Job 38:27 — Word Study
WLCלְהַשְׂבִּ֣יעַ שֹׁ֭אָה וּמְשֹׁאָ֑ה וּ֝לְהַצְמִ֗יחַ מֹ֣צָא דֶֽשֶׁא׃
BSAto satisfysâbaʻ [fill to the full, meet the needs of] the parchedshôwʼ [desolate, barren] wastelandmᵉshôwʼâh [desert, ravaged land] and make it sprouttsâmach [cause to grow, bring forth] with tender grassdesheʼ [new, young, green vegetation, new growth]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְהַשְׂבִּ֣יעַ | to satisfy | Preposition, verb hiphil infinitive construct common |
| שֹׁ֭אָה | devastation | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| וּמְשֹׁאָ֑ה | and desolation | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| וּ֝לְהַצְמִ֗יחַ | and to cause to sprout | Conjunction, preposition, verb hiphil infinitive construct common |
| מֹ֣צָא | a going forth of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| דֶֽשֶׁא׃ | vegetation | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | to satisfy the parched wasteland and make it sprout with tender grass? |
| KJV | To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? |
| ASV | To satisfy the waste and desolate ground, And to cause the tender grass to spring forth? |
| YLT | To satisfy a desolate and waste place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass? |
| WEB | to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow? |
| BBE | To give water to the land where there is waste and destruction, and to make the dry land green with young grass? |
Translations agree on the meaning of שָׂבֵעַ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around the main action of satisfying the wasteland, with a subordinate clause explaining the resulting growth.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 38:27
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Sovereignty in Creationgenerated
Job 38:27 is part of a series of questions posed by God to Job, emphasizing His authority over the natural world. Here, God asks if He satisfies the parched wasteland, indicating His role in providing for creation. This verse highlights the contrast between desolation and the potential for growth, illustrating God's power to bring life where there is emptiness, as seen throughout the book of Job.
Cross References
The Key Word — שָׂבֵעַ, le.has.Bi.a'generated
The verb שָׂבֵעַ (saba`) means to satisfy or fill to the full. It conveys the idea of meeting needs, particularly in relation to nourishment and fulfillment of desires. The parsing as a hiphil infinitive construct indicates an active role in causing satisfaction, emphasizing God's provision in this context.
This word is often associated with physical satisfaction, such as food, but can also imply a broader sense of fulfillment. In this verse, it reflects God's ability to meet the needs of the desolate land, transforming barrenness into abundance.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations generally agree on the meaning of שָׂבֵעַ, using terms like satisfy (BSB, KJV, ASV) and fill (YLT, WEB, BBE).
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main action is governed by the verbs הַשְׂבִּ֣יעַ (to satisfy) and הַצְמִ֗יחַ (to cause to sprout), which are central to the verse's meaning. The structure emphasizes the relationship between God's provision and the resulting growth in the land.
The sentence is composed of two main clauses linked by conjunctions, creating a flow that contrasts the state of devastation with the potential for new life.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שָׂבֵעַ as ξορτάσαι (to satisfy), which retains the sense of fulfilling needs. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing God's role in providing for the land.
The Greek word ἐκβλαστῆσαι (to cause to sprout) reflects a similar intention, focusing on the act of bringing forth growth, which complements the Hebrew context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 38:27 presents God's rhetorical questions to Job about His control over nature. God asks if He satisfies the dry wasteland and causes it to grow with tender grass. This illustrates God's power to provide for creation and bring life to barren places.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God provides for the needs of the land, transforming it from a barren state into one that can support life.
This verse shows God's sovereignty over nature, demonstrating that He can bring forth growth and abundance from desolation.
The grass symbolizes new life and growth, representing God's ability to rejuvenate and restore the land.
It connects to the broader theme of God's control over creation and His response to human suffering and questioning.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I see God providing for my needs like He provides for the wasteland?
- How can I recognize and appreciate the growth and new life that God brings in seemingly barren situations?
- What does this verse teach me about God's power and sovereignty over creation?
- How can I apply the idea of God's provision in my interactions with others who are struggling?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
An early commentary on Job discusses God's provision for the desolate land, illustrating the power of His word in creation.
That it should fill the pathless and desolate land, and should produce green herbs. For the Gentile world, to which a way was not open for the word of God, was a long while pathless.Early Church Fathers on Job 38 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 38:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleTo satisfy the desolate and waste [ground],.... Which is exceeding desolate, and therefore two such words are used to express it; which is so dry and thirsty that it is one of the four things that
Read John Gill on Job 38 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryTo satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? As though the desolate ground thirsted for God's showers. Personification.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 38 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTo satisfy, by raining, not sparingly, but liberally and abundantly upon it. To cause the bud of the tender herb to springforth; there being many excellent and useful herbs found in desert places, which otherwise would be utterly neglected and despised.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 38 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 38:27 To satisfy the desolate and waste [ground]; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?Ver. 27. To satisfy the desolate and waste ground] The waste and waste ground, saith Broughton elegantly; and the Hebrew sounds alike. And to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth] For the use of wild creatures, whereof there are great store in the desert of Arabia, not far from Job; for the which, and the rest of his living creatures, this great housekeeper of the world provideth food suitable to their several appetites.
