Job 38:12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 38:12-24

The Lord here proceeds to ask Job many puzzling questions, to convince him of his ignorance, and so to shame him for his folly in prescribing to God. If we will but try ourselves with such interrogatories as these, we shall soon be brought to own that what we know is nothing in comparison with what we know not. Job is here challenged to give an account of six things:? I. Of the springs of the morning, the day-spring from on high, Job 38:12-15. As there is no visible being of which we may be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:12

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days ;.... Job had lived to see many a morning, but it never was in his power to command one; he had been in such circumstances as to wish for morning light before it was, but was obliged to wait for it, could not hasten it, or cause it to spring before its time; see Job 7:3 ; one of the Targums is, "wast thou in the days of the first creation, and commandedst the morning to be?' he was not, God was; he was before the first morning, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 38:12

Hast thou commanded the morning - This refers to dawn or morning twilight, occasioned by the refraction of the solar rays by means of the atmosphere; so that we receive the light by degrees, which would otherwise burst at once upon our eyes, and injure, if not destroy, our sight; and by which even the body of the sun himself becomes evident several minutes before he rises above the horizon. Caused the dayspring to know his place - This seems to refer to the different points in which... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 38:1-41

The tone of the appeal is sustained at a high pitch, and the entire passage is one of extraordinary force and eloquence. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 38:4-15

Jehovah to Job: the first answer-the examination: 1. Concerning the creation. I. THE CREATION OF THE EARTH THE HANDIWORK OF GOD . 1 . An exclusively Divine work. Jehovah claims not simply to have been the Framer of the mighty fabric of the globe, but to have shared the honour of that stupendous achievement with no co-worker. Hence certainly not with Job. "Where wast thou when I established the earth?" Not taking part or even looking on, since thou wast not then in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 38:4-33

Human impotence and ignorance exposed. Job's affliction is a mystery—a mystery that needs to be revealed. Job has not given the explanation of it. He has not known it. His friends have failed. It has been attributed to his sin; but he is confident in his honest integrity, and cannot be persuaded that he is suffering punishment, for he has not a consciousness of guilt. Elihu has indicated the hidden nature of the Divine works, and has not made the mystery clearer. But he has closed the lips... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 38:12

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days? rather, by reason of ray length of days—a similar irony to that observable in Job 38:5 , Job 38:21 , etc. The third marvel of creation brought before us is the dawn, or daybreak—that standing miracle of combined utility and beauty. Has Job authority to issue his orders to the dawn, and tell it when to make its appearance? Has he caused the dayspring to know his place? Job cannot possibly pretend to any such power. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 38:12-15

Jehovah to Job: the first answer-the examination: 3. Concerning the light. I. THE LIGHT OF THE MORNING THE SERVANT OF GOD . 1 . The light of the morning is a servant to some one. It is under the commandment of a Superior. Every movement that it makes proclaims it to be under law. Modern science is even able with much precision to formulate the laws to which it renders obedience. And these operate with such unfailing regularity and such irresistible potency, that even... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 38:12

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days - That is, in thy lifetime hast thou ordered the light of the morning to shine, and directed its beams over the world? God appeals to this as one of the proofs of his majesty and power - and who can look upon the spreading light of the morning and be insensible to the force and beauty of the appeal? The transition from the ocean to the morning may have been partly because the light of the morning is one of the striking exhibitions of the power of... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Job 38:12-13

Job 38:12-13. Hast thou commanded the morning? That is, the morning light, or the sun, which is the cause of it. Didst thou create the sun, and appoint the order and succession of day and night. Since thy days Since thou wast born: this work was done long before thou wast born. And caused the day-spring to know its place To observe the punctual time when, and the point of the heavens where it should arise; which varies every day. That it might take hold of the ends of the earth That... read more

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