Lectionary Calendar
Monday, September 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Brenton's Septuagint

Job 38:2

Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in his heart, and thinks to conceal them from me?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Blessing;   God;   Speaking;   Words;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - God;   Mystery;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Chaos;   Job, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Knowledge;   Nature;   World;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Job, Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Who is this who obscures my counselwith ignorant words?
Hebrew Names Version
"Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
King James Version
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
English Standard Version
"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
New Century Version
"Who is this that makes my purpose unclear by saying things that are not true?
New English Translation
"Who is this who darkens counsel with words without knowledge?
Amplified Bible
"Who is this that darkens counsel [questioning my authority and wisdom] By words without knowledge?
New American Standard Bible
"Who is this who darkens the divine plan By words without knowledge?
World English Bible
"Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Who is this that darkeneth the counsell by wordes without knowledge?
Legacy Standard Bible
"Who is this that darkens counselBy words without knowledge?
Berean Standard Bible
"Who is this who obscures My counsel by words without knowledge?
Contemporary English Version
Why do you talk so much when you know so little?
Complete Jewish Bible
"Who is this, darkening my plans with his ignorant words?
Darby Translation
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Easy-to-Read Version
"Who is this ignorant person saying these foolish things?
George Lamsa Translation
Who is this that gives counsel by words without knowledge?
Good News Translation

The Lord

Who are you to question my wisdom with your ignorant, empty words?
Lexham English Bible
"Who is this darkening counsel by words without knowledge?
Literal Translation
Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
what is he, that hydeth his mynde with foolysh wordes?
American Standard Version
Who is this that darkeneth counsel By words without knowledge?
Bible in Basic English
Who is this who makes the purpose of God dark by words without knowledge?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
King James Version (1611)
Who is this that darkneth counsell by words without knowledge?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
What is he that darkeneth his counsaile by wordes without knowledge?
English Revised Version
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and seide, Who is this man, wlappynge sentences with vnwise wordis?
Update Bible Version
Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
Webster's Bible Translation
Who [is] this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
New King James Version
"Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
New Living Translation
"Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
New Life Bible
"Who is this that makes words of wisdom dark by speaking without much learning?
New Revised Standard
"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Who is it that darkeneth counsel, by words, without knowledge?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Who is this that wrappeth up sentences in unskilful words?
Revised Standard Version
"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Young's Literal Translation
Who [is] this -- darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?
THE MESSAGE
"Why do you confuse the issue? Why do you talk without knowing what you're talking about? Pull yourself together, Job! Up on your feet! Stand tall! I have some questions for you, and I want some straight answers. Where were you when I created the earth? Tell me, since you know so much! Who decided on its size? Certainly you'll know that! Who came up with the blueprints and measurements? How was its foundation poured, and who set the cornerstone, While the morning stars sang in chorus and all the angels shouted praise? And who took charge of the ocean when it gushed forth like a baby from the womb? That was me! I wrapped it in soft clouds, and tucked it in safely at night. Then I made a playpen for it, a strong playpen so it couldn't run loose, And said, ‘Stay here, this is your place. Your wild tantrums are confined to this place.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?

Contextual Overview

1 And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, saying, 2 Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in his heart, and thinks to conceal them from me? 3 Gird thy loins like a man; and I will ask thee, and do thou answer me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Job 12:3, Job 23:4, Job 23:5, Job 24:25, Job 26:3, Job 27:11, Job 34:35, Job 35:16, Job 42:3, 1 Timothy 1:7

Reciprocal: Job 6:26 - reprove Job 11:5 - General Job 33:3 - my lips Job 37:19 - we Psalms 106:33 - he spake Psalms 139:4 - there is not Romans 9:20 - who art Colossians 2:18 - intruding James 4:12 - who

