Job 38

This chapter stands near the end of the book of Job. Job finished his final defense in chapter 31, and Elihu spoke from chapter 32 through chapter 37. In this chapter the LORD at last answers in person, and this first speech continues through chapter 39 into the opening of chapter 40.

Outline

• Verses 1–3 The LORD speaks to Job out of the whirlwind. He asks who it is that darkens counsel by words without knowledge and commands Job to gird up his loins like a man and answer.
• Verses 4–7 He asks where Job was when He laid the foundations of the earth, when the morning stars sang together and the sons of God shouted for joy.
• Verses 8–11 He declares that when the sea broke forth, He set its bounds with doors and bars.
• Verses 12–15 He speaks of commanding the morning and the dawn to drive out the wicked.
• Verses 16–21 He asks whether Job knows the springs of the sea, the gates of death, the breadth of the earth, and the dwelling places of light and darkness.
• Verses 22–30 He asks about the treasuries of snow and hail, the paths of rain and lightning, and the source of dew, ice, and frost.
• Verses 31–33 He asks whether Job can govern the Pleiades and Orion, Mazzaroth (the twelve signs), and Arcturus.
• Verses 34–38 He asks about commanding the clouds and the lightning, and about who has given wisdom and understanding.
• Verses 39–41 He asks who provides food for the lioness and for the young ravens.

Key Verses

• Job 38:1 "Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said" — the turning point at which God appears in person after a long silence.
• Job 38:4 "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?" — the first question, which establishes the character of God's entire speech.
• Job 38:41 "Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God" — reveals the providence that cares even for the most vulnerable creatures.

People and Places

• The LORD: God, who speaks out of the whirlwind. See also the article Yahweh.
• Job: the man who, in the midst of his suffering, has been seeking an answer from God.
• The sons of God: an expression that also appears in Job 1:6, commonly understood to refer to angels.
• The Pleiades, Orion, Arcturus, and Mazzaroth: constellations or star groups in the heavens. The Hebrew names are commonly identified with the Pleiades, Orion, and the Great Bear (Ursa Major), among others, but the exact identifications vary among translations and scholarly theories.

Points for Reflection

• "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?" (verse 2): This is generally taken to refer to Job, since Job takes up these words in his confession in chapter 42, verse 3. Some interpreters, however, take it to refer to Elihu, who has just finished speaking.
• The reason for suffering: God does not explain the reason for Job's suffering. Instead, He asks only questions about creation. Some read this silence as an answer that reveals God's sovereignty; others read God's presence itself as the answer.
• Connection with the New Testament: The picture of God feeding the ravens is often read together with Psalm 147:9 and the words "Consider the ravens" in Luke 12:24.