(a) That his words might have greater majesty, and that Job might know with whom he had to do.

2 Who is this that {b} darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

(b) Which by seeking out the secret counsel of God by man's reason, makes it more obscure, and shows his own folly.

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I {c} will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

(c) Because he wished to dispute with God, Job 23:3, God reasons with him, to declare his rashness.

4 Where wast thou when I {d} laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

(d) Seeing he could not judge those things which were done so long before he was born, he was not able to comprehend all God's works: much less the secret causes of his judgments.

5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

7 When the morning stars {e} sang together, and all the {f} sons of God shouted for joy?

(e) The stars and dumb creatures are said to praise God, because his power, wisdom and goodness is manifest and known in it.

(f) Meaning the angels.

8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a {g} swaddlingband for it,

(g) As though the great sea was but as a little baby in the hands of God to turn to and fro.

10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be {h} stayed?

(h) That is, God's decree and commandment as in Job 38:10.

12 Hast thou commanded the {i} morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

(i) That is, to rise, since you were born?

13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be {k} shaken out of it?

(k) Who having in the night been given to wickedness, cannot abide the light, but hide themselves.

14 It is turned as clay to the seal; {l} and they stand as a garment.

(l) The earth which seemed in the night to have no form by the rising of the sun, is as it were created anew, and all things in it clad with new beauty.

15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the {m} depth?

(m) If you are not able to seek out the depth of the sea, how much less are you able to comprehend the counsel of God?

17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

20 That thou {n} shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

(n) That you might appoint its highways and limits.

21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

23 Which I have reserved {o} against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

(o) To punish my enemies with them, Ex 9:18, Jos 10:11.

24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

30 The waters are hid {p} as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

(p) The ice covers it, as though it were paved with stone.

31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences {q} of Pleiades, or loose the bands of {r} Orion?

(q) Which rise when the sun is in Taurus, which is the spring, and brings flowers.

(r) Which comes in winter.

32 Canst thou bring forth {s} Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide {t} Arcturus with his sons?

(s) Certain stars so called, some think they were the twelve signs.

(t) The north star with those that are about him.

33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the {u} dominion thereof in the earth?

(u) Can you cause the heavenly bodies to have any power over the earthly bodies?

34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?

35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are?

36 Who hath put wisdom in the {x} inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

(x) In the secret parts of man.

37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the {y} bottles of heaven,

(y) That is, the clouds in which the water is contained as in bottles.

38 When the dust groweth into hardness, {z} and the clods cleave fast together?

(z) For when God does not open these bottles, the earth comes to this inconvenience.

39 Wilt {a} thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

(a) After he had declared God's works in the heavens, he shows his marvellous providence in earth, even toward the brute beasts.

40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones {b} cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

(b) Read Ps 147:9.