Job 38 · Verse 16

Job 38:16

Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?
Job 38:16, King James Version

Job 38:16 in other translations

BSBHave you journeyed to the vents of the sea or walked in the trenches of the deep?
WEB“Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?
ASVHast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
YLTHast thou come in to springs of the sea? And in searching the deep Hast thou walked up and down?
DARBYHast thou entered as far as the springs of the sea? and hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
BBEHave you come into the springs of the sea, walking in the secret places of the deep?
WebsterHast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

What does Job 38:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. springs--fountains beneath the sea (Psa 95:4, 5). search--Rather, "the inmost recesses"; literally, "that which is only found by searching," the deep caverns of ocean.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? - Of these springs, inlets, or outlets of the sea, we know just as much as Job. There was prevalent among philosophers an opinion, that through a porous bottom fresh matter was constantly oozing by which the sea was supplied with new materials. But through such pores these materials might as well ooze out as ooze in. Walked in the search of the depth? - Hast thou walked from the shallow beach through the great ocean's bed, till thou hast arrived at its profoundest depths? In other words, Dost thou know the depths of the sea? Job, we may presume, did not. No man since him has found them out. In multitudes of places they are unfathomed by any means hitherto used by man.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 38:12-24

The Lord questions Job, to convince him of his ignorance, and shame him for his folly in prescribing to God. If we thus try ourselves, we shall soon be brought to own that what we know is nothing in comparison with what we know not. By the tender mercy of our God, the Day-spring from on high has visited us, to give light to those that sit in darkness, whose hearts are turned to it as clay to the seal, 2Co 4:6. God's…

Read the full comment on Job 38:12-24 →

Job 38:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הֲ֭בָאתָHa.va.ta¿ have you goneH935
עַד\־'ad-toH5704
נִבְכֵי\־niv.khei-[the] springs ofH5033
יָ֑םYam[the] seaH3220
וּבְחֵ֥קֶרu.ve.Che.kerand in [the] depth ofH2714
תְּ֝ה֗וֹםte.Hom[the] deepH8415
הִתְהַלָּֽכְתָּ\׃hit.ha.La.khe.tahave you walked about?H1980

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 38:16

  • Proverbs 8:24

    When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

  • Psalms 77:19

    Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.

  • Job 26:5-6

    Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.

  • Jeremiah 51:36

    Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the springs.
Ps 77:19; Pr 8:24; Jer 51:36
walked.
26:5,6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 38:15

    And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

  • Job 38:16

    Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

  • Job 38:17

    Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

Read all of Job 38

Job 38:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Has entrado tú hasta los profundos de la mar, y has andado escudriñando el abismo?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Es-tu allé aux sources de la mer, et t’es-tu promené dans les profondeurs de l’abîme?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Bist du gekommen bis zu den Quellen des Meeres, und hast du die Gründe der Tiefe durchwandelt?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Numquid ingressus es profunda maris, et in novissimis abyssi deambulasti?