades?
    Can you loosen Orion’s belt?(A)
32 Can you bring forth the constellations(B) in their seasons[b]
    or lead out the Bear[c] with its cubs?(C)
33 Do you know the laws(D) of the heavens?(E)
    Can you set up God’s[d] dominion over the earth?

34 “Can you raise your voice to the clouds
    and cover yourself with a flood of water?(F)
35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?(G)
    Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?

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Footnotes

  1. Job 38:31 Septuagint; Hebrew beauty
  2. Job 38:32 Or the morning star in its season
  3. Job 38:32 Or out Leo
  4. Job 38:33 Or their

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