Job 26:8
Job 26:8 in Multiple Translations
He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their own weight.
He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.
He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; And the cloud is not rent under them.
By him the waters are shut up in his thick clouds, and the cloud does not give way under them.
He gathers the rain in his storm clouds which do not break under the weight.
He bindeth the waters in his cloudes, and the cloude is not broken vnder them.
Binding up the waters in His thick clouds, And the cloud is not rent under them.
He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not burst under them.
He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.
He bindeth up the waters in his clouds, so that they break not out and fall down together.
He fills the thick/dense clouds with water and prevents that water from bursting the clouds.
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 26:8
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 26:8 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
צֹרֵֽר
מַ֥יִם
בְּ/עָבָ֑י/ו
וְ/לֹא
נִבְקַ֖ע
עָנָ֣ן
תַּחְתָּֽ/ם
צֹרֵֽר
tsârar
H6887
to confine
V-Qal
מַ֥יִם
mayim
H4325
Water (Gate)
N-mp
בְּ/עָבָ֑י/ו
ʻâb
H5645
cloud
Prep | N-cp | Suff
וְ/לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Conj | Part
נִבְקַ֖ע
bâqaʻ
H1234
to break up/open
V-Niphal-Perf-3ms
עָנָ֣ן
ʻânân
H6051
cloud
N-ms
תַּחְתָּֽ/ם
tachath
H8478
underneath
Prep | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 26:8
צֹרֵֽר
tsârar
H6887
"to confine"
V-Qal
To rival means to oppose or afflict someone. In the Bible, this word is used to describe the struggles of the Israelites, such as when they were oppressed by their enemies or faced internal conflicts and afflictions.
Definition: to confine, besiege Another spelling of tsur (צוּר "to confine" H6696A)
Usage: Occurs in 52 OT verses. KJV: adversary, (be in) afflict(-ion), beseige, bind (up), (be in, bring) distress, enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait (trouble), vex. See also: Exodus 12:34; Psalms 8:3; Psalms 6:8.
מַ֥יִם
mayim
H4325
"Water (Gate)"
N-mp
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: This name means water, refreshment
Usage: Occurs in 525 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). See also: Genesis 1:2; Leviticus 14:9; Joshua 18:15.
בְּ/עָבָ֑י/ו
ʻâb
H5645
"cloud"
Prep | N-cp | Suff
In the Bible, this word means a dark cloud or a thicket, often used to describe a place of refuge or a sign of God's presence, as seen in 2 Chronicles 4:17. It can also refer to a cloudy or thick atmosphere. The word is used to describe natural phenomena and is found in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) darkness, cloud, thicket 1a) dark cloud 1b) cloud mass 1c) thicket (as refuge)
Usage: Occurs in 32 OT verses. KJV: clay, (thick) cloud, [idiom] thick, thicket. Compare H5672 (עֲבִי). See also: Exodus 19:9; Psalms 18:13; Psalms 18:12.
וְ/לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Conj | Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
נִבְקַ֖ע
bâqaʻ
H1234
"to break up/open"
V-Niphal-Perf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to break or open something, like a door or a wall, and is used in the Bible to describe God breaking through to help his people, as seen in Psalm 107:16.
Definition: 1) to split, cleave, break open, divide, break through, rip up, break up, tear 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cleave, cleave open 1a2) to break through, break into 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be cleft, be rent open, be split open 1b2) to be broken into 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to cleave, cut to pieces, rend open 1c2) to break through, break down 1d) (Pual) 1d1) to be ripped open, be torn open 1d2) to be rent 1d3) to be broken into 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to break into 1e2) to break through 1f) (Hophal) to be broken into 1g) (Hithpael) to burst (themselves) open, cleave asunder
Usage: Occurs in 50 OT verses. KJV: make a breach, break forth (into, out, in pieces, through, up), be ready to burst, cleave (asunder), cut out, divide, hatch, rend (asunder), rip up, tear, win. See also: Genesis 7:11; Psalms 78:13; Psalms 74:15.
עָנָ֣ן
ʻânân
H6051
"cloud"
N-ms
This Hebrew word means a cloud or cloudy, and is used to describe the cloud that God uses to appear to his people. It appears in the Bible to describe God's presence, and is translated as cloud in the KJV.
Definition: 1) cloud, cloudy, cloud-mass 1a) cloud-mass (of theophanic cloud) 1b) cloud Aramaic equivalent: a.nan (עֲנָן "cloud" H6050)
Usage: Occurs in 80 OT verses. KJV: cloud(-y). See also: Genesis 9:13; Deuteronomy 1:33; Psalms 78:14.
תַּחְתָּֽ/ם
tachath
H8478
"underneath"
Prep | Suff
This Hebrew word means underneath or below, often used to describe physical locations or positions. It appears in various books, including Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to indicate something is under or beneath something else. The word has several related meanings.
Definition: : under/below 1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m 1a) the under part adv accus 1b) beneath prep 1c) under, beneath 1c1) at the foot of (idiom) 1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig) 1c3) of subjection or conquest 1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands 1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun) 1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense) 1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged) conj 1e) instead of, instead of that 1f) in return for that, because that in compounds 1g) in, under, into the place of (after verbs of motion) 1h) from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, under, beneath
Usage: Occurs in 450 OT verses. KJV: as, beneath, [idiom] flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, [idiom] unto, [idiom] when...was mine, whereas, (where-) fore, with. See also: Genesis 1:7; Deuteronomy 7:24; 1 Kings 20:42.
Study Notes — Job 26:8
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 26:8 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 26:8
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 26:8
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 26:8
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 26:8
- Ellicott's Commentary on Job 26:8
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 26:8
- Cambridge Bible on Job 26:8
- Barnes' Notes on Job 26:8
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 26:8
- Sermons on Job 26:8
Context — Job: Who Can Understand God’s Majesty?
6Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.
7He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth upon nothing.
8He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their own weight.
9He covers the face of the full moon, spreading over it His cloud. 10He has inscribed a horizon on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 30:4 | Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son— surely you know! |
| 2 | Jeremiah 10:13 | When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses. |
| 3 | Isaiah 5:6 | I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and thorns and briers will grow up. I will command the clouds that rain shall not fall on it.” |
| 4 | Job 36:29 | Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion? |
| 5 | Genesis 1:6–7 | And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters, to separate the waters from the waters.” So God made the expanse and separated the waters beneath it from the waters above. And it was so. |
| 6 | Psalms 18:10–11 | He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness His hiding place, and storm clouds a canopy around Him. |
| 7 | Job 38:9 | when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its blanket, |
| 8 | Job 38:37 | Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Or who can tilt the water jars of the heavens |
| 9 | Job 37:11–16 | He loads the clouds with moisture; He scatters His lightning through them. They swirl about, whirling at His direction, accomplishing all that He commands over the face of all the earth. Whether for punishment or for His land, He accomplishes this in His loving devotion. Listen to this, O Job; stand still and consider the wonders of God. Do you know how God dispatches the clouds or makes the lightning flash? Do you understand how the clouds float, those wonders of Him who is perfect in knowledge? |
| 10 | Psalms 135:7 | He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses. |
Job 26:8 Summary
[God is in control of everything, even the water in the clouds. He wraps it up and holds it there, and the clouds don't even burst under the weight of it all, as we see in Job 26:8. This is a reminder that God is all-powerful and wise, and we can trust Him with everything, just like it says in Psalm 104:10. He takes care of the big things, like the weather, and the small things, like the details of our lives.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for God to 'wrap up the waters in His clouds' in Job 26:8?
This phrase suggests that God has complete control over the earth's water cycle, holding the waters in the clouds and governing their release, as seen in Psalm 135:7, which says 'He it is who makes the clouds rise from the ends of the earth, who makes lightning for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.'
Why don't the clouds burst under the weight of the water they hold?
The fact that the clouds do not burst under their own weight is a testament to God's power and wisdom, as stated in Jeremiah 10:13, which says 'When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth.'
How does this verse relate to the rest of the book of Job?
Job 26:8 is part of a larger poem that describes God's power and wisdom in creation, highlighting His control over the natural world and emphasizing the idea that God is all-powerful and worthy of reverence, as seen in Job 26:14, which says 'Lo, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?'
What can we learn about God's character from this verse?
This verse teaches us that God is a God of order and control, who governs the natural world with precision and care, as seen in Psalm 104:10, which says 'You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills.'
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways in which I have seen God's power and control in my own life, and how can I trust Him more with the details of my daily experiences?
- How does the image of God 'wrapping up the waters in His clouds' impact my understanding of His role in the natural world, and what does this teach me about His character?
- In what ways can I apply the truth of God's control over the natural world to my own struggles with anxiety or feelings of being overwhelmed?
