Logos Bible Study

Job 26:5–14

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A Better Description of God’s Greatness7

26:5“The dead8 tremble9—

those beneath the waters

and all that live in them.10

26:6The underworld11 is naked before God;12

the place of destruction lies uncovered.13

26:7He spreads out the northern skies14 over empty space;15

he suspends the earth on nothing.16

26:8He locks the waters in his clouds,

and the clouds do not burst with the weight of them.

26:9He conceals17 the face of the full moon,18

shrouding it with his clouds.

26:10He marks out the horizon19 on the surface of the waters

as a boundary between light and darkness.

26:11The pillars20 of the heavens tremble

and are amazed at his rebuke.21

26:12By his power he stills22 the sea;

by his wisdom he cut Rahab the great sea monster23 to pieces.24

26:13By his breath25 the skies became fair;

his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.26

26:14Indeed, these are but the outer fringes of his ways!27

How faint is the whisper28 we hear of him!

But who can understand the thunder of his power?”

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Footnotes

  1. 7 This is the section, Job 26:5–14, that many conclude makes better sense coming from the friend. But if it is attributed to Job, then he is showing he can surpass them in his treatise of the greatness of God.
  2. 8 The text has הָרְפָאִים (haréfa’im, “the shades”), referring to the “dead,” or the elite among the dead (see Isa 14:9; 26:14; Ps 88:10 [11]). For further discussion, start with A. R. Johnson, The Vitality of the Individual, 88ff.
  3. 9 The verb is a Polal from חִיל (khil) which means “to tremble.” It shows that even these spirits cannot escape the terror.
  4. 10 Most commentators wish to lengthen the verse and make it more parallel, but nothing is gained by doing this.
  5. 11 Heb “Sheol.”
  6. 12 Heb “before him.”
  7. 13 The line has “and there is no covering for destruction.” “Destruction” here is another name for Sheol: אֲבַדּוֹן (’avaddon, “Abaddon”).
  8. 14 The Hebrew word is צָפוֹן (tsafon). Some see here a reference to Mount Zaphon of the Ugaritic texts, the mountain that Baal made his home. The Hebrew writers often equate and contrast Mount Zion with this proud mountain of the north. Of course, the word just means north, and so in addition to any connotations for pagan mythology, it may just represent the northern skies—the stars. Since the parallel line speaks of the earth, that is probably all that was intended in this particular context.
  9. 15 There is an allusion to the creation account, for this word is תֹּהוּ (tohu), translated “without form” in Gen 1:2.
  10. 16 Buttenwieser suggests that Job had outgrown the idea of the earth on pillars, and was beginning to see it was suspended in space. But in v. 11 he will still refer to the pillars.
  11. 17 The verb means “to hold; to seize,” here in the sense of shutting up, enshrouding, or concealing.
  12. 18 The has כִסֵּה (khisseh), which is a problematic vocalization. Most certainly כֵּסֶה (keseh), alternative for כֶּסֶא (kese’, “full moon”) is intended here. The is close to the form of “throne,” which would be כִּסֵּא (kisse’, cf. “he shrouds his throne with his clouds”). But here God is covering the face of the moon by hiding it behind clouds.
  13. 19 The expression חֹק־חָג (khoq-khag) means “he has drawn a limit as a circle.” According to some the form should have been חָק־חוּג (khaq-khug, “He has traced a circle”). But others argues that the text is acceptable as is, and can be interpreted as “a limit he has circled.” The Hebrew verbal roots are חָקַק (khaqaq, “to engrave; to sketch out; to trace”) and חוּג (khug, “describe a circle”) respectively.
  14. 20 H. H. Rowley (Job [], 173) says these are the great mountains, perceived to hold up the sky.
  15. 21 The idea here is that when the earth quakes, or when there is thunder in the heavens, these all represent God’s rebuke, for they create terror.
  16. 22 The verb רָגַע (raga’) has developed a Semitic polarity, i.e., having totally opposite meanings. It can mean “to disturb; to stir up” or “to calm; to still.” Gordis thinks both meanings have been invoked here. But it seems more likely that “calm” fits the context better.
  17. 23 Heb “Rahab” (רָהַב), the mythical sea monster that represents the forces of chaos in ancient Near Eastern literature. In the translation the words “the great sea monster” have been supplied appositionally in order to clarify “Rahab.”
  18. 24 Here again there are possible mythological allusions or polemics. The god Yam, “Sea,” was important in Ugaritic as a god of chaos. And Rahab is another name for the monster of the deep (see Job 9:13).
  19. 25 Or “wind”; or perhaps “Spirit.” The same Hebrew word, רוּחַ (ruakh), may be translated as “wind,” “breath,” or “spirit/Spirit” depending on the context.
  20. 26 Here too is a reference to pagan views indirectly. The fleeing serpent was a designation for Leviathan, whom the book will simply describe as an animal, but the pagans thought to be a monster of the deep. God’s power over nature is associated with defeat of pagan gods (see further W. F. Albright, Yahweh and the Gods of Canaan; idem, 53 [1941]: 39).
  21. 27 Heb “the ends of his ways,” meaning “the fringes.”
  22. 28 Heb “how little is the word.” Here “little” means a “fraction” or an “echo.”

