Job — Chapter 26
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1Then Job answered:
2“How you have helped the powerless and saved the arm that is feeble!
3How you have counseled the unwise and provided fully sound insight!
4To whom have you uttered these words? And whose spirit spoke through you?
5The dead tremble—those beneath the waters and those who dwell in them.
6Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.
7He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth upon nothing.
8He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their own weight.
9He covers the face of the full moon, spreading over it His cloud.
10He has inscribed a horizon on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.
11The foundations of heaven quake, astounded at His rebuke.
12By His power He stirred the sea; by His understanding He shattered Rahab.
13By His breath the skies were cleared; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
14Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”
1But Job answered and said,
2How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?
3How hast thou counseled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?
4To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?
5Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.
6Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.
7He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
8He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.
9He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.
10He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.
11The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.
12He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.
13By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.
14Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?
1Then Job answered and said,
2How hast thou helped him that is without power! How hast thou saved the arm that hath no strength!
3How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom, And plentifully declared sound knowledge!
4To whom hast thou uttered words? And whose spirit came forth from thee?
5They that are deceased tremble Beneath the waters and the inhabitants thereof.
6Sheol is naked before [God], And Abaddon hath no covering.
7He stretcheth out the north over empty space, And hangeth the earth upon nothing.
8He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; And the cloud is not rent under them.
9He incloseth the face of his throne, And spreadeth his cloud upon it.
10He hath described a boundary upon the face of the waters, Unto the confines of light and darkness.
11The pillars of heaven tremble And are astonished at his rebuke.
12He stirreth up the sea with his power, And by his understanding he smiteth through Rahab.
13By his Spirit the heavens are garnished; His hand hath pierced the swift serpent.
14Lo, 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?
1Then Job replied:
2“How you have helped the powerless! How you have saved the person who has no strength!
3How you have advised the one without wisdom, and abundantly revealed your insight!
4To whom did you utter these words? And whose spirit has come forth from your mouth?
5“The dead tremble— those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
6The underworld is naked before God; the place of destruction lies uncovered.
7He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth on nothing.
8He locks the waters in his clouds, and the clouds do not burst with the weight of them.
9He conceals the face of the full moon, shrouding it with his clouds.
10He marks out the horizon on the surface of the waters as a boundary between light and darkness.
11The pillars of the heavens tremble and are amazed at his rebuke.
12By his power he stills the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab the great sea monster to pieces.
13By his breath the skies became fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
14Indeed, these are but the outer fringes of his ways! How faint is the whisper we hear of him! But who can understand the thunder of his power?”
1Then Job answered,
2“How have you helped him who is without power! How have you saved the arm that has no strength!
3How have you counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge!
4To whom have you uttered words? Whose spirit came out of you?
5“The departed spirits tremble, those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
6Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.
7He stretches out the north over empty space, and hangs the earth on nothing.
8He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not burst under them.
9He encloses the face of his throne, and spreads his cloud on it.
10He has described a boundary on the surface of the waters, and to the confines of light and darkness.
11The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his rebuke.
12He stirs up the sea with his power, and by his understanding he strikes through Rahab.
13By his Spirit the heavens are garnished. His hand has pierced the swift serpent.
14Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways. How small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”
Summary
Job opens with biting sarcasm, asking Bildad how his empty words have actually helped someone powerless and without wisdom (vv. 2-4). He then describes God's overwhelming power in far greater terms than his friends have offered: the dead tremble beneath the waters, God stretches the northern skies over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing, and locks the waters in the clouds without bursting them (vv. 5-10). God's rebuke shakes the pillars of heaven, his power stills the sea and crushed the sea monster Rahab, and his hand pierced the fleeing serpent (vv. 11-13). Job concludes that all of this is merely the outer fringe of God's ways — only a faint whisper of his true power (v. 14).
Authorship & Background
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes the irony: Job, whom the friends accuse of not understanding God, here demonstrates a far more profound grasp of God's majesty than anything his friends have said. Verse 7 is particularly remarkable — the earth "hangs on nothing" is accurate cosmology stated millennia before it was scientifically confirmed. Guzik notes that v.14 is the theological key: if all creation is merely the whisper of God's ways, then human theology (including the friends' retribution system) captures only a fraction of reality.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- BibleProject: bibleproject.com On the whole book: the speech from the whirlwind, and why it answers Job the way it does.
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Job -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- Honest Confrontation of Empty Counsel (vv.2-4) — Job's blistering questions expose that Bildad's brief speech helped no one and revealed nothing new. Where do you need the courage to name unhelpful counsel instead of politely accepting it?
- God's Reach Into the Deepest Places (vv.5-6) — Job describes God's dominion extending even to Sheol and the realm of the dead, where nothing is hidden from Him. Is there a dark place in your life you assume is beyond God's reach?
- The Majesty of God's Ordinary Creation (vv.7-13) — Job describes God suspending the earth on nothing and governing the sea and sky in staggering detail. Do you still notice the wonder in the world God sustains every day?
- Only a Whisper of His Ways (v.14) — Job concludes that everything just described is merely the outer edge of God's power, a faint whisper of what remains unseen. How does recognizing the limits of your understanding of God shape your humility before Him?