the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Wycliffe Bible
Job 38:2
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- InternationalParallel Translations
Who is this who obscures my counselwith ignorant words?
"Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
"Who is this that makes my purpose unclear by saying things that are not true?
"Who is this who darkens counsel with words without knowledge?
"Who is this that darkens counsel [questioning my authority and wisdom] By words without knowledge?
"Who is this who darkens the divine plan By words without knowledge?
"Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
Who is this that darkeneth the counsell by wordes without knowledge?
"Who is this that darkens counselBy words without knowledge?
"Who is this who obscures My counsel by words without knowledge?
Why do you talk so much when you know so little?
"Who is this, darkening my plans with his ignorant words?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
"Who is this ignorant person saying these foolish things?
Who is this that gives counsel by words without knowledge?
The Lord
Who are you to question my wisdom with your ignorant, empty words?"Who is this darkening counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
what is he, that hydeth his mynde with foolysh wordes?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel By words without knowledge?
Who is this who makes the purpose of God dark by words without knowledge?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that darkneth counsell by words without knowledge?
What is he that darkeneth his counsaile by wordes without knowledge?
Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in his heart, and thinks to conceal them from me?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
Who [is] this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
"Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
"Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
"Who is this that makes words of wisdom dark by speaking without much learning?
"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is it that darkeneth counsel, by words, without knowledge?
Who is this that wrappeth up sentences in unskilful words?
"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Who [is] this -- darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?
"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.'
"Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
Contextual Overview
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
Therfore the womman seiy that the tre was good, and swete to ete, and fair to the iyen, and delitable in bi holdyng; and sche took of the fruyt therof, and eet, and yaf to hir hosebande, and he eet.
the sones of God seiyen the douytris of men that thei weren faire, and token wyues to hem of alle whiche thei hadden chose.
Sotheli giauntis weren on erthe in tho daies, forsothe aftir that the sones of God entriden to the douytris of men, and tho douytris gendriden; these weren myyti of the world and famouse men.
that Y coniure thee bi the Lord God of heuene and of erthe, that thou take not a wijf to my sone of the douytris of Chanaan, among whiche Y dwelle;
And whanne Sichem, the sone of Emor Euey, the prince of that lond, hadde seyn hir, he louede hir, and rauyschide, and sclepte with hir, and oppresside the virgyn bi violence.
The sones of Juda, Her and Onam, and Sela, and Fares, and Zara. Forsothe Her and Onam dieden in the lond of Canaan; and the sones of Fares weren borun, Esrom, and Amul.
and he stiede, and telde to his fadir and `to his modir, and seide, Y siy a womman in Thannatha of the `douytris of Filistees, and Y biseche, that ye take hir a wijf to me.
Also Sampson yede in to Gazam, and he siy there a womman hoore, and he entride to hir.
While these thingis weren doon, it befelde, that Dauid roos in a dai fro his bed after mydday, and walkide in the soler of the kyngis hows; and he siy a womman waischynge hir silf euen ayens on hir soler; sotheli the womman was ful fair.
The sones of Juda weren Her, Onam, Sela; these thre weren borun to hym of Sue, a douyter of Canaan. Sotheli Her, the first gendrid sone of Juda, was yuel bifor the Lord, and he killide hym.
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?