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

The dead tremble

under the waters and their inhabitants.

Sheol is naked before God,

and Abaddon has no covering.

He stretches out the north over the void

and hangs the earth on nothing.

He binds up the waters in his thick clouds,

and the cloud is not split open under them.

He covers the face of the full moon

and spreads over it his cloud.

He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters

at the boundary between light and darkness.

The pillars of heaven tremble

and are astounded at his rebuke.

By his power he stilled the sea;

by his understanding he shattered Rahab.

By his wind the heavens were made fair;

his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways,

and how small a whisper do we hear of him!

But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“The dead are in deep anguish,

those beneath the waters and all that live in them.

The realm of the dead is naked before God;

Destruction lies uncovered.

He spreads out the northern skies over empty space;

he suspends the earth over nothing.

He wraps up the waters in his clouds,

yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.

He covers the face of the full moon,

spreading his clouds over it.

He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters

for a boundary between light and darkness.

The pillars of the heavens quake,

aghast at his rebuke.

By his power he churned up the sea;

by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces.

By his breath the skies became fair;

his hand pierced the gliding serpent.

And these are but the outer fringe of his works;

how faint the whisper we hear of him!

Who then can understand the thunder of his power?”

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The departed spirits tremble

beneath the waters and all that inhabit them.

Sheol is naked before God,

and Abaddon has no covering.

He stretches the northern skies over empty space;

he hangs the earth on nothing.

He wraps up the water in his clouds,

yet the clouds do not burst beneath its weight.

He obscures the view of his throne,

spreading his cloud over it.

He laid out the horizon on the surface of the waters

at the boundary between light and darkness.

The pillars that hold up the sky tremble,

astounded at his rebuke.

By his power he stirred the sea,

and by his understanding he crushed Rahab.

By his breath the heavens gained their beauty;

his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

These are but the fringes of his ways;

how faint is the word we hear of him!

Who can understand his mighty thunder?

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

“The dead tremble—

those who live beneath the waters.

The underworld is naked in God’s presence.

The place of destruction is uncovered.

God stretches the northern sky over empty space

and hangs the earth on nothing.

He wraps the rain in his thick clouds,

and the clouds don’t burst with the weight.

He covers the face of the moon,

shrouding it with his clouds.

He created the horizon when he separated the waters;

he set the boundary between day and night.

The foundations of heaven tremble;

they shudder at his rebuke.

By his power the sea grew calm.

By his skill he crushed the great sea monster.

His Spirit made the heavens beautiful,

and his power pierced the gliding serpent.

These are just the beginning of all that he does,

merely a whisper of his power.

Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?”

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“The spirits of the dead tremble

below the waters and their inhabitants.

Sheol is naked before him,

and there is no covering for Abaddon.

He stretches out the north over emptiness;

he hangs the earth over nothing.

He ties up the water in its clouds,

and the cloud is not torn open beneath it.

He covers the face of the full moon;

he spreads his cloud over it.

He has described a circle on the face of the water

between light and darkness.

“The pillars of heaven tremble,

and they are astounded at his rebuke.

By his power he stilled the sea,

and by his understanding he struck down Rahab.

By his breath the heavens were made clear;

his hand pierced the fleeing snake.

Look, these are the outer fringes of his ways,

and how faint is the word that we hear of him!

But who can understand the thunder of his power?”

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

Dead things are formed

From under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.

Hell is naked before him,

And destruction hath no covering.

He stretcheth out the north over the empty place,

And hangeth the earth upon nothing.

He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds;

And the cloud is not rent under them.

He holdeth back the face of his throne,

And spreadeth his cloud upon it.

He hath compassed the waters with bounds,

Until the day and night come to an end.

The pillars of heaven tremble

And are astonished at his reproof.

He divideth the sea with his power,

And by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.

By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens;

His hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

Lo, these are parts of his ways:

But how little a portion is heard of him?

But the thunder of his power who can understand?

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