Cross-References

Genesis 3:6
For God knew that in whatever day ye should eat of it your eyes would be opened, and ye would be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Genesis 6:2
And it came to pass when men began to be numerous upon the earth, and daughters were born to them,
Genesis 6:4
And the Lord God said, My Spirit shall certainly not remain among these men for ever, because they are flesh, but their days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
Genesis 24:3
and I will adjure thee by the Lord the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou take not a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Chananites, with whom I dwell, in the midst of them.
Genesis 34:2
And Sychem the son of Emmor the Evite, the ruler of the land, saw her, and took her and lay with her, and humbled her.
Genesis 46:12
And the sons of Judas; Er, and Aunan, and Selom, and Phares, and Zara: and Er and Aunan died in the land of Chanaan.
Judges 14:2
And he went up and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Thamnatha of the daughters of the Phylistines; and now take her to me for a wife.
Judges 16:1
And Sampson went to Gaza, and saw there a harlot, and went in to her.
2 Samuel 11:2
And it came to pass toward evening, that David arose off his couch, and walked on the roof of the king’s house, and saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
1 Chronicles 2:3
The sons of Juda; Er, Aunan, Selom. These three were born to him of the daughter of Sava the Chananitish woman: and Er, the first-born of Juda, was wicked before the Lord, and he slew him.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Who [is] this,.... Meaning not Elihu the last speaker, as some think; and there are some who suppose not only that these words are directed to him, but all that is said in this and the following chapter: but it was Job the Lord spoke to and answered, as expressed in

Job 38:1; and these words are taken by Job to himself, Job 42:3. Concerning whom the Lord inquires, not as ignorant of him, who he was; but wondering that such a man as he should talk as he did; and as angry with him, and rebuking him for it;

that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? either his own counsel, his sense and sentiments of things, which were delivered in such an obscure manner as not to be intelligible by those that heard them; whereby they were led, as Job's friends were, into some mistaken notions of him: or rather the counsel of God, his works of providence, which are done according to the counsel of his will, and were misrepresented by Job, as not being wise and good, just and equitable; see Job 34:3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Who is this - Referring doubtless to Job, for he is specified in the previous verse. Some have understood it of Elihu (see Schultens), but the connection evidently demands that it should be understood as referring to Job. The object was, to reprove him for the presumptuous manner in which he had spoken of God and of his government. It was important before God manifested his approval of Job, that he should declare his sense of what he had said, and show him how improper it was to indulge in language such as he had used.

That darkeneth counsel - That makes the subject darker. Instead of explaining the reason of the divine dealings, and vindicating God from the objections alleged against him and his government, the only tendency of what he had said had been to make his government appear dark, and severe, and unjust in the view of his friends. It might have been expected of Job, being a friend of God, that all that he said would have tended to inspire confidence in him, and to explain and vindicate the divine dealings; but, God had seen much that was the very reverse. Even the true friends of God, in the dark times of trial, may say much that will tend to make people doubt the wisdom and goodness of his government, and to prejudice the minds of the wicked against him.

By words without knowledge - Words that did not contain a true explanation of the difficulty. They conveyed no light about his dealings; they did not tend to satisfy the mind, or to make the subject more clear than it was before. There is much of this kind of speaking in the world; much that is written, and much that fails from the lips in debate, in preaching, and in conversation, that explains nothing, and that even leaves the subject more perplexed than it was before. We see from this verse that God does not and cannot approve of such “words.” If his friends speak, they should vindicate his government; they should at least express their conviction that he is right; they should aim to explain his doings, and to show to the world that they are reasonable. If they cannot do this, they should adore in silence. The Savior never spoke of God in such a way as to leave any doubt that his ways could be vindicated, never so as to leave the impression that he was harsh or severe in his administration, or so as to lend the least countenance to a spirit of murmuring and complaining.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 38:2. Who is this that darkeneth counsel — As if he had said, Who art thou who pretendest to speak on the deep things of God, and the administration of his justice and providence, which thou canst not comprehend; and leavest my counsels and designs the darker for thy explanation?


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile