Job 38:1–4
God answers Job from the whirlwind with questions
Study it word by word1And YHWH answered Job from the whirlwind and said:
2“Who is this that darkens counsel with words without knowledge?
3Gird up, please, your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you make known to me.
4Where were you when I founded the earth? Declare it, if you know understanding.
In its context
…
5Who set its measurements, if you know? Or who stretched over it a line?
6On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone,
Its words in the original
- יַּעַןyaan· answer
Answer, reply; also speak up, testify, or sing in response.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- אִיּוֹבiyov· Job
Job: the man of the land of Uz, blameless and upright, whose story of suffering and of questions to God is told in the book that bears his name. Ezekiel 14:14 and James 5:11 also mention him.
- סְּעָרָהseara· storm, whirlwind
A whirlwind, a tempest: a very strong wind that swirls and sweeps along.
- יֹּאמַרyomar· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- מַחְשִׁיךְmachshich· grow dark
Grow dark; darken.
- עֵצָהetsa· counsel
Counsel: good judgment for deciding; also a plan.
- מִלִּיןmilin· word, speech
A word, a saying; what someone says. It is a poetic word, used very often in the book of Job.
- בְּלִיbeli· without; not
Without; not; nothing.
- דָעַתdaat· knowledge
Knowledge: knowing something, and also knowing it by experience.
- אֱזָרezar· gird
To gird: to fasten clothing or weapons at the waist for work or for battle; figuratively, to be filled with strength.
- גֶבֶרgever· man
Man, a grown man in his strength.
- חֲלָצֶיchalatse· loins
Loins: the waist, seen as the source of offspring and strength.
- אֶשְׁאָלְeshal· ask
Ask, inquire; request.
- הוֹדִיעֵhodie· know
Know. Not only having a fact: it is knowing by experience and closely; also recognize, care for, make known. So Hebrew also uses it for the intimate union of a man and his wife ("he knew his wife").
- אֵיפֹהefo· where?
Where? From what place?
- הָיִיתָhayita· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- יָסְדִyasdi· found, establish
Found, lay the foundations; also appoint, establish.
- אָרֶץarets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- הַגֵּדhaged· tell, declare
Tell, make known, report, declare; also explain.
- בִינָהvina· understanding
Understanding: the ability to comprehend and to tell one thing from another.