Job 26:10
He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.
Original Language Analysis
חֹֽק
with bounds
H2706
חֹֽק
with bounds
Strong's:
H2706
Word #:
1 of 10
an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage)
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
3 of 10
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
פְּנֵי
the waters
H6440
פְּנֵי
the waters
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
4 of 10
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
מָ֑יִם
H4325
עַד
H5704
עַד
Strong's:
H5704
Word #:
6 of 10
as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
א֣וֹר
until the day
H216
א֣וֹר
until the day
Strong's:
H216
Word #:
8 of 10
illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)
Cross References
Proverbs 8:29When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:Jeremiah 5:22Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?Psalms 33:7He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern cosmologies depicted creation as ongoing battle against primordial waters (Tiamat in Enuma Elish, Yam in Ugaritic texts). Job's portrayal differs radically: God simply decrees boundaries, and chaotic waters obey. No struggle, no uncertainty—just sovereign command. This reflects Genesis 1's controlled, ordered creation account and distinguishes Israelite theology from mythological worldviews of surrounding cultures.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's sovereign ordering of creation inform our understanding of natural laws and scientific inquiry?
- What does the temporal nature of creation's current order ("until the day and night come to an end") teach us about Christian hope?
- How might Job's confidence in God's cosmic sovereignty encourage us when our personal lives feel chaotic?
Analysis & Commentary
Job declares God "hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end." The verb chaq (חָק, "compassed") means to inscribe or decree a boundary. God has set limits (choq, חֹק) upon the waters—the same word used for divine statutes and laws. This poetic description recalls Genesis 1:9 where God gathered waters into one place, and Jeremiah 5:22 where God set sand as the sea's boundary. From a Reformed perspective, this illustrates God's sovereign governance of creation through established laws. The phrase "until the day and night come to an end" points to creation's temporal nature—these boundaries persist until the eschaton when there will be no more sea (Revelation 21:1). Job's observation combines cosmology and eschatology: God not only created order but maintains it until the appointed consummation. This challenges ancient chaos-combat myths where cosmic order constantly required divine battle against chaos forces.