The Meaning of Job 38:14 Explained

Job 38:14

KJV: It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

YLT: It turneth itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.

Darby: It is changed like the signet-clay; and all things stand forth as in a garment:

ASV: It is changed as clay under the seal; And all things'stand forth as a garment:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

It is turned  as clay  [to] the seal;  and they stand  as a garment. 

What does Job 38:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 38:1-18 - Divine Power And Human Ignorance
When the storm had ceased and the thunder was hushed, a voice spoke out of the golden splendor of the sky. See Job 37:21-22. Job had challenged God to answer him and now he is taken at his word. We recall Horeb's ancient cave, where, after wind and earthquake, there came a sound of gentle stillness. "Arise," said the Eternal to Job, "and gird thyself," Job 38:3. In after years, under similar circumstances, the Spirit entered Ezekiel to strengthen him. Surely some such strengthening was forthwith given the patriarch!
A sublime series of questions is now addressed to him, not by a God of judgment and wrath, but by a Father arguing and pleading with His child and pointing out two things: first, the inability of mortal man to understand the ways of God; and second, the minuteness and tenderness of God's providence. Job had thought of Him as remote, but He is near and is ordering all things wisely and lovingly. Can He forget His child? [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 38

1  God challenges Job to answer
4  God, by his mighty works, convinces Job of ignorance
31  and weakness

What do the individual words in Job 38:14 mean?

It takes on form like clay [under] a seal and stands out like a garment
תִּ֭תְהַפֵּךְ כְּחֹ֣מֶר חוֹתָ֑ם וְ֝יִֽתְיַצְּב֗וּ כְּמ֣וֹ לְבֽוּשׁ

תִּ֭תְהַפֵּךְ  It  takes  on  form 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: הָפַךְ  
Sense: to turn, overthrow, overturn.
כְּחֹ֣מֶר  like  clay 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֹמֶר 
Sense: cement, mortar, clay.
חוֹתָ֑ם  [under]  a  seal 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹותָם  
Sense: seal, signet, signet-ring.
וְ֝יִֽתְיַצְּב֗וּ  and  stands  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָצַב 
Sense: to place, set, stand, set or station oneself, present oneself.
כְּמ֣וֹ  like 
Parse: Preposition
Root: כְּמֹו  
Sense: like, as, the like of which conj.
לְבֽוּשׁ  a  garment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לָבוּשׁ 
Sense: clothing, garment, apparel, raiment.

What are the major concepts related to Job 38:14?

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