Job 38 · Verse 3

Job 38:3

Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Job 38:3, King James Version

Job 38:3 in other translations

BSBNow brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me.
WEBBrace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!
ASVGird up now thy loins like a man; For I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
YLTGird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, And I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.
DARBYGird up now thy loins like a man; and I will demand of thee, and inform thou me.
BBEGet your strength together like a man of war; I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.
WebsterGird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

What does Job 38:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. a man--hero, ready for battle (1Co 16:13), as he had wished (Job 9:35; 13:22; 31:37). The robe, usually worn flowing, was girt up by a girdle when men ran, labored, or fought (1Pe 1:13).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Gird up now thy loins - I will not confound thee with my terrors; dismiss all fearful apprehensions from thy mind; now act like a man, כגבר kegeber, like a hero: stand and vindicate thyself. For I will demand of thee - I will ask thee a series of questions more easy of solution than those which thou hast affected to discuss already; and then thou shalt have the opportunity of answering for thyself. The most impressive and convincing manner of arguing is allowed to be that by interrogation, which the Almighty here adopts. The best orations delivered by the ancients were formed after this manner. That celebrated oration of Cicero against Catiline, which is allowed to be his masterpiece, begins with a multitude of short questions, closely pressed upon each other. See the end of the chapter, Job 38:40 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 38:1-3

Job had silenced, but had not convinced his friends. Elihu had silenced Job, but had not brought him to admit his guilt before God. It pleased the Lord to interpose. The Lord, in this discourse, humbles Job, and brings him to repent of his passionate expressions concerning God's providential dealings with him; and this he does, by calling upon Job to compare God's being from everlasting to everlasting, with his own…

Read the full comment on Job 38:1-3 →

Job 38:3 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.

אֱזָר\־'e.zor-gird upH247
נָ֣אna'pleaseH4994
כְגֶ֣בֶרkhe.Ge.verlike a manH1397
חֲלָצֶ֑יךָcha.la.Tzei.khaloins yourH2504
וְ֝אֶשְׁאָלְךָ֗ve.'esh.'al.khaand I will ask youH7592
וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי\׃ve.ho.di.'E.niand make known to meH3045

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

Cross references for Job 38:3

  • Job 40:7

    Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

  • Jeremiah 1:17

    Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

  • Exodus 12:11

    And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover.

  • 1 Kings 18:46

    And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

  • 1 Peter 1:13

    Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

  • Job 13:22

    Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

  • Job 31:35-37

    Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book. Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me. I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

  • Job 23:3-7

    Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me. …

  • Job 13:15

    Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gird.
40:7; Ex 12:11; 1Ki 18:46; Jer 1:17; 1Pe 1:13
for.
13:15,22; 23:3-7; 31:35-37
answer thou me. Heb. make me know.

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

Context

  • Job 38:2

    Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

  • Job 38:3

    Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

  • Job 38:4

    Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

Read all of Job 38

Job 38:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Ahora ciñe como varón tus lomos; yo te preguntaré, y hazme saber tú.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ceins tes reins comme un homme, et je t’interrogerai et tu m’instruiras!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Gürte doch wie ein Mann deine Lenden; so will ich dich fragen, und du belehre mich!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Accinge sicut vir lumbos tuos: interrogabo te, et responde mihi.