Job 38
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
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.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- מִיmîyH431013× in this chapter
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
- יָדַעyâdaʻH30457× in this chapter
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
- כִּיkîyH35886× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- עַלʻalH59216× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- אֶרֶץʼeretsH7766× in this chapter
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
- אוֹʼôwH1765× in this chapter
desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if
- זֶהzehH20884× in this chapter
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
- שׂוּםsûwmH77604× in this chapter
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
- דֶּרֶךְderekH18703× in this chapter
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
- אוֹרʼôwrH2163× in this chapter
illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)
- יוֹםyôwmH31173× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- יָלַדyâladH32053× in this chapter
to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage
- יָצָאyâtsâʼH33183× in this chapter
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
- אַיʼayH3353× in this chapter
where? hence how?
- לֹאlôʼH38083× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- אֵלʼêlH4133× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- אִםʼimH5183× in this chapter
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
- אָמַרʼâmarH5593× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- עַדʻadH57043× in this chapter
as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
- שָׁמַיִםshâmayimH80643× in this chapter
the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)
- בּוֹאbôwʼH9353× in this chapter
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
- בְּלִיbᵉlîyH10972× in this chapter
properly, failure, i.e. nothing or destruction; usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as long as, etc.
- בֵּןbênH11212× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- בֹּקֶרbôqerH12422× in this chapter
properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning
- דֶּלֶתdelethH18172× in this chapter
something swinging, i.e. the valve of adoor
- הָלַךְhâlakH19802× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- אוֹצָרʼôwtsârH2142× in this chapter
a depository
- חׇכְמָהchokmâhH24512× in this chapter
wisdom (in a good sense)
- יָםyâmH32202× in this chapter
a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south
- כֹּלkôlH36052× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- לְבוּשׁlᵉbûwshH38302× in this chapter
a garment (literally or figuratively); by implication (euphemistically) a wife
- מַיִםmayimH43252× in this chapter
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
- מִןminH44802× in this chapter
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
- מָקוֹםmâqôwmH47252× in this chapter
properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind)
- נָגַדnâgadH50462× in this chapter
properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praise
- עֵתʻêthH62562× in this chapter
time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.
- פֹּהpôhH63112× in this chapter
this place (French ici), i.e. here or hence
- אֶבֶןʼebenH682× in this chapter
a stone
- קוֹלqôwlH69632× in this chapter
a voice or sound
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72002× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)