Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

Where is the way to the home of light? Do you know where darkness resides, so you can lead it back to its border?

“"What is the way (to the place wherein) light dwelleth?" The origin of light and darkness. In Ge 1:3-5, 14-18, "light" is created distinct from, and previous to, light-emitting bodies, the luminaries of heaven.”

so you can lead it back to its border? Do you know the paths to its home?

“Dost thou know its place so well as to be able to guide, ("take" as in Isa 36:17) it to (but UMBREIT, "reach it in") its own boundary, that is, the limit between light and darkness (Job 26:10)?”

In which direction is the lightning dispersed, or the east wind scattered over the earth?

“Light travels from the sun to the earth, ninety millions of miles, in eight minutes. which scattereth--rather, "And by what way the east wind (personified) spreads (scattereth) itself."”

to bring rain on a barren land, on a desert where no man lives,

“Since rain fails also on places uninhabited by man, it cannot be that man guides its course. Such rain, though man cannot explain the reason for it, is not lost.”

Does the rain have a father? Who has begotten the drops of dew?

“Can any visible origin of rain and dew be assigned by man? Dew is moisture, which was suspended in the air, but becomes condensed on reaching the--in the night--lower temperature of objects on the earth.”

when the waters become hard as stone and the surface of the deep is frozen?

“The unfrozen waters are hid under the frozen, as with a covering of stone. frozen--literally, "is taken"; the particles take hold of one another so as to cohere.”

Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion?

“But English Version agrees better with the Hebrew. The seven stars are closely "bound" together (see on Job 9:9). "Canst thou bind or loose the tie?"”

Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear and her cubs?

“Arcturus--Ursa Major. his sons?--the three stars in his tail. Canst thou make them appear in the sky? The great and less Bear are called by the Arabs "Daughters of the Bier," the quadrangle being the bier, the three others the mourners.”

Who has put wisdom in the heart or given understanding to the mind?

“But Hebrew supports English Version. The connection is, "Who hath given thee the intelligence to comprehend in any degree the phenomena just specified?" heart--not the usual Hebrew word, but one from a root "to view"; perception.”

The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, but cannot match the pinions and feathers of the stork.

“"Is it not like the quill and feathers of the pious bird" (the stork)? [UMBREIT]. The vibrating, quivering wing, serving for sail and oar at once, is characteristic of the ostrich in full course.”

She treats her young harshly, as if not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain.

“On a slight noise she often forsakes her eggs, and returns not, as if she were "hardened towards her young."”

Do you give strength to the horse or adorn his neck with a mane?

“Rather "the trembling, quivering mane," answering to the "vibrating wing" of the ostrich (see on Job 39:13) [MAURER]. "Mane" in Greek also is from a root meaning "fear." English Version is more sublime.”

His young ones feast on blood; and where the slain are, there he is.”

“Quoted partly by Jesus Christ (Mt 24:28). The food of young eagles is the blood of victims brought by the parent, when they are still too feeble to devour flesh. slain--As the vulture chiefly feeds on carcasses, it is included probably in the eagle genus.”

“Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me.

“Since Job has not only spoken against God, but accused Him of injustice, God challenges him to try, could he govern the world, as God by His power doth, and punish the proud and wicked (Job 40:7-14).”

Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?

“Wilt thou not only contend with, but set aside My judgment or justice in the government of the world? condemn--declare Me unrighteous, in order that thou mayest be accounted righteous (innocent; undeservingly afflicted).”

Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you. He feeds on grass like an ox.

“On the other hand, Job 40:21, 22 are characteristic of the amphibious river horse. So leviathan (the twisting animal), Job 41:1, is a generalized term for cetacea, pythons, saurians of the neighboring seas and rivers, including the crocodile, which is the most prominent, and is…”

He is the foremost of God’s works; only his Maker can draw the sword against him.

“Chief of the works of God; so "ways" (Job 26:14; Pr 8:22). can make his sword to approach--rather, "has furnished him with his sword" (harpe), namely, the sickle-like teeth with which he cuts down grain. English Version, however, is literally right.”

Though the river rages, Behemoth is unafraid; he remains secure, though the Jordan surges to his mouth.

“"Jordan" is used for any great river (consonant with the "behemoth"), being a poetical generalization (see on Job 40:15). The author cannot have been a Hebrew as UMBREIT asserts, or he would not adduce the Jordan, where there were no river horses.”

Will traders barter for him or divide him among the merchants?

“Rather, "partners" (namely, in fishing). make a banquet--The parallelism rather supports UMBREIT, "Do partners (in trade) desire to purchase him?" So the Hebrew (De 2:6). merchants--literally, "Canaanites," who were great merchants (Ho 12:7, Margin).”

No one is so fierce as to rouse Leviathan. Then who is able to stand against Me?

“If a man dare attack one of My creatures (Ge 49:9; Nu 24:9), who will dare (as Job has wished) oppose himself (Ps 2:2) to Me, the Creator? This is the main drift of the description of leviathan.”

I cannot keep silent about his limbs, his power and graceful form.

“I will not conceal--a resumption of the description broken off by the digression, which formed an agreeable change. his power--literally, "the way," that is, true proportion or expression of his strength (so Hebrew, De 19:4).”

His rows of scales are his pride, tightly sealed together.

“Rather, his "furrows of shields" (as "tubes," "channels," see on Job 40:18), are, &c., that is, the rows of scales, like shields covering him: he has seventeen such rows. shut up--firmly closed together.”

You asked, ‘Who is this who conceals My counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

“Most men in confessing sin palliate rather than confess. Job in omitting "by words" (Job 38:2), goes even further than God's accusation. Not merely my words, but my whole thoughts and ways were "without knowledge."”

My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You.

“Hearing and seeing are often in antithesis (Job 29:11; Ps 18:8). seeth--not God's face (Ex 33:20), but His presence in the veil of a dark cloud (Job 38:1).”

After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends.

“Their spirit towards Job was unkindly, and to justify themselves in their unkindliness they used false arguments (Job 13:7); (namely, that calamities always prove peculiar guilt); therefore, though it was "for God" they spake thus falsely, God "reproves" them, as Job said He would (Job…”