Read John Trapp on Job 38 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 27. To satisfy the desolate and waste] The thunder cloud not only explodes over inhabited countries, that the air may be purified and the rain sent down to fertilize the earth, but it is conducted over deserts where there is no human inhabitant; and this to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth: for there are beasts, fowls, and insects, that inhabit the desert and the wilderness, and must be nourished by the productions of the ground. Every tribe of animals was made by the hand of God, and even the lowest of them is supported by his kind providence.
Read AdamClarke on Job 38 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4–38. A survey of the inanimate creation, the wonders of earth and sky—the earth, Job 38:4-18; the heavens, Job 38:18-38
Read Cambridge on Job 38 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleTo satisfy the desolate and waste ground - As if it lifted an imploring voice to God, and he sent down the rain to satisfy it. The desert is thus like a thirsty pilgrim.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 38 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible27. To satisfy the desolate and waste ground — As if it lifted an imploring voice to God, and he sent down the rain to satisfy it. The desert is thus like a thirsty pilgrim. (Barnes.)
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 38 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
to satisfy the parched wasteland and make it sprout with tender grass?
to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow?
to satisfy the parched wasteland and make it sprout with tender grass?
to satisfy a devastated and desolate land, and to cause it to sprout with vegetation?
Tyndale line
To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
To satisfy the waste and desolate ground, And to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
To satisfy the waste and desolate ground; and to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
To satisfy the desolate and waste ground ; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
To fulfil the wilde and waste place, and to cause the bud of the herbe to spring forth?
Strictly literal
To satisfy the desolate and waste [ground], and to cause the sprout of the grass to spring forth?
To satisfy a desolate and waste place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass?
To satisfy a desolate and ruined place, || And to cause to shoot up || The produce of the tender grass?
To satisfy waste and desolate lands; and to promote the growth of the tender grass?
to satisfy the devastated and desolate places, and to make the ground sprout with grass?
From the Latin
That it should fill the desert and desolate land, and should bring forth green grass?
Simplified
to water a parched wasteland to make the green grass grow?
To give water to the land where there is waste and destruction, and to make the dry land green with young grass?
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
Both the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all six Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This consistency underscores the shared understanding of God's provision for the land.
לְהַשְׂבִּ֣יעַ שֹׁ֭אָה וּמְשֹׁאָ֑ה וּ֝לְהַצְמִ֗יחַ מֹ֣צָא דֶֽשֶׁא׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 38:27
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
שָׂבֵעַ (saba`) means to be sated or satisfied, particularly in relation to food. It can also imply having one's desires fulfilled or being surfeited with excess. The verb has various forms, including Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which cover meanings from simply being full to enriching or satisfying others. The entries indicate a focus on both literal and figurative senses of satisfaction.
[שָׂבֵעַ], שָׂבַע 96 vb. be sated, satisfied, surfeited
Qal 79
be sated (with food), esp. human subj.
more gen., be sated, have desire satisfied
have in excess, be surfeited with
Niph. Pt. sated
Pi. satisfy
Hiph.
satisfy (esp. with material blessings), subj. י׳
c. acc. of food pers., י׳ subj.
י׳ subj.
י׳ subj., c. acc. of beasts
enrich
sate, glut (with the undesired)
base
H7646 שָׂבֵעַ, שָׂבַע be sated, satisfied, surfeited .. be sated (with food), esp. human subj.
. more gen., be sated, have desire satisfied
. have in excess, be surfeited with
. Pt. sated
. satisfy
. . . satisfy (esp. with material blessings), subj. י׳
. c. acc. of food + pers., י׳ subj.
. י׳ subj.
. י׳ subj., c. acc. of beasts
. enrich
. sate, glut (with the undesired)
7646 saba` saw-bah'
or sabeay {saw-bay'-ah}; a primitive root; to sate, i.e. fill
to satisfaction (literally or figuratively):--have enough,
fill (full, self, with), be (to the) full (of), have plenty
of, be satiate, satisfy (with), suffice, be weary of.
שָׂבֵעַ (sa.va) — to satisfy.
1) to be satisfied, be sated, be fulfilled, be surfeited
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be sated (with food)
1a2) to be sated, be satisfied with, be fulfilled, be filled, have one's fill of (have desire satisfied)
1a3) to have in excess, be surfeited, be surfeited with
1a3a) to be weary of (fig)
1b) (Piel) to satisfy
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to satisfy
1c2) to enrich
1c3) to sate, glut (with the undesired)
Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a — Preposition · verb hiphil infinitive construct commonHR/Vhcc
שׁוֹא (sho') and its feminine form שׁוֹאָה (sho'ah) relate to concepts of ravage and devastation. The word conveys meanings such as ruin, waste, and destruction, often implying a sense of overwhelming force or storm. The entries suggest a connection to a root meaning to rush over, emphasizing the intensity of the devastation.
