Job 38:12-41

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 38:12

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:13

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth ,.... As when the morning light springs forth, it quickly does, reaching in a short time the extreme part of the hemisphere; which, and what goes before, may be applied to the light of the Gospel, and the direction of that under divine Providence in the several parts of the world, and unto the ends of it; see Psalm 19:4 ; that the wicked might be shaken out of it ? the earth, by means of the light; which may be understood either of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:14

It is turned as clay to the seal ,.... As the clay receives a different form by the impress of the seal upon it, so the earth appears in a different manner by the spring of morning light upon it; in the darkness of the night nothing of its form and beauty is to be seen; it is a mere "tohu" and "bohu", like the chaos, Genesis 1:2 ; its rising hills, and spreading dales, and beautiful landscapes, cannot be observed with pleasure; but when the light breaks forth in the morning, it is seen... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:15

And from the wicked their light is withholden ,.... Whose light is darkness, and whose day is the night, of which they are deprived when the morning light breaks forth; see Job 24:17 ; it may be figuratively understood of the light of prosperity being removed from them, or the light of life, when they shall be sent into utter darkness; and the high arm shall be broken ; their power weakened and made useless; even the power of such wicked men who have had a large share of it, and have... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:16

Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea ?.... The subterraneous passages through which the waters flow into the sea and supply it; or the springs and fountains that rise up at the bottom of it F9 According to Dr. Plot, the principal fountains have their origin, and are supplied with water through subterraneous passages from the sea. De Origine Fontium, &c.; apud Act. Erudit. Lips. A. M. 1685. p. 538. See Gen vii. 11. ; and some tell us of springs of sweet water that rise... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:17

Have the gates of death been opened unto thee ?.... Meaning not by which death has entered into the world, and which have been the causes and occasion of it; as the sin of man, the appointment of God, and various providences, calamities and diseases; but by which men enter into the state of the dead. Men know not experimentally what death is, nor in what way they shall go out of the world, nor at what time, nor in what place; they know not what the state of the dead is, there is no... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:18

Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth ?.... Which may be put for all the dimensions of it, length, breadth, diameter, and circumference, but especially it regards the surface of it, and the measurement of that; hast thou gone over the whole face of the earth and measured it, all its parts, its hills and dales, rocks and mountains, and took a survey of all the cities, towns and villages, woods, forests, fountains, rivers, &c;? no; if a man lived as long as Methuselah, and spent all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 38:19

Where is the way where light dwelleth ?.... Or the way to the place where it dwells, and what that is; and as for darkness, where is the place thereof ? where these were placed when they were first separated at the creation? where light goes and dwells, when it departs from us at sun setting? and where the darkness betakes itself, and makes its abode at sun rising? What is the chamber of the sun, and the tabernacle of it? from whence it sets out, and whither it returns? And... read more

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