Job 38:3
in Job 38Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Gird up now thy loins like a man; For I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
KJV
Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
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This verse in Job 38
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Gird up now thy loins like a man - To gird up the loins, is a phrase which has allusion to the mode of dress in ancient times. The loose flowing robe which was commonly worn, was fastened with a girdle when men ran, or labored, or engaged in conflict; see the notes at Mat 5:38-
This site's exposition
out of the whirlwind
on Job 38:1-3
The whirlwind speech opens with a question rather than an answer, who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge, turning the case Job has been building against God back on the man who built it. Gird up now thy loins like a man repeats the posture of a wrestler or a servant readying for work, the same figure used elsewhere in the book of bracing for labor. Henry reads the two commands together as God accepting Job's demand for a hearing on terms Job never expected, questions rather than a verdict.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Since Job was overwhelmed by his dejection, God encourages him with his words, so that he may pay attention to what is said now, and he introduces his speech in the form of questions, which is the best means to convince. Above all, he shows that he does everything with wisdom and intelligence, and therefore it would have been inconsistent with God, who did so many things with wisdom and intelligence, to neglect the human beings for whom he has created everything, even when they are wretched, as in this case. "What do you say?" God asks.
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXVIII · Written before 604.
proposed
Gird up thy loins as a man. Holy Scripture is wont to call those persons 'men,' who follow, doubtless, the ways of the Lord with firm and steady steps.
So after the Lord rejected the determination of Eliud, he himself begins to determine the question. First, he gets Job's attention when he says, "Gird up your loins like a man," which here is used as a metaphor. For men usually gird up their loins …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Concerning the founding of the earth. "If he have such a mighty insight, as he pretends to have, into the counsels of God, let him give some account of the earth he goes upon, which is given to the children of men." 1. Let him tell where he was when this lower world was made, and whether he was advising of assisting in that wonderful work (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Gird up now thy loins like a man,.... Like a man of valour that girds on his harness for battle: Job is bid to prepare for the controversy the Lord was entering into with him; and bring forth his strong reasons and most powerful arguments in his own defence. The allusion is to the custom in the eastern countries, where they wore long garments, to gird them about their loins, when they engaged in work or war.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
a man--hero, ready for battle (1Co 16:13), as he had wished (Job 9:35; The robe, usually worn flowing, was girt up by a girdle when men ran, labored, or fought (1Pe 1:13).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
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).
Modern Voices1 voice
When, at the end of the poem, God enters (somewhat abruptly), is struck the sudden and splendid note which makes the thing as great as it is. All the human beings through the story, and Job especially, have been asking questions of God. A more …
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֱזָר־ | ʾezor- | gird up | H247 → | 16 times |
| נָ֣א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| כְגֶ֣בֶר | khegever | like a man | H1397 → | 65 times |
| חֲלָצֶ֑יךָ | chalatzeikha | loins your | H2504 → | 10 times |
| וְ֝אֶשְׁאָלְךָ֗ | veeshalkha | and I will ask you | H7592 → | 171 times |
| וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃ | vehodieni | and make known to me | H3045 → | 945 times |
אֱזָר־gird up
ʾezor-H247 →16 times
נָ֣אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
כְגֶ֣בֶרlike a man
khegeverH1397 →65 times
חֲלָצֶ֑יךָloins your
chalatzeikhaH2504 →10 times
וְ֝אֶשְׁאָלְךָ֗and I will ask you
veeshalkhaH7592 →171 times
וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃and make known to me
vehodieniH3045 →945 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 1:13Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- Luke 12:35
Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
- 1 Peter 4:7
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and sober, so that you can pray.
- Hebrews 9:28
so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
- 1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and…
- Luke 12:35
Through
Jeremiah 1:17Get yourself ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them, or I will terrify you before them.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 1:13
Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Kings 18:46
And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
- 1 Peter 1:13
Through
1 Kings 18:46And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 3:14
So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me.
- Ezekiel 3:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
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About Job
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Job; GK Chesterton, Introduction to the Book of Job (1907); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXVIII; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON JOB 38:3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.