God's Power Over Creation

Job 26

Job answers Baldad, first rebuking him for offering no real help to the weak, then describing the Lord's might in stretching out the heavens over nothing, binding the waters in clouds, setting bounds to the sea, and overthrowing the dragon. He calls this display only the outer fringe of God's ways.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonTO this Job replied:

BrentonBut Job answered and said,

GreekὙπολαβὼν δὲ Ἰὼβ, λέγει,

KJVBut Job answered and said,

JPSThen Job answered and said:

ThomsonWhom dost thou assist, or whom art thou going to help? Is it not Him, Who hath mighty power and Whose arm is strong?

BrentonTo whom dost thou attach thyself, or whom art thou going to assist? is it not he that has much strength, and he who has a strong arm?

GreekΤίνι πρόσκεισαι, ἢ τίνι μέλλεις βοηθεῖν; πότερον οὐχ ᾧ πολλὴ ἰσχὺς, καὶ ᾧ βραχίων κραταιός ἐστι;

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonFor whom hast thou been acting as counsellor? Is it not for Him Who hath all wisdom? Whom art thou about to follow? Is it not Him, Whose army is beyond compare?

BrentonTo whom hast thou given counsel? is it not to him who has all wisdom? whom wilt thou follow? is it not one who has the greatest power?

GreekΤίνι συμβεβούλευσαι; οὐχ ᾧ πᾶσα σοφία; τίνι ἐπακολουθήσεις; οὐχ ᾧ μεγίστη δύναμις;

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonFor whom hast thou announced dictates? And whose breath is it which proceeded from thee?

BrentonTo whom hast thou uttered words? and whose breath is it that has come forth from thee?

GreekΤίνι ἀνήγγειλας ῥήματα; πνοὴ δὲ τίνος ἐστὶν ἡ ἐξελθοῦσα ἐκ σοῦ;

KJVTo whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?

JPSWith whose help hast thou uttered words? And whose spirit came forth from thee?

ThomsonAre giants going to rise up from beneath the water and the places in its neighbourhood?

BrentonShall giants be born from under the water and the inhabitants thereof?

GreekΜὴ γίγαντες μαιωθήσονται ὑποκάτωθεν ὕδατος καὶ τῶν γειτόνων αὐτοῦ;

KJVDead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.

JPSThe shades tremble Beneath the waters and the inhabitants thereof.

ThomsonThe mansion of the dead is naked before Him: and destruction hath no covering.

BrentonHell is naked before him, and destruction has no covering.

GreekΓυμνὸς ὁ ᾅδης ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι περιβόλαιον τῇ ἀπωλείᾳ.

KJVHell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.

JPSThe nether-world is naked before Him, And Destruction hath no covering.

ThomsonHe it is, Who stretcheth out Boreas [the North Wind] over empty space—Who suspendeth the earth upon nothing—

BrentonHe stretches out the north wind upon nothing, and he upon nothing hangs the earth;

GreekἘκτείνων βορέαν ἐπʼ οὐδὲν, κρεμάζων γῆν ἐπὶ οὐδενός.

KJVHe stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

JPSHe stretcheth out the north over the empty space, And hangeth the earth over nothing.

ThomsonWho bindeth up water in His clouds, and the cloud under it is not rent—

Brentonbinding water in his clouds, and the cloud is not rent under it.

GreekΔεσμεύων ὕδωρ ἐν νεφέλαις αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐῤῥάγη νέφος ὑποκάτω αὐτοῦ·

KJVHe bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.

JPSHe bindeth up the waters in His thick clouds; And the cloud is not rent under them.

Thomson—

BrentonHe keeps back the face of his throne, stretching out his cloud upon it.

GreekὉ κρατῶν πρόσωπον θρόνου, ἐκπετάζων ἐπʼ αὐτὸν νέφος αὐτοῦ.

KJVHe holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.

JPSHe closeth in the face of His throne, And spreadeth His cloud upon it.

ThomsonHis decree had drawn a circle on the face of the water, at the confines of light and darkness.

BrentonHe has encompassed the face of the water by an appointed ordinance, until the end of light and darkness.

GreekΠρόσταγμα ἐγύρωσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ὕδατος, μέχρι συντελείας φωτὸς μετὰ σκότους.

KJV—

JPSHe hath described a boundary upon the face of the waters, Unto the confines of light and darkness.

ThomsonThe pillars of heaven flutter and are struck with consternation at His rebuke.

BrentonThe pillars of heaven are prostrate and astonished at his rebuke.

GreekΣτύλοι οὐρανοῦ ἐπετάσθησαν, καὶ ἐξέστησαν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιτιμήσεως αὐτοῦ.

KJVThe pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.

JPSThe pillars of heaven tremble And are astonished at His rebuke.

ThomsonBy Power He calmed the sea; and by Wisdom the sea-monster was overthrown.

BrentonHe has calmed the sea with his might, and by his wisdom the whale has been overthrown.

GreekἸσχύϊ κατέπαυσε τὴν θάλασσαν, ἐπιστήμῃ δὲ ἔστρωται τὸ κῆτος.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonThe bars of heaven were terrified at Him; and by a decree He doomed to death the apostate dragon.

BrentonAnd the barriers of heaven fear him, and by a command he has slain the apostate dragon.

GreekΚλεῖθρα δὲ οὐρανοῦ δεδοίκασιν αὐτόν· προστάγματι δὲ ἐθανάτωσε δράκοντα ἀποστάτην.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonBehold these are [mere] parts of His ways. And we will hearken to the least breath of His word. As for the strength of His thunder; who knoweth when He will employ it?

BrentonBehold, these are parts of his way; and we will hearken to him at the least intimation of his word: but the strength of his thunder who knows, when he shall employ it?

GreekἸδοῦ ταῦτα μέρη ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ ἰκμάδα λόγου ἀκουσόμεθα ἐν αὐτῷ· σθενὸς δὲ βροντῆς αὐτοῦ, τίς οἶδεν ὁπότε ποιήσει;

KJVLo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

JPS—