Job 38:10
And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
Original Language Analysis
עָלָ֣יו
H5921
עָלָ֣יו
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
2 of 6
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
חֻקִּ֑י
for it my decreed
H2706
חֻקִּ֑י
for it my decreed
Strong's:
H2706
Word #:
3 of 6
an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage)
Cross References
Psalms 104:9Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover 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?Job 26:10He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.
Historical Context
The sea represented chaos and danger in ancient Near Eastern thought. Babylonian mythology featured Tiamat, the sea goddess, in cosmic battle. Israel's God needed no struggle—His word alone established permanent boundaries. This would profoundly reassure Job and readers facing life's chaotic circumstances.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's sovereign control over chaotic waters speak to the chaos you experience in life?
- What boundaries has God established in your life that you should respect rather than resist?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
"And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors." God established boundaries for the sea through divine decree (chuqqi, חֻקִּי, "my decree/statute"). The imagery of bars (beriach, בְּרִיחַ) and doors (delatayim, דְּלָתָיִם) personifies the sea as something powerful that must be restrained. This echoes Genesis 1:9-10 where God gathered waters into seas. The passage affirms God's absolute sovereignty over chaos and nature's most powerful forces. Unlike ancient myths where gods struggled to control chaotic waters, Yahweh effortlessly commands nature's boundaries.