Job 38New King James Version
TheLordReveals His Omnipotence to Job(A)
38 Then theLordanswered Job(B)out of the whirlwind, and said:
2 “Who(C)isthis who darkens counsel
By(D)words without knowledge?
3 (E)Now[a]prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me.
4 “Where(F)were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
TellMe,if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know!
Or who stretched the[b]line upon it?
6 To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together,
And all(G)the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 “Or(H)whoshut in the sea with doors,
When it burst forthandissued from the womb;
9 When I made the clouds its garment,
And thick darkness its swaddling band;
10 When(I)I 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(J)must stop!’
12 “Have you(K)commanded the morning since your daysbegan,
Andcaused the dawn to know its place,
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
And(L)the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It takes on form like clayundera seal,
And stands out like a garment.
15 From the wicked their(M)light is withheld,
And(N)the[c]upraised arm is broken.
16 “Have you(O)entered the springs of the sea?
Or have you walked in search of the depths?
17 Have(P)the gates of death been[d]revealed to you?
Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18 Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
TellMe,if you know all this.
19 “Whereisthe waytothe dwelling of light?
And darkness, whereisits place,
20 That you may take it to its territory,
That you may know the pathstoits home?
21 Do you knowit,because you were born then,
Orbecausethe number of your daysisgreat?
22 “Have you entered(Q)the treasury of snow,
Or have you seen the treasury of hail,
23 (R)Which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
For the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is light[e]diffused,
Orthe east wind scattered over the earth?
25 “Who(S)has divided a channel for the overflowingwater,
Or a path for the thunderbolt,
26 To cause it to rain on a landwhere there isno one,
A wilderness in whichthere isno man;
27 (T)To satisfy the desolate waste,
And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?
28 (U)Has the rain a father?
Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb comes the ice?
And the(V)frost of heaven, who gives it birth?
30 The waters harden like stone,
And the surface of the deep is(W)frozen.[f]
31 “Can you bind the cluster of the(X)Pleiades,[g]
Or loose the belt of Orion?
32 Can you bring out[h]Mazzaroth in its season?
Or can you guide[i]the Great Bear with its cubs?
33 Do you know(Y)the 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 weare!’?
36 (Z)Who has put wisdom in[j]the mind?
Or who has given understanding to the heart?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
38 When the dust hardens in clumps,
And the clods cling together?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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