The departed spirits tremble
beneath the waters and all that inhabit them.(A)
Sheol(B) is naked before God,
and Abaddon(C) has no covering.(D)
He stretches the northern skies over empty space;
He hangs the earth on nothing.
He wraps up the waters in His clouds,
yet the clouds do not burst beneath their weight.(E)
He obscures the view of His throne,
spreading His cloud over it.
10 He laid out the horizon on the surface of the waters(F)
at the boundary between light and darkness.
11 The pillars that hold up the sky tremble,
astounded at His rebuke.(G)
12 By His power He stirred(H) the sea,
and by His understanding He crushed Rahab.(I)
13 By His breath the heavens gained their beauty;
His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.[a](J)
14 These are but the fringes of His ways;
how faint is the word we hear of Him!
Who can understand His mighty thunder?

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Footnotes

  1. Job 26:13 = Leviathan

Truth about God

The dead writhe,
    the inhabitants beneath the waters as well.
The grave[a] is naked before God;
    the underworld[b] lacks covering.
He stretched the North[c] over chaos,
    hung earth over nothing;
    wrapped up water in his clouds,
        yet they didn’t burst out below;
    hid the face of the full moon,[d]
        spreading his cloud over it;
10     traced a circle on the water’s surface,
        at the limit of light and darkness.
11 Heaven’s pillars shook,
    terrified by his blast.
12 By his power he stilled the Sea;
    split Rahab with his cleverness.
13 Due to his wind, heaven became clear;
    his hand split the fleeing serpent.
14 Look, these are only the outer fringe of his ways;
    we hear only a whispered word about him.
    Who can understand his thunderous power?

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Footnotes

  1. Job 26:6 Heb Sheol
  2. Job 26:6 Heb Abaddon
  3. Job 26:7 Heb Zaphon
  4. Job 26:9 Or throne; Heb uncertain