[שׁוֹא] n.[m.] ravage (?)
base
שׁוֹאָה, שֹׁאָה n.f. devastation, ruin, waste
base
H7722a שׁוֹא ravage? H7722b שׁוֹאָה, שֹׁאָה devastation, ruin, waste
7722 show' sho
or (feminine) showtah {sho-aw'}; or shoah {sho-aw'}; from an
unused root meaning to rush over; a tempest; by implication,
devastation:--desolate(-ion), destroy, destruction, storm,
wasteness.
שׁוֹא (sho) — ravage.
ravage
שׁוֹאָה (sho.ah) — devastation.
1) devastation, ruin, waste
1a) devastation, ruin
1b) ruin, waste (of land)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
מְשׁוֹאָה (mshow'ah) refers to desolation or ruin, both in an abstract sense and as a physical wreck. It is derived from a root meaning related to destruction. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning as desolation.
מְשׁוֹאָה, מְשֹׁאָה n.f. desolation
base
H4875 מְשׁוֹאָה, מְשֹׁאָה
4875 mshow'ah meh-o-aw'
or mshoah {mesh-o-aw'}; from the same as 7722; (a) ruin,
abstractly (the act) or concretely (the wreck):--desolation,
waste.
see HEBREW for 07722
מְשׁוֹאָה (me.sho.ah) — desolation.
desolation, ruin
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Ncfsa
צָמַח (tsamach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sprout or spring up. It encompasses various forms of growth, including plants, hair, and even speech. The root can be used in different grammatical aspects, such as causing something to grow or sprout. The entries highlight its literal and figurative uses, particularly in contexts like abundant growth or the effects of rain.
צָמַח vb. sprout, spring up
Qal sprout, spring up
Pi. grow abundantly
Hiph.
cause to grow
of rain, cause the earth to sprout
base
H6779 צָמַח sprout, spring up
6779 tsamach tsaw-makh'
a primitive root; to sprout (transitive or intransitive,
literal or figurative):--bear, bring forth, (cause to, make
to) bud (forth), (cause to, make to) grow (again, up), (cause
to) spring (forth, up).
צָמַח (tsa.mach) — to spring.
1) to sprout, spring up, grow up
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to sprout, spring up
1a1a) of plants
1a1b) of hair
1a1c) of speech (fig.)
1b) (Piel) to grow abundantly or thickly
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to grow
1c2) to cause to sprout
Conj | Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a — Conjunction · preposition · verb hiphil infinitive construct commonHC/R/Vhcc
מוֹצָא (mowtsa') refers to a place or act of going forth, encompassing meanings like exit, source, or spring. It can denote various concepts such as the rising of the sun, exportation, and even a mine. The entries highlight its use in contexts related to movement and production, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
מוֹצָא n.m. place or act of going forth, issue, export, source, spring
base
H4161 מוֹצָא place or act of going forth, issue, export, source, spring
4161 mowtsa' mo-tsaw'
or motsai {mo-tsaw'}; from 3318; a going forth, i.e. (the
act) an egress, or (the place) an exit; hence, a source or
product; specifically, dawn, the rising of the sun (the East),
exportation, utterance, a gate, a fountain, a mine, a meadow
(as producing grass):--brought out, bud, that which came
out, east, going forth, goings out, that which (thing that) is
gone out, outgoing, proceeded out, spring, vein,
(water-)course (springs).
see HEBREW for 03318
מוֹצָא (mo.tsa) — exit.
1) act or place of going out or forth, issue, export, source, spring
1a) a going forth
1a1) rising (sun), going forth of a command
1a2) goings forth, those going forth
1a3) way out, exit
1b) that which goes forth
1b1) utterance
1b2) export
1c) place of going forth
1c1) source or spring (of water)
1c2) place of departure
1c3) east (of sun)
1c4) mine (of silver)
HNcmsc — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
דֶּ֫שֶׁא (deshe') refers to grass or green vegetation, derived from a root meaning 'to sprout.' It encompasses terms like tender grass and young herbs. The word is noted in various contexts, emphasizing its connection to fresh plant life.
דֶּ֫שֶׁא n.m. grass
base
H1877 דֶּ֫שֶׁא grass
1877 deshe' deh'-sheh
from 1876; a sprout; by analogy, grass:--(tender) grass,
green, (tender)herb.
see HEBREW for 01876
דֶּ֫שֶׁא (de.she) — grass.
grass, new grass, green herb, vegetation, young
Aramaic equivalent: de.te (דֶּ֫תֶא "grass" H1883)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa