Job 38:18

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry ASV (1901)

What does Job 38:18 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Hast thou comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if thou knowest it all.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Hast thou comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if thou knowest it all.
Job 38:18 — American Standard Version

Context — Job 38

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
18Hast thou comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if thou knowest it all.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? etc.] Which may be put for all the dimensions of it, length, breadth, diameter, and circumference, but especially it regards the surface of it, and the measurement of that; hast thou gone over the whole face of the earth and measured it, all its parts, its hills and dales, rocks and mountains, and took a survey of all the cities, towns and villages, woods, forests, fountains, rivers, etc? no; if a man lived as long as Methuselah, and spent all his days in this way, he could never be able to do it; and some parts are inaccessible, and not to be measured by the most skilful geometer; declare, if thou knowest it all; the whole earth and every part…”
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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
“Hast thou--as God doth (Job 28:24).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? - How far the earth extends. To see the force of this, we must remember that the early conception of the earth was that it was a vast plain, and that in the time of Job its limits were unknown. One of the earliest and most obvious inquiries would naturally be, What was the extent of the earth? By what was it bounded? And what was the character of the regions beyond those which were then known? All this was hidden from man at that time, and God, therefore, asks with emphasis whether Job had been able to determine this great inquiry. The knowledge of this is put on the same foundation as that of the depths of the sea, and of the dark regions of the…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Breadth - The whole compass and all the parts of it? Job 38:19”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Psa 74:17, Psa 89:11, Psa 89:12; Isa 40:28; Jer 31:37; Rev 20:9 Job 38:19”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification