Job 38:4-38 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 38:4-11

For the humbling of Job, God here shows him his ignorance even concerning the earth and the sea. Though so near, though so bulky, yet he could give no account of their origination, much less of heaven above or hell beneath, which are at such a distance, or of the several parts of matter which are so minute, and then, least of all, of the divine counsels. I. Concerning the founding of the earth. ?If he have such a mighty insight, as he pretends to have, into the counsels of God, let him give... read more

Matthew Henry

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

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 38:4

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth ?.... The earth has foundations, and such firm ones that it cannot be moved; but what are they, since it is hung in the air on nothing! No other than the power and will of God, who laid these foundations, and the Son of God, who has created and upholds all things by the word of his power, Hebrews 1:3 . Where was Job then? In a state of nothingness, a mere nonentity: he was not present when this amazing work of nature was done, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:5

Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest ?.... Did God or a creature? The Lord, no doubt. He laid them out in his divine mind, and laid them forth by his divine power; who does all things by weight and measure. He fixed the dimensions of the earth, how long, how thick, and how broad it should be; he settled the borders and boundaries of it. This Job might know that the Lord did; but he laid them, and what they are that are laid, he knew not. Mathematicians pretend to give us the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:6

Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened ?.... Or the pillars of it, as Ben Gersom interprets it; see Psalm 75:3 ; and which Aben Ezra understands of the mountains: but be they what they may, on what can they be fastened or sunk into, when the earth hangs on nothing, and there is nothing visible to support it, nothing but the mighty hand of God? or who laid the corner stone thereof ? which unites, cements, and keeps the fabric together, and is the ornament and beauty of it; but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:7

When the morning stars sang together ,.... Either all the stars in a literal sense; for though, strictly speaking, there is but one morning star, yet all may be called so, because early created in the morning of the world; and are all stars of light, shine till the morning; and it is observed by some, that the nearer the morning the brighter they shine: and these in their way sing the praises of God, and set forth the glory of his perfections, and occasion songs of praise in men; see Psalm... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:8

Or who shut up the sea with doors ,.... From the earth the transition is to the sea, according to the order of the creation; and this refers not to the state and case of the sea as at the flood, of which some interpret it, but as at its first creation; and it is throughout this account represented as an infant, and here first as in embryo, shut up in the bowels of the earth, where it was when first created with it, as an infant shut up in its mother's womb, and with the doors of it; see ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:9

When I made the cloud the garment thereof ,.... For this newborn babe, the sea; and thick darkness a swaddling band for it ; which was the case of the sea when it burst out of the bowels of the earth and covered it, for then darkness was upon the face of the deep, a dark, foggy, misty air, Genesis 1:2 ; and this was before its separation from the land, and in this order it stands in this account; though since, clouds, fogs, and mists, which rise out of the sea, are as garments to it,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:10

And brake up for it my decreed place ,.... Or, as Mr. Broughton translates it, "and brake the earth for it by my decree": made a vast chasm in the earth to hold the waters of the sea, which was provided as a sort of cradle to put this swaddled infant in; God cleaved the earth, raised the hills and sank the valleys, which became as channels to convey the waters that ran off the earth to their appointed place, which beautifully expressed in Psalm 104:7 ; and refers there, as here, to the... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 38:4-11

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

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:10

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