Job 38:11
And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
Study Note
Study Note
God's address to Job from the whirlwind includes the challenge about setting the sea's boundaries: 'hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?' — a question that humbles Job's attempts to call God to account by confronting him with the limits of his own creaturely knowledge. The chaoskampf tradition of divine ordering of primordial waters (Psalm 89:9; Jeremiah 5:22) stands behind this imagery — the sea represents the forces of dissolution and disorder that only divine speech can limit. The speech as a whole (38-39) does not answer Job's specific theological complaints about injustice but reframes the entire discussion by demonstrating the gap between creaturely and divine perspective on cosmic order. Job's response (40:3-5; 42:1-6) models the movement from accusation to awe that the divine speeches are designed to produce.
Other Translations
And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; And here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
And say, `Hitherto come thou, and add not, And a command is placed On the pride of thy billows.'
And said, So far you may come, and no farther; and here the pride of your waves will be stopped?
Cross References
In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:
Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.
The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the …
In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of …