The Meaning of Job 38:40 Explained

Job 38:40

KJV: When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

YLT: When they bow down in dens -- Abide in a thicket for a covert?

Darby: When they crouch in their dens, and abide in the thicket to lie in wait?

ASV: When they couch in their dens, And abide in the covert to lie in wait?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When they couch  in [their] dens,  [and] abide  in the covert  to  lie in wait? 

What does Job 38:40 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 38:19-41 - What Man Cannot Do
In this chapter a number of nature-pictures pass before us. These include the creation of the earth, Job 38:4-7; the sea, Job 38:8-11; light, Job 38:12-15; the mysteries of the unseen, Job 38:16-18; snow and rain, Job 38:22-30; the constellations of heaven, Job 38:31-38; and the recesses of the forest-glades, Job 38:39-41.
What does it all mean? Ah! there are times when the voice of God through nature falls on our hearts like sweet music, and we hardly know whence or how, but we are comforted and strengthened. The peace passes understanding. Besides, the frequent question, Hast thou? was intended to turn Job's attention to the great mysteries contained in common and ordinary things. If he could not unravel these, how could he hope to fathom all the wonderful dealings of God with the human soul? His ways are above ours and His thoughts higher than ours; but we are sure from Calvary that He is love. Let us quiet ourselves, therefore, and trust. [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 38:40 mean?

When they crouch in [their] dens [Or] lurk in their lairs to lie in wait
כִּי־ יָשֹׁ֥חוּ בַמְּעוֹנ֑וֹת יֵשְׁב֖וּ בַסֻּכָּ֣ה לְמוֹ־ ؟ אָֽרֶב

יָשֹׁ֥חוּ  they  crouch 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁחַח 
Sense: to bow, crouch, bow down, be bowed down.
בַמְּעוֹנ֑וֹת  in  [their]  dens 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מְעֹנָה  
Sense: dwelling, habitation, refuge.
יֵשְׁב֖וּ  [Or]  lurk 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בַסֻּכָּ֣ה  in  their  lairs 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: סֻכָּה  
Sense: thicket, covert, booth.
؟ אָֽרֶב  lie  in  wait 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶרֶב  
Sense: a lying-in-wait.

What are the major concepts related to Job 38:40?

Loading Information...