Job 38:4

2 “Who^a is this who darkens counsel
By ^bwords without knowledge?

3 ^aNow¹ prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

4 “Where^a were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.

5 Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know!
Or who stretched the¹ line upon it?

6 To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,

7 When the morning stars sang together,
And all ^athe sons of God shouted for joy?

8 “Or^a who shut in the sea with doors,
When it burst forth and issued from the womb;

9 When I made the clouds its garment,
And thick darkness its swaddling band;

10 When ^aI fixed My limit for it,
And set bars and doors;

11 When I said,
‘This far you may come, but no farther,
And here your proud waves ^amust stop!’

12 “Have you ^acommanded the morning since your days began,
And caused the dawn to know its place,

13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
And ^athe wicked be shaken out of it?

14 It takes on form like clay under a seal,
And stands out like a garment.

15 From the wicked their ^alight is withheld,
And ^bthe upraised arm is broken.

16 “Have you ^aentered the springs of the sea?
Or have you walked in search of the depths?

17 Have ^athe gates of death been revealed to you?
Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?

18 Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.

19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light?
And darkness, where is its place,

20 That you may take it to its territory,
That you may know the paths to its home?

21 Do you know it, because you were born then,
Or because the number of your days is great?

22 “Have you entered ^athe treasury of snow,
Or have you seen the treasury of hail,

23 ^aWhich I have reserved for the time of trouble,
For the day of battle and war?

24 By what way is light¹ diffused,
Or the east wind scattered over the earth?

25 “Who ^ahas divided a channel for the overflowing water,
Or a path for the thunderbolt,

26 To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one,
A wilderness in which there is no man;

27 ^aTo satisfy the desolate waste,
And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?

28 ^aHas the rain a father?
Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

29 From whose womb comes the ice?
And the ^afrost of heaven, who gives it birth?

30 The waters harden like stone,
And the surface of the deep is ^afrozen.

31 “Can you bind the cluster of the ^aPleiades,
Or loose the belt of Orion?

32 Can you bring out¹ Mazzaroth in its season?
Or can you guide¹ the Great Bear with its cubs?

33 Do you know ^athe ordinances of the heavens?
Can you set their dominion over the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
That an abundance of water may cover you?

35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go,
And say to you, ‘Here we are!’?

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

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Job 38:5 >>

What Does Job 38:4 Mean?

When God laid the foundations of the earth, the angels—called morning stars and sons of God—shouted with joy at its original perfection and beauty. Our Creator accomplishes all things in an organized manner, completing His works in exquisite splendor. Yet the earth had somehow become formless and chaotic, requiring God to refashion it before man could be created. Just as angels rejoiced at creation, both God and angels are thrilled when a sinner repents of his worldly ways. Prayer for forgiveness brings about joyous repentance and the restoration of righteousness in a person's life.

Job 38:4

The terms "morning stars" and "sons of God" are biblical names for angels, who express joy when events in God's plan unfold. Not only God but also angels are thrilled when a sinner repents of his worldly ways. Prayer for forgiveness brings about joyous repentance and restoration of righteousness in a person's life.

Martin G. Collins
Joy

Job 38:4-7

God originally created the earth with such perfection and beauty that the angels shouted with joy! Our Creator does all things in an organized manner and completes all His works in exquisite splendor. But the earth had somehow become formless and chaotic so that God had to refashion it before man could be created.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Basic Doctrines: Satan's Origin and Destiny

Job 38:1-7

God approaches Job in a way calculated to chop him down to the humanity to which he belonged. How could Job possibly conclude that he was anything close to what God is! Such presumptuousness! Had Job ever created anything remotely like this earth? How could he even begin to think he was somehow God's equal? Job had a highly exaggerated opinion of himself. He had somehow managed to outgrow his humanity or had lost it on this trip to call God into condemnation!

Just as surely as there was an awesome difference between God's creation of the heavens and earth and what Job had accomplished, there was at least that much difference between God and Job spiritually.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Job, Self-Righteousness, and Humility

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