Job

Job 38:4–9

⁴Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?

Tell Me, if you have understanding.

⁵Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know!

Or who stretched a measuring line across it?

⁶On what were its foundations set,

or who laid its cornerstone,^d

⁷while the morning stars sang together

and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

⁸Who enclosed the sea behind doors

when it burst forth from the womb,

⁹when I made the clouds its garment

and thick darkness its blanket,

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Where	אֵיפֹ֣ה	’ê·p̄ōh	Interrogative	H375 where?
were you	הָ֭יִיתָ	hā·yî·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
when I laid the foundations	בְּיָסְדִי־	bə·yā·sə·ḏî-	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H3245 establish, found, fix
of the earth	אָ֑רֶץ	’ā·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
Tell	הַ֝גֵּ֗ד	hag·gêḏ	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular	H5046 be conspicuous
if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
you have understanding	יָדַ֥עְתָּ	yā·ḏa‘·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3045 know

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Who	מִי־	mî-	Interrogative	H4310 who?
fixed	שָׂ֣ם	śām	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
its measurements	מְ֭מַדֶּיהָ	mə·mad·de·hā	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H4461 measurement
Surely	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you know	תֵדָ֑ע	ṯê·ḏā‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H3045 know
Or	א֤וֹ	’ōw	Conjunction	H176 or
who	מִֽי־	mî-	Interrogative	H4310 who?
stretched	נָטָ֖ה	nā·ṭāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
a measuring line	קָּֽו׃	qāw	Noun - masculine singular	H6957 line
across it	עָלֶ֣יהָ	‘ā·le·hā	Preposition; third person feminine singular	H5921 height

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
On what	מָ֭ה	māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
were its foundations	אֲדָנֶ֣יהָ	’ă·ḏā·ne·hā	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H134 base, pedestal
set	הָטְבָּ֑עוּ	hā·ṭə·bā·‘ū	Verb - Hofal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2883 sink, sink down
or	א֥וֹ	’ōw	Conjunction	H176 or
who	מִֽי־	mî-	Interrogative	H4310 who?
laid	יָ֝רָ֗ה	yā·rāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3384 throw, shoot
its cornerstone	פִּנָּתָֽהּ׃	pin·nā·ṯāh	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H6438 corner

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
while the morning	בֹ֑קֶר	ḇō·qer	Noun - masculine singular	H1242 morning
stars	כּ֣וֹכְבֵי	kō·wḵ·ḇê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H3556 star
sang	בְּרָן־	bə·rān-	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7442 give a ringing cry
together	יַ֭חַד	ya·ḥaḏ	Adverb	H3162 unitedness
and all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the sons	בְּנֵ֥י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
of God	אֱלֹהִֽים׃	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
shouted for joy	וַ֝יָּרִ֗יעוּ	way·yā·rî·‘ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7321 raise a shout

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Who enclosed	וַיָּ֣סֶךְ	way·yā·seḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5526 overshadow, screen, cover
the sea	יָ֑ם	yām	Noun - masculine singular	H3220 sea
behind doors	בִּדְלָתַ֣יִם	biḏ·lā·ṯa·yim	Preposition-b; Noun - fd	H1817 door
when it burst forth	בְּ֝גִיח֗וֹ	bə·ḡî·ḥōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H1518 burst forth
from the womb	מֵרֶ֥חֶם	mê·re·ḥem	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H7358 womb

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
when I made	בְּשׂוּמִ֣י	bə·śū·mî	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H7760 put, place, set
the clouds	עָנָ֣ן	‘ā·nān	Noun - masculine singular	H6051 cloud-mass, cloud
its garment	לְבֻשׁ֑וֹ	lə·ḇu·šōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3830 garment, clothing, raiment
and thick darkness	וַ֝עֲרָפֶ֗ל	wa·‘ă·rā·p̄el	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H6205 cloud, heavy cloud
its blanket	חֲתֻלָּתֽוֹ׃	ḥă·ṯul·lā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2854 swaddling-band