38: 2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel By words without knowledge?
38: 3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; For I will ask of thee, and declare thou unto me.
38: 4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, 419if thou hast understanding.
419Hb. if thou knowest understanding.
38: 5 Who determined the measures thereof, 420if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it?
420Or, seeing thou knowest
38: 6 Whereupon were the 421foundations thereof 422fastened? Or who laid the cornerstone thereof?
421Hb. sockets
422Hb. made to sink
38: 7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
38: 8 Or who shut up the sea with double gates, When it brake forth, 423as if it had issued out of the womb;
423Or, and issued out of
38: 9 When I made clouds the garment thereof, And thick darkness a swaddling-band for it,
38: 10 And 424marked out for it my bound, And set bars and double gates,
424Hb. brake up for Sept. Aram., Vg. read made for
38: 11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; And here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
38: 12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days began, And caused the dayspring to know its place;
38: 13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it?
38: 14 It is changed as clay under the seal; And all things stand forth 425as a garment:
425Or, as in a garment:
38: 15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, And the high arm is broken.
38: 16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked in the 426recesses of the deep?
426Or, searching
38: 17 Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
38: 18 Hast thou comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if thou knowest it all.
38: 19 Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
38: 20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, And that thou shouldest discern the paths to the house thereof?
38: 21 Doubtless, thou knowest, for thou wast then born, And the number of thy days is great!
38: 22 Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, Or hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,
38: 23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, Against the day of battle and war?
38: 24 427By what way is the light parted, Or the east wind scattered upon the earth?
427Or, Which is the way to the place where the light is parted,
38: 25 Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood, Or a way for the lightning of the thunder;
38: 26 To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; On the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
38: 27 To satisfy the waste and desolate ground, And to cause the 428tender grass to spring forth?
428Or, greensward to spring forth
38: 28 Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
38: 29 Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of heaven, who hath 429gendered it?
429Or, given it birth
38: 30 The waters 430 are congealed like stone, And the surface of the deep 431cohereth.
430Or, hide themselves and become like stone,
431Or, is frozen. But compare Ge 1:6-7 and footnote.
38: 31 Canst thou bind the 432cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the bands of Orion?
432Or, chain or, sweet influences
38: 32 Canst thou lead forth 433the twelve signs of the Zodiac in their season? Or canst thou guide 434Ursa Major with her 435train?
433Hb. Mazzaroth in their season See note on ch. 9:9.
434See marginal note on ch. 9:9.
435Hb. sons
38: 33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?
38: 34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover thee?
38: 35 Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, And say unto thee, Here we are?
38: 36 Who hath put wisdom in the 436inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the 437mind?
436Or, dark clouds
437Or, meteor
38: 37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can 438pour out the bottles of heaven,
438Hb. cause the bottles of heaven to lie down
38: 38 When the dust runneth into a mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
38: 39 Canst thou hunt the prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
38: 40 When they couch in their dens, And abide in the booth to lie in wait?
38: 41 Who provideth for the raven his prey, When his young ones cry unto God, And wander for lack of food?
