Job 38:11

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry ASV (1901)

What does Job 38:11 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; And here shall thy proud waves be stayed?” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; And here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
Job 38:11 — American Standard Version

Context — Job 38

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
11And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; And here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And said, hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, etc.] The waters of the sea shall spread themselves to such and such shores, and wash them, but go no further; its rolling tides shall go up so far in rivers that go out of it, and then return, keeping exactly to time and place; this is said by Jehovah, the Word of God, and through his almighty power is tended to; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed; so high and no higher shall they lift up themselves; so far and no farther shall they roll on, than to the boundaries fixed for them; and though they may toss up themselves as proud men toss up their heads, for which, reason pride is ascribed to them, yet they shall not prevail,…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“stayed--Hebrew, "a limit shall be set to."”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“And said, Hitherto shalt thou come - This is a most sublime expression, and its full force can be felt only by one who has stood on the shores of the ocean, and seen its mighty waves roll toward the beach as if in their pride they would sweep everything away, and how they are checked by the barrier which God has made. A voice seems to say to them that they may roll in their pride and grandeur so far, but no further. No increase of their force or numbers can sweep the barrier away, or make any impression on the limits which God has fixed. And here shall they proud waves be stayed - Margin, as in Hebrew, “the pride of thy waves.” A beautiful image. The waves seem to advance in pride and…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Hitherto: Thus far shall thy flux and reflux extend. The tides are marvellously limited and regulated, not only by the lunar and solar attraction, but by the quantum of time required to remove any part of the earth's surface, by its rotation round its axis, from under the immediate attractive influence of the sun and moon. Hence the attraction of the sun and moon, and the gravitation of the sea to its own centre, which prevent too great a flux on the one hand, and too great reflux on the other, are some of those bars and doors by which its proud waves are stayed, and prevented from coming farther. Psa 65:6, Psa 65:7, Psa 93:3, Psa 93:4; Pro 8:29; Mar 4:39-41 but: Job 1:22, Job 2:6; Psa…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification