Job 26:9
He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.
Original Language Analysis
מְאַחֵ֥ז
He holdeth back
H270
מְאַחֵ֥ז
He holdeth back
Strong's:
H270
Word #:
1 of 6
to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession)
פְּנֵי
the face
H6440
פְּנֵי
the face
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
2 of 6
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
כִסֵּ֑ה
of his throne
H3678
כִסֵּ֑ה
of his throne
Strong's:
H3678
Word #:
3 of 6
properly, covered, i.e., a throne (as canopied)
Historical Context
The cloud imagery pervades Israel's exodus experience—the pillar of cloud by day (Exodus 13:21), the cloud covering Sinai (Exodus 19:16), and the cloud filling the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35). For Job, living before these events, to speak of God's self-veiling throne demonstrates remarkable theological insight, possibly from patriarchal revelation or direct divine inspiration.
Questions for Reflection
- Why does God veil His glory rather than revealing it fully to His creatures?
- How does Christ as the visible image of the invisible God fulfill Job's theology of divine self-veiling?
- What does God's transcendence teach about proper reverence and worship?
Analysis & Commentary
He holdeth back the face of his throne—The verb achaz (אָחַז) means to grasp, seize, or restrain, while pene kise (פְּנֵי כִסֵּא) literally means 'the face of [his] throne.' Job describes God veiling His throne's glory from human sight. And spreadeth his cloud upon it uses parshez (פַּרְשֶׁז, spreading) with anan (עָנָן, cloud), the divine covering that both reveals and conceals God's presence (Exodus 19:9, 1 Kings 8:10-11).
This poetic image captures God's transcendence—His glory is too overwhelming for creatures to behold directly. The cloud represents both God's presence and the necessary mediation between holy God and sinful humanity. Moses couldn't see God's face and live (Exodus 33:20), yet Christ is 'the brightness of his glory' (Hebrews 1:3), making the invisible God visible (John 1:18, Colossians 1:15). Job's theology anticipates incarnation: God veils His glory to enable relationship with His creatures.