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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 38:25-41

Hitherto God had put such questions to Job as were proper to convince him of his ignorance and short-sightedness. Now he comes, in the same manner, to show his impotency and weakness. As it is but little that he knows, and therefore he ought not to arraign the divine counsels, so it is but little that he can do, and therefore he ought not to oppose the proceedings of Providence. Let him consider what great things God does, and try whether he can do the like, or whether he thinks himself an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:37

Who can number the clouds in wisdom ?.... Or has such wisdom as to be able to count them when the heavens are full of them; hence they are used to denote a great multitude, Isaiah 55:8 ; or "declare" them F20 יספר "enarrabit", V. L. "vel explicabit", Mercerus, Schmidt. , set forth and explain the nature of them, their matter, motion, and use; none can do this perfectly or completely. Aben Ezra interprets it, who can make them as sapphire? in which he is followed by Mr. Broughton... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:38

When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together? When the dust is attenuated, and ground, as it were, into powder; and the clods cleave together, as if glued, as in a drought for want of rain: or the bottles of heaven being unstopped and poured out; or "sprinkling the dust with this sprinkling,' as Mr. Broughton. Or rather, pouring on the dust with pouring; that is, pouring down rain, by unstopping the bottles of heaven. The dust, as meal, by water poured into it,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:39

Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion ?.... From meteors the Lord passes to animals, beasts, and birds, wherefore some here begin the thirty ninth chapter, which only treats of such; and he begins with the lion, the strongest among beasts, and most fierce; cruel, and voracious; and asks, who hunts his prey for him? Not man, who cannot; and if he could, durst not: but the Lord does; and, according to some writers F24 Thevenot's Travels, part 2. c. 13. , he has provided a small creature,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:40

When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait? Which some understand of old lions, who, for want of strength, lie couchant in their dens, or in some covert place, waiting for any prey that passes by, to seize upon it. But the same pasture and places are used by younger lions, as well as old ones; who are emblems of wicked men, cruel persecutors, and bloodthirsty tyrants, who fill their palaces and kingdoms with murder and rapine; see Psalm 10:8 , Nahum 2:11 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:41

Who provideth for the raven his food ?.... Not man, but God; he feeds the ravens, creatures very voracious, mean, and useless, Luke 12:24 ; when his young ones cry unto God ; cry for want of food; which is interpreted by the Lord as a cry unto him, and he relieves them, Psalm 147:9 ; when deserted by the old ones; either left in their nests through forgetfulness, as some F26 Plin. apud Servium in Virgil. Georgic. l. 1. p. 189. ; or because they are not, till fledged, black like... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 38:37

Who can number the clouds - Perhaps the word ספר saphar , which is commonly rendered to number, may here mean, as in Arabic, to irradiate, as Mr. Good contends; and may refer to those celestial and inimitable tinges which we sometimes behold in the sky. Bottles of heaven - The clouds: it is an allusion to the girbahs, or bottles made of skin, in which they are accustomed to carry their water from wells and tanks. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 38:38

When the dust groweth into hardness - That is, Who knows how the dust - the elementary particles of matter, were concreted; and how the clods - the several parts of the earth, continue to cohere? What is the principle of cohesion among the different particles of matter, in all metals and minerals? Even water, in a solid form, constitutes a part of several gems, called thence water of crystallization. Who can solve this question? How is it that 90 parts of alumine, 7 of silex, and 1.2 of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 38:39

Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? - Rather the lioness, or strong lion. Hast thou his instinct? Dost thou know the habits and haunts of such animals as he seeks for his food? Thou hast neither his strength, his instinct nor his cunning. In the best Hebrew Bibles, the thirty-ninth chapter begins with this verse, and begins properly, as a new subject now commences, relating to the natural history of the earth, or the animal kingdom; as the preceding chapter does to astronomy and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 38:40

When they couch in their dens - Before they are capable of trusting themselves abroad. Abide in the covert - Before they are able to hunt down the prey by running. It is a fact that the young lions, before they have acquired sufficient strength and swiftness, lie under cover, in order to surprise those animals which they have not fleetness enough to overtake in the forest; and from this circumstance the כפירים kephirim , "young lions, or lions' whelps," have their name: the root is ... read more

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