Job 26:7-9 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 26:5-14

Job now turns from controversy to the realities of the case, and begins with a full acknowledgment of God's greatness, might, and inscrutableness. As Bildad seemed to have supposed that he needed enlightenment on these points ( Job 26:2-4 ), Job may have thought it right to make once more a plain profession of his belief (comp. Job 9:4-18 ; Job 12:9-25 , etc.). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 26:6-14

The Divine ways but partially revealed. Bildad had given Job no comfort. And Job at first (verses 1-3) retorts upon him a reproof for his unhelpful words. He then bursts into an impressive representation of the wonderful works of God to whom Bildad had referred. The works of God in the heavens, the earth, and the deep sea are great and manifold; so are his works amongst the creatures of his power, of whom the serpent alone is mentioned. But the hidden hand of God Job confesses, and the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 26:7

He streteheth out the north over the empty place . Over what was "empty space" or "chaos" ( תּהוּ ) God stretches out "the north"—a portion of his orderly creation—perhaps the northern portion of the heavens, where are the grandest constellations visible to the inhabitants of the world's northern half. And hangeth the earth upon nothing . "Takes," i.e; "the huge ball of the earth, and suspends it in vacancy, with nothing to support it but his own fixed will, his own firm laws."... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 26:8

He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds ; i.e. he makes the clouds, that we see floating in the atmosphere, contain and hold the waters on which the productiveness of the earth depends, and which he restrains, or allows to fall in fertilizing rain, at his pleasure. And the cloud is not rent under them . The metaphor is, no doubt, drawn from those water-skins, so well known in the East, and especially in Arabia, in which men stored the water for their journeys and other needs, which... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 26:8

Clouds. As we proceed through the poem we cannot but be struck with the wonderful wealth of its nature-imagery, which continues to open out with ever-increasing luxuriance till it reaches its fulness in the burst of splendour that accompanies the final theophany. Each aspect of nature touched by the poet has its special lessons. Now he calls us to look at the gorgeous pageantry of the clouds. Here truths of Divine order and government are displayed before our eyes. I. CLOUDS ARE OF ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 26:9

He holdeth back the face of his throne ; rather, he covereth up. He makes the clouds to gather in the vault of heaven, above which is his throne, and in this way conceals it and covers it up. And spreadeth his cloud upon it; or, over it, so blotting it out from sight. Behind the more obvious meaning lies one which is deeper and more spiritual. God withdraws himself from sight, gathers clouds and darkness around him to be the habitation of his seat, hides from men the principles of his... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 26:7

He stretcheth out the north - This whole passage is particularly interesting as giving a view of the cosmology which prevailed in those early times. Indeed, as has been already remarked, this poem, apart from every other consideration, is of great value for disclosing to us the prevailing views on the subject of astronomy, geography, and many of the arts, at a much earlier period than we have an account of them elsewhere. The word north here denotes the heavens as they appear to revolve around... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 26:8

He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds - That is, he seems to do it, or to collect the waters in the clouds, as in bottles or vessels. The clouds appear to hold the waters, as if bound up, until he is pleased to send them drop by drop upon the earth.And the cloud is not rent under them - The wonder which Job here expresses is, that so large a quantity of water as is poured down from the clouds, should be held suspended in the air without seeming to rend the cloud, and falling all at once.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 26:9

He holdeth back the face of his throne - That is, he does not exhibit it - he covers it with clouds. The idea seems to be, that God sometimes comes forth and manifests himself to mankind, but that he comes encompassed with clouds, so that his throne cannot be seen. So in Psalms 18:11, “He made darkness his secret place, his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.” God is often represented as encompassed with clouds, or as accompanied with tempests.And spreadeth... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Job 26:7

Job 26:7. He stretcheth out the north The northern part of the heavens, which he particularly mentions, and puts for the whole visible heavens, because Job and his friends lived in a northern climate; over the empty space Hebrew, על תהו , gnal tohu, over the vacuity, or emptiness; the same word which Moses uses, Genesis 1:2, which does not prove that the author of this book lived after Moses wrote the book of Genesis, and had seen that book, but only that Moses’s account of the creation... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 26:5-14

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 26:6-14

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 26:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 26:8

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 26:8

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 26:9

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 26:7

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 26:8

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 26:9

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Job 26:7

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