Job 38

38:1–42:6 Finally, the Lord answered Job. In this final section, the Lord challenges Job’s overreaching self-defense with a display of his works that remind Job of God’s transcendent greatness.38:1–40:5 God challenges Job, who acknowledges his inability to judge the moral world by demonstrating his ignorance of the natural world’s cosmic (38:4-21) and meteorological elements (38:22-38), animals, and birds (38:39–39:30).38:1-3 God challenged Job from out of the whirlwind. The Old Testament commonly associates storms with God’s presence (2 Kgs 2:1, 11; Ezek 1:4; Nah 1:3). Job finally had an audience with God (Job 13:22-23).

38:2 questions my wisdom: God’s accusation sounds like a charge made by Eliphaz (15:2) and Elihu (34:35; 35:16) to which Job eventually admitted guilt (42:3).

38:7 The morning stars are personified in parallel construction with the angels (1:6; 2:1).

38:10-11 locked it behind barred gates: The sea is depicted as a dangerous creature kept under control.

38:14 it is robed in brilliant colors: The rising sun brings out the colors, shapes, and textures of things.

38:21 you were born before it was all created: Cp. Prov 8:25. This sarcasm resembles that of Eliphaz (Job 15:7).

38:22-23 Snow and hail are kept in divine storehouses such as those for the deep seas and winds (Pss 33:7; 135:7; Jer 10:13; 51:16). God uses these elements as weapons (Job 36:32; Isa 30:30; Ezek 13:11-13; Rev 16:21) in the storms he sends on the day of battle and war (e.g., Josh 10:11; Judg 5:20-21; 1 Sam 7:10).

38:24-27 The east wind blows off the desert to scorch crops (Gen 41:6, 23, 27; Jer 4:11; Jon 4:8) and dry up seas (Exod 14:21; Isa 11:15). It is an arid contrast to the torrents of rain that cause flooding. • Beneficial rain to satisfy the parched ground (Pss 104:10-11; 107:35; Isa 35:7; 58:11) stands in contrast to both scorching winds (Job 38:24) and flooding rains (38:25).

38:36 heart . . . mind: These words can also be translated ibis . . . rooster. The Egyptians thought the ibis was wise about the flooding of the Nile, the most important seasonal event in Egypt; and Israel’s rabbis thought the rooster could forecast rain or that its crow distinguished day from night. The idea would then be Who taught the ibis and the rooster? See also Ps 51:6; Prov 2:6; Jas 1:5, 17.