Job 38 · Verse 4

Job 38:4

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
Job 38:4, King James Version

Job 38:4 in other translations

BSBWhere were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.
WEB“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
ASVWhere wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
YLTWhere wast thou when I founded earth? Declare, if thou hast known understanding.
DARBYWhere wast thou when I founded the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
BBEWhere were you when I put the earth on its base? Say, if you have knowledge.
WebsterWhere wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

What does Job 38:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. To understand the cause of things, man should have been present at their origin. The finite creature cannot fathom the infinite wisdom of the Creator (Job 28:12; 15:7, 8). hast--"knowest." understanding--(Pr 4:1).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? - Thou hast a limited and derived being; thou art only of yesterday; what canst thou know? Didst thou see me create the world?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 38:4-11
For the humbling of Job, God here shows him his ignorance, even concerning the earth and the sea. As we cannot find fault with God's work, so we need not fear concerning it. The works of his providence, as well as the work of creation, never can be broken; and the work of redemption is no less firm, of which Christ himself is both the Foundation and the Corner-stone. The church stands as firm as the earth.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Job 38:4 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.

אֵיפֹ֣ה'ei.Fohwhere?H375
הָ֭יִיתָHa.yi.tawere youH1961
בְּיָסְדִי\־be.ya.se.di-when founded IH3245
אָ֑רֶץ'A.retz[the] earthH776
הַ֝גֵּ֗דha.GedtellH5046
אִם\־'im-ifH518
יָדַ֥עְתָּya.Da'.tayou knowH3045
בִינָֽה\׃vi.NahunderstandingH998

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

Cross references for Job 38:4

  • Psalms 104:5

    Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

  • Hebrews 1:10

    And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

  • Proverbs 30:4

    Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?

  • Hebrews 1:2

    Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

  • Psalms 102:25

    Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

  • Genesis 1:1

    In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

  • Proverbs 8:22

    The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

  • Proverbs 8:29-30

    When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Where.
Pr 8:22,29,30; 30:4
I.
Ge 1:1; Ps 102:25; 104:5; Heb 1:2,10
hast. Heb. knowest.

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Job 38:5

    Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

Read all of Job 38

Job 38:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Dónde estabas cuando yo fundaba la tierra? házme lo saber, si tienes inteligencia.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Où étais-tu quand j’ai fondé la terre? Déclare-le-moi, si tu as de l’intelligence.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wo warst du, als ich die Erde gründete? Tue es kund, wenn du Einsicht besitzest!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ubi eras quando ponebam fundamenta terræ? indica mihi, si habes intelligentiam.