Job 38

Job · Chapter 38

Job 38:4

1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,2Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?3Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.4Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.5Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?6Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?8Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?9When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,10And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,11And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?12Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?14It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.15And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.16Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?17Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?18Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.19Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,20That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?21Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?22Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,23Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?24By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?25Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;26To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;27To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?28Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?29Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?30The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.31Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?32Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?33Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?34Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?35Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?36Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?37Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,38When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?39Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,40When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?41Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
4Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
where?אֵיפֹ֣ה'ei-FOHH0375
where?

אֵיפֹה (e.phoh) 1) where? 2) what kind?

were youהָ֭יִיתָHA-yi-taH1961
to be

הָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) …

when founded Iבְּיָסְדִי־be-ya-se-di-H3245
to found

יָסַד (ya.sad) 1) to found, fix, establish, lay foundation 1a) (Qal) to found, establish, begin 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to fix or seat themselves close together, sit in conclave 1b2) to be founded 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to found 1c2) to establish, appoint, ordain 1d) (Pual) to be founded, be laid 1e) (Hophal) to be founded

[the] earthאָ֑רֶץ'A-retzH0776G
land: country/planet

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) : country/field 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth …

tellהַ֝גֵּ֗דha-GEDH5046
to tell

נָגַד (na.gad) 1) to be conspicuous, tell, make known 1a) (Hiphil) to tell, declare 1a1) to tell, announce, report 1a2) to declare, make known, expound 1a3) to inform of 1a4) to publish, declare, proclaim 1a5) to avow, acknowledge, confess 1a5a) messenger (participle) 1b) (Hophal) to be told, be announced, be reported

ifאִם־'im-H0518A
if

אִם (im) : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather

you knowיָדַ֥עְתָּya-DA'-taH3045
to know

יָדַע (ya.da) 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) …

understandingבִינָֽה׃vi-NAHH0998
understanding

בִּינָה (bi.nah) 1) understanding, discernment 1a) act 1b) faculty 1c) object 1d) personified Aramaic equivalent: bi.nah (בִּינָה "understanding" H0999)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.