- What are some ways in which I can cultivate a sense of reverence and awe for God's power, as described in Job 26:8?
Gill's Exposition on Job 26:8
He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds,.... The clouds are of his making; when he utters his voice, or gives the word of command, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and the vapours
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 26:8
Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 26:8
This also is a miraculous work of God, considering the nature of these waters, which are fluid and heavy, and pressing downward, especially being ofttimes there in great abundance; and withal, the quality of the clouds, which are thin and loose bodies of the same nature with fogs and mists upon the face of the earth, and therefore of themselves utterly unable to bear that weight, and to keep up those waters from falling suddenly and violently upon the earth.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 26:8
Job 26:8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.Ver. 8. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds] Heb. Clouds, which yet have their name from thickness, because they arise from air condensed. In these God bottleth up the rain, and there keepeth it in by main strength (as the word signifieth), though those vessels are as thin and thinner than the liquor that is contained in them. This, duly weighed, were enough to convince an atheist, especially if he consider how. The cloud is not rent under them] And so causeth a cataclism to drown the earth; as sometimes at sea, especially, great harm is done this way among the ships, by a water spout, as mariners call it, the Greek εξυδρια, and the Dutch Ein Wolckenbruch, or a breach of heaven; viz. when clouds cleave asunder, and discharge themselves all at once, for a great mischief to mankind. Now that God thus binds up these heavy vapours, and keeps them in the clouds, as a strong man in a cobweb, till brought by the winds whithersoever he pleaseth to appoint them, they drop upon the earth by little and little, to make it fruitful; this is a wonderful work of God, and should bring us to the knowledge of his power, wisdom, and goodness, Romans 1:19-20 Job 38:37 Jeremiah 5:22.
Ellicott's Commentary on Job 26:8
(8) He bindeth up the waters.—The idea of the waters being bound up in the clouds, so that the clouds are not rent thereby, is similar to that in Genesis 1:7. The conception is that of a vast treasury of water above the visible sky, which is kept there in apparent defiance of what we know as the laws of gravitation, and which all experience would show was liable to fall of itself.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 26:8
Verse 8. He bindeth up the waters] Drives the aqueous particles together, which were raised by evaporation, so that, being condensed, they form clouds which float in the atmosphere, till, meeting with strong currents of wind, or by the agency of the electric fluid, they are farther condensed; and then, becoming too heavy to be sustained in the air, fall down in the form of rain, when, in this poetic language, the cloud is rent under them.
Cambridge Bible on Job 26:8
8. The wonder of the clouds, floating reservoirs of water, which do not burst under the weight of waters which they contain. Men bind up water in skins or bottles, God binds up the rain floods in the thin, gauzy texture of the changing cloud, which yet by His power does not rend under its burden of waters. Comp. Proverbs 30:4; Job 38:37.
Barnes' Notes on Job 26:8
He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds - That is, he seems to do it, or to collect the waters in the clouds, as in bottles or vessels.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 26:8
Second strophe — In lofty flight Job’s imagination rises from the under world and the earth to the heavens, the seat of God’s throne, and thence surveys the enshrouding clouds (Psalms 18:11) and the
Sermons on Job 26:8
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Midrash - Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth by Jacob Prasch | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the belief that God has a son. While acknowledging that God does not have a son in the sense of human procreation, the speaker argues that it |
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Life & Times of Jesus #01 by Jack Hibbs | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the different aspects of Christ and His role in eternity. The first week focuses on the wonderful news about Christ and eternity. The second |
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The Divinity of the Son of God by James Arminius | James Arminius addresses the controversy surrounding the Divinity of the Son of God, refuting the notion that the Son is autotheos, having His essence from Himself and not from the |
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The Eternal Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ by David Dunlap | David Dunlap addresses the subtle opposition to the nonnegotiable doctrine of the eternal Sonship of Christ, emphasizing the importance of defending this fundamental and serious do |
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Abiding in Christ by Gareth Evans | In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of going to meet politicians at the airport to discuss the purchase of a white ship for ministering to first-time offenders |
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Walking in the Light by Phil Beach Jr. | Phil Beach Jr. emphasizes the importance of walking in the light of Christ, acknowledging that true transformation and pruning in our lives come from God alone. He warns against th |
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(Through the Bible) Genesis 1:1-18 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the creation of the earth and the existence of a designer. They explain that on the first day of creation, God brought the earth out of darkne |