Job 9 · Verse 8

Job 9:8

Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
Job 9:8, King James Version

Job 9:8 in other translations

BSBHe alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
WEBHe alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.
ASVThat alone stretcheth out the heavens, And treadeth upon the waves of the sea;
YLTStretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
DARBYWho alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;
BBEBy whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:
WebsterWho alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

What does Job 9:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. spreadeth out--(Is 40:22; Psa 104:2). But throughout it is not so much God's creating, as His governing, power over nature that is set forth. A storm seems a struggle between Nature and her Lord! Better, therefore, "Who boweth the heavens alone," without help of any other. God descends from the bowed-down heaven to the earth (Psa 18:9). The storm, wherein the clouds descend, suggests this image. In the descent of the vault of heaven, God has come down from His high throne and walks majestically over the mountain waves (Hebrew, "heights"), as a conqueror taming their violence. So "tread upon" (De 33:29; Am 4:13; Mt 14:26). The Egyptian hieroglyphic for impossibility is a man walking on waves.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 And treadeth upon the waves - This is a very majestic image. God not only walks upon the waters, but when the sea runs mountains high, he steps from billow to billow in his almighty and essential majesty. There is a similar sentiment in David, Psa 29:10 : "The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever." But both are far outdone by the Psalmist, Psa 18:9-15, and especially in these words, Psa 18:10, He did fly on the wings of the wind. Job is great, but in every respect David is greater.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 9:1-13

In this answer Job declared that he did not doubt the justice of God, when he denied himself to be a hypocrite; for how should man be just with God? Before him he pleaded guilty of sins more than could be counted; and if God should contend with him in judgment, he could not justify one out of a thousand, of all the thoughts, words, and actions of his life; therefore he deserved worse than all his present sufferings…

Read the full comment on Job 9:1-13 →

Job 9:8 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.

נֹטֶ֣הno.Teh[one who] stretches outH5186
שָׁמַ֣יִםsha.Ma.yim[the] heavensH8064
לְבַדּ֑וֹle.va.Doto only himH905
וְ֝דוֹרֵ֗ךְve.do.Rekhand [one who] treadsH1869
עַל\־'al-onH5921
בָּ֥מֳתֵיBo.mo.tei[the] high places ofH1116
יָֽם\׃Yam[the] seaH3220

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

Cross references for Job 9:8

  • Isaiah 44:24

    Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

  • Isaiah 40:22

    It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

  • Psalms 104:2-3

    Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

  • Job 37:18

    Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?

  • Zechariah 12:1

    The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

  • Jeremiah 10:11

    Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

  • Matthew 14:25-30

    And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. …

  • Psalms 33:6

    By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

  • Job 38:16

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

  • Job 38:11

    And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

  • Isaiah 42:5

    Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

  • John 6:19

    So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Which.
37:18; Ge 1:6,7; Ps 33:6; 104:2,3; Isa 40:22; 42:5; 44:24; Jer 10:11
Zec 12:1
treadeth.
38:11; Ps 93:3,4; Mt 14:25-30; Joh 6:19
waves. Heb. heights.

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

Context

  • Job 9:7

    Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

  • Job 9:8

    Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

  • Job 9:9

    Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

Read all of Job 9

Job 9:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El que extiende solo los cielos, y anda sobre las alturas de la mar:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Seul il étend les cieux et marche sur les hauteurs de la mer;
German
Elberfelder 1871		der die Himmel ausspannt, er allein, und einherschreitet auf den Höhen des Meeres;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui extendit cælos solus, et graditur super fluctus maris.