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Wednesday, April 8th, 2026
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Bible in Basic English
Job 12:8
Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you;let the fish of the sea inform you.
Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you;let the fish of the sea inform you.
Hebrew Names Version
Or speak to the eretz, and it shall teach you; The fish of the sea shall declare to you.
Or speak to the eretz, and it shall teach you; The fish of the sea shall declare to you.
King James Version
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
English Standard Version
or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
New Century Version
Speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea tell you.
Speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea tell you.
New English Translation
Or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea declare to you.
Or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea declare to you.
Amplified Bible
Or speak to the earth [with its many forms of life], and it will teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare [this truth] to you.
Or speak to the earth [with its many forms of life], and it will teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare [this truth] to you.
New American Standard Bible
"Or speak to the earth, and have it teach you; And have the fish of the sea tell you.
"Or speak to the earth, and have it teach you; And have the fish of the sea tell you.
World English Bible
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you; The fish of the sea shall declare to you.
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you; The fish of the sea shall declare to you.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Or speake to the earth, and it shall shewe thee: or the fishes of the sea, and they shall declare vnto thee.
Or speake to the earth, and it shall shewe thee: or the fishes of the sea, and they shall declare vnto thee.
Legacy Standard Bible
Or muse to the earth, and let it instruct you;And let the fish of the sea recount it to you.
Or muse to the earth, and let it instruct you;And let the fish of the sea recount it to you.
Berean Standard Bible
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.
Contemporary English Version
the flowers and the fish.
the flowers and the fish.
Complete Jewish Bible
or speak to the earth — it will teach you — and the fish in the sea will inform you:
or speak to the earth — it will teach you — and the fish in the sea will inform you:
Darby Translation
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Easy-to-Read Version
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you. Or let the fish in the sea tell you their wisdom.
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you. Or let the fish in the sea tell you their wisdom.
George Lamsa Translation
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you; and the fishes of the sea shall declare to you.
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you; and the fishes of the sea shall declare to you.
Good News Translation
ask the creatures of earth and sea for their wisdom.
ask the creatures of earth and sea for their wisdom.
Lexham English Bible
or ask the earth, and it will teach you, and the fishes of the sea will declare to you.
or ask the earth, and it will teach you, and the fishes of the sea will declare to you.
Literal Translation
or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will recount to you;
or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will recount to you;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Speake to the earth, and it shall shewe the: Or to the fyshes of the see, and they shal certifie the.
Speake to the earth, and it shall shewe the: Or to the fyshes of the see, and they shal certifie the.
American Standard Version
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee;
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee;
King James Version (1611)
Or speake to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare vnto thee.
Or speake to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare vnto thee.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Or the encrease of the earth, and it shall shew thee: or the fishes of the sea, and they shall certifie thee.
Or the encrease of the earth, and it shall shew thee: or the fishes of the sea, and they shall certifie thee.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Tell the earth, if it may speak to thee: and the fishes of the sea shall explain to thee.
Tell the earth, if it may speak to thee: and the fishes of the sea shall explain to thee.
English Revised Version
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.
Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.
Update Bible Version
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you; And the fish of the sea shall declare to you.
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you; And the fish of the sea shall declare to you.
Webster's Bible Translation
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare to thee.
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare to thee.
New King James Version
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
New Living Translation
Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish in the sea speak to you.
Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish in the sea speak to you.
New Life Bible
Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you. Let the fish of the sea make it known to you.
Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you. Let the fish of the sea make it known to you.
New Revised Standard
ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Or address the earth, and it will teach thee, and the fishes of the sea, will recount it to thee:
Or address the earth, and it will teach thee, and the fishes of the sea, will recount it to thee:
Douay-Rheims Bible
Speak to the earth, and it shall answer thee: and the fishes of the sea shall tell.
Speak to the earth, and it shall answer thee: and the fishes of the sea shall tell.
Revised Standard Version
or the plants of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
or the plants of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Young's Literal Translation
Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:
Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you.
"Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you.
Contextual Overview
6 There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength. 7 But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you; 8 Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it. 9 Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this? 10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man. 11 Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Reciprocal: Genesis 1:25 - General Job 8:10 - Shall not Job 18:3 - Wherefore Proverbs 6:6 - the ant
Cross-References
Genesis 4:26
And Seth had a son, and he gave him the name of Enosh: at this time men first made use of the name of the Lord in worship.
And Seth had a son, and he gave him the name of Enosh: at this time men first made use of the name of the Lord in worship.
Genesis 12:12
And I am certain that when the men of Egypt see you, they will say, This is his wife: and they will put me to death and keep you.
And I am certain that when the men of Egypt see you, they will say, This is his wife: and they will put me to death and keep you.
Genesis 12:14
And so it was that when Abram came into Egypt, the men of Egypt, looking on the woman, saw that she was fair.
And so it was that when Abram came into Egypt, the men of Egypt, looking on the woman, saw that she was fair.
Genesis 12:15
And Pharaoh's great men, having seen her, said words in praise of her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into Pharaoh's house.
And Pharaoh's great men, having seen her, said words in praise of her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into Pharaoh's house.
Genesis 12:16
And because of her, he was good to Abram, and he had sheep and oxen and asses, and men-servants and women-servants, and camels.
And because of her, he was good to Abram, and he had sheep and oxen and asses, and men-servants and women-servants, and camels.
Genesis 13:4
To the place where he had made his first altar, and there Abram gave worship to the name of the Lord.
To the place where he had made his first altar, and there Abram gave worship to the name of the Lord.
Genesis 21:33
And Abraham, after planting a holy tree in Beer-sheba, gave worship to the name of the Lord, the Eternal God.
And Abraham, after planting a holy tree in Beer-sheba, gave worship to the name of the Lord, the Eternal God.
Genesis 28:19
And he gave that place the name of Beth-el, but before that time the town was named Luz.
And he gave that place the name of Beth-el, but before that time the town was named Luz.
Genesis 35:3
And let us go up to Beth-el: and there I will make an altar to God, who gave me an answer in the day of my trouble, and was with me wherever I went.
And let us go up to Beth-el: and there I will make an altar to God, who gave me an answer in the day of my trouble, and was with me wherever I went.
Joshua 7:2
Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is by the side of Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and said to them, Go up and make a search through the land. And the men went up and saw how Ai was placed.
Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is by the side of Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and said to them, Go up and make a search through the land. And the men went up and saw how Ai was placed.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee,.... Or ask "a sprig of the earth" n, any shrub, or tree, or whatsoever grows out of it, and they will all unite in this doctrine, that they are raised and preserved by the power of God, and are so many instances of his wisdom, power, and goodness:
and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee; as mute as they are, they will proclaim this truth, that God is the mighty Maker and wise Disposer of them.
n שיח לארץ "virgultum terrae", Pagninus, Schmidt; so Drusius and Michaelis.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee - Perhaps this appeal to the earth may mean, as Stuhlman supposes, that the same thing is shown in the productions of the earth, as in the case of fierce animals. Noxious weeds and useless plants are more thrifty than the plants which are useful and the growth of poisonous or annoying things on the earth illustrates the same thing as the dealings of God with people - that his dealings are not in accordance with the real nature of objects.
And the fishes of the sea - The same thing is manifested in the sea, where the mighty prey upon the feeble, and the fierce and the ferocious overcome the defenseless. The sentiment is that it is a great principle which pervades all things that the ferocious the strong, the wicked, are often prospered, while the weak, the defenseless, the innocent, the pious, are subject to calamities, and that God does not apportion his dealings to the exact character of his creatures. Undoubtedly Job was right in this. and this general principle might be seen then as now, to pervade the world.
