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Job 38
1599 Geneva Bible
Job 38
1599 Geneva Bible
38 1 God speaketh to Job, and declareth the weakness of man in the consideration of his creatures, by whose excellency the power, justice, and providence of the Creator is known.
1 Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the [a]whirlwind, and said,
2 Who is this that [b]darkeneth the counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man: I [c]will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
4 Where wast thou when I [d]laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest, or who hath stretched the line over it:
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof set: or who laid the cornerstone thereof:
7 When the stars of the morning [e]praised me together, and all the [f]children of God rejoiced:
8 Or who hath shut up the Sea with doors, when it issued and came forth as out of the womb:
9 When I made the clouds as a covering thereof, and darkness as the [g]swaddling bands thereof:
10 When I establisheth my commandment upon it, and set bars and doors,
11 And said, hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, and here shall it [h]stay thy proud waves.
12 Hast thou commanded the [i]morning since thy days? hast thou caused the morning to know his place?
13 That it might take hold of the corners of the earth, and that the wicked might be [j]shaken out of it?
14 It is turned as clay to fashion, [k]and all stand up as a garment.
15 And from the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the high arm shall be broken.
16 Hast thou entered into the bottoms of the sea? or hast thou walked to seek out the [l]depth?
17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? tell if thou knowest all this.
19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and where is the place of darkness,
20 That thou [m]shouldest receive it in the bounds thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?
21 Knewest thou it, because thou wast then born? and because the number of thy days is great?
22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
23 Which I have hid [n]against the time of trouble, against the day of war and battle?
24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the East wind upon the earth?
25 Who hath divided the spouts for the rain? or the way for the lightning of the thunders,
26 To cause it to rain on the earth where no man is, and in the wilderness where there is no man?
27 To fulfill the wild and waste place, and to cause the bud of the herb to spring forth?
28 Who is the father of the rain? or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? who hath engendered the frost of the heaven?
30 The waters are hid [o]as with a stone: and the face of the depth is frozen.
31 Canst thou restrain the sweet influences of [p]the Pleiades, or loose the bands of [q]Orion?
32 Canst thou bring forth [r]Mazzaroth in their time? canst thou also guide [s]Arcturus with his sons?
33 Knowest thou the course of heaven, or canst thou set the [t]rule thereof in the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that the abundance of water may cover thee?
35 Canst thou send the lightnings that they may walk, and say unto thee, Lo, here we are?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the [u]reins? or who hath given the heart understanding?
37 Who can number clouds by wisdom? or who can cause to cease the [v]bottles of heaven,
38 When the earth groweth into hardness, [w]and the clots are fast together?
Footnotes
- Job 38:1 That his words might have greater majesty, and that Job might know with whom he had to do.
- Job 38:2 Which by seeking out the secret counsel of God by man’s reason, maketh it more obscure, and showeth his own folly.
- Job 38:3 Because he had wished to dispute with God, Job 23:3, God reasoneth with him, to declare his rashness.
- Job 38:4 Seeing he could not judge of those things which were done so long before he was born, he was not able to comprehend all God’s works: much less the secret causes of his judgments.
- Job 38:7 The stars and dumb creatures are said to praise God, because his power, wisdom and goodness is manifest and known therein.
- Job 38:7 Meaning, the Angels.
- Job 38:9 As though the great sea were but as a little babe in the hands of God to turn to and fro.
- Job 38:11 That is, God’s decree and commandment, as verse 10.
- Job 38:12 To wit, to rise, since thou wast born?
- Job 38:13 Who having in the night been given to wickedness, cannot abide the light, but hide themselves.
- Job 38:14 The earth which seemed in the night to have no form, by the rising of the sun, is as it were created anew, and all things therein clad with new beauty.
- Job 38:16 If thou art not able to seek out the depth of the sea, how much less art thou able to comprehend the counsel of God?
- Job 38:20 That thou mightest appoint it highway and limits.
- Job 38:23 To punish mine enemies with them, Exod. 9:18; Josh. 10:11.
- Job 38:30 The ice covereth it, as though it were paved with stone.
- Job 38:31 Which stars arise when the sun is in Taurus, which is the springtime, and bring flowers.
- Job 38:31 Which star bringeth in winter.
- Job 38:32 Certain stars so called: some think they were the twelve signs.
- Job 38:32 The North star with those that are about him.
- Job 38:33 Canst thou cause the heavenly bodies to have any power over the earthly bodies?
- Job 38:36 In the secret parts of man.
- Job 38:37 That is, the clouds wherein the water is contained as in bottles.
- Job 38:38 For when God doth not open these bottles, the earth cometh to this inconvenience.
Job 38
New International Version
Job 38
New International Version
The Lord Speaks
38 Then the Lord spoke to Job(A) out of the storm.(B) He said:
2 “Who is this that obscures my plans(C)
with words without knowledge?(D)
3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.(E)
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?(F)
Tell me, if you understand.(G)
5 Who marked off its dimensions?(H) Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line(I) across it?
6 On what were its footings set,(J)
or who laid its cornerstone(K)—
7 while the morning stars(L) sang together(M)
and all the angels[a](N) shouted for joy?(O)
8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors(P)
when it burst forth from the womb,(Q)
9 when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,(R)
10 when I fixed limits for it(S)
and set its doors and bars in place,(T)
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;(U)
here is where your proud waves halt’?(V)
12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning,(W)
or shown the dawn its place,(X)
13 that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked(Y) out of it?(Z)
14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;(AA)
its features stand out like those of a garment.
15 The wicked are denied their light,(AB)
and their upraised arm is broken.(AC)
16 “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?(AD)
17 Have the gates of death(AE) been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?(AF)
18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?(AG)
Tell me, if you know all this.(AH)
19 “What is the way to the abode of light?
And where does darkness reside?(AI)
20 Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the paths(AJ) to their dwellings?
21 Surely you know, for you were already born!(AK)
You have lived so many years!
22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow(AL)
or seen the storehouses(AM) of the hail,(AN)
23 which I reserve for times of trouble,(AO)
for days of war and battle?(AP)
24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,(AQ)
or the place where the east winds(AR) are scattered over the earth?(AS)
25 Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
and a path for the thunderstorm,(AT)
26 to water(AU) a land where no one lives,
an uninhabited desert,(AV)
27 to satisfy a desolate wasteland
and make it sprout with grass?(AW)
28 Does the rain have a father?(AX)
Who fathers the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb comes the ice?
Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens(AY)
30 when the waters become hard as stone,
when the surface of the deep is frozen?(AZ)
31 “Can you bind the chains[b] of the Pleiades?
Can you loosen Orion’s belt?(BA)
32 Can you bring forth the constellations(BB) in their seasons[c]
or lead out the Bear[d] with its cubs?(BC)
33 Do you know the laws(BD) of the heavens?(BE)
Can you set up God’s[e] dominion over the earth?
34 “Can you raise your voice to the clouds
and cover yourself with a flood of water?(BF)
35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?(BG)
Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who gives the ibis wisdom[f](BH)
or gives the rooster understanding?[g](BI)
37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
Who can tip over the water jars(BJ) of the heavens(BK)
38 when the dust becomes hard(BL)
and the clods of earth stick together?(BM)
Footnotes
- Job 38:7 Hebrew the sons of God
- Job 38:31 Septuagint; Hebrew beauty
- Job 38:32 Or the morning star in its season
- Job 38:32 Or out Leo
- Job 38:33 Or their
- Job 38:36 That is, wisdom about the flooding of the Nile
- Job 38:36 That is, understanding of when to crow; the meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
Job 38
English Standard Version
Job 38
English Standard Version
The Lord Answers Job
38 Then the Lord (A)answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
2 “Who is this that (B)darkens counsel by words (C)without knowledge?
3 (D)Dress for action[a] like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.
4 “Where were you when I (E)laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone,
7 when the morning stars (F)sang together
and all (G)the sons of God (H)shouted for joy?
8 “Or who (I)shut in the sea with doors
when it burst out from the womb,
9 when I made clouds its garment
and (J)thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 and prescribed (K)limits for it
and set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall your (L)proud waves be stayed’?
12 “Have you (M)commanded the morning since your days began,
and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of (N)the skirts of the earth,
and the wicked be (O)shaken out of it?
14 It is changed like clay under the seal,
and its features stand out like a garment.
15 From the wicked their (P)light is withheld,
and (Q)their uplifted arm is broken.
16 “Have you (R)entered into the springs of the sea,
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have (S)the gates of death been revealed to you,
or have you seen the gates of (T)deep darkness?
18 Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
Declare, if you know all this.
19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light,
and where is the place of darkness,
20 that you may take it to its territory
and that you may discern (U)the paths to its home?
21 You know, for (V)you were born then,
and the number of your days is great!
22 “Have you entered (W)the storehouses of the snow,
or have you seen (X)the storehouses of the hail,
23 which I have reserved (Y)for the time of trouble,
(Z)for the day of battle and war?
24 What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,
or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?
25 “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain
and (AA)a way for the thunderbolt,
26 to bring rain on (AB)a land where no man is,
on (AC)the desert in which there is no man,
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate land,
and to make the ground sprout with (AD)grass?
28 “Has (AE)the rain a father,
or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb did (AF)the ice come forth,
and who has given birth to (AG)the frost of heaven?
30 The waters become hard like stone,
and the face of the deep is (AH)frozen.
31 “Can you bind the chains of (AI)the Pleiades
or loose the cords of (AJ)Orion?
32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth[b] in their season,
or can you guide (AK)the Bear with its children?
33 Do you know (AL)the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you establish their rule on the earth?
34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
that (AM)a flood of waters may cover you?
35 Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go
and say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who has (AN)put wisdom in (AO)the inward parts[c]
or given understanding to the mind?[d]
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,
38 when the dust runs into a mass
and (AP)the clods stick fast together?
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.