Job 38:27

Authorized King James Version

To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
לְהַשְׂבִּ֣יעַ
To satisfy
to sate, i.e., fill to satisfaction (literally or figuratively)
#2
שֹׁ֭אָה
the desolate
a tempest; by implication, devastation
#3
וּמְשֹׁאָ֑ה
and waste
(a) ruin, abstractly (the act) or concretely (the wreck)
#4
וּ֝לְהַצְמִ֗יחַ
to spring forth
to sprout (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative)
#5
מֹ֣צָא
ground and to cause the bud
a going forth, i.e., (the act) an egress, or (the place) an exit; hence, a source or product; specifically, dawn, the rising of the sun (the east), ex
#6
דֶֽשֶׁא׃
of the tender herb
a sprout; by analogy, grass

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The literary and historical milieu of the literary conventions and historical circumstances of biblical literature shapes this text's meaning. The historical development of salvation within the theological tradition of Job Understanding the ancient worldview that shaped the author's theological expression helps modern readers appreciate why the author emphasizes divine revelation in this particular way.

Questions for Reflection