Proverbs 8:27

Contemporary English Version

I was there when the Lord put the heavens in place and stretched the sky over the surface of the sea.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I was there when he established the heavens,when he laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,

Hebrew Names Version
When he established the heavens, I was there; When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

King James Version
When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

English Standard Version
When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

New American Standard Bible
"When He established the heavens, I was there; When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

New Century Version
I was there when God put the skies in place, when he stretched the horizon over the oceans,

New English Translation
When he established the heavens, I was there; when he marked out the horizon over the face of the deep,

Amplified Bible
"When He established the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there; When He drew a circle upon the face of the deep,

World English Bible
When he established the heavens, I was there; When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

Geneva Bible (1587)
When hee prepared the heauens, I was there, when he set the compasse vpon the deepe.

Legacy Standard Bible
When He established the heavens, I was there,When He marked out a circle on the face of the deep,

Berean Standard Bible
I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed the horizon on the face of the deep,

Complete Jewish Bible
When he established the heavens, I was there. When he drew the horizon's circle on the deep,

Darby Translation
When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he ordained the circle upon the face of the deep;

Easy-to-Read Version
I was there when he set up the skies, when he drew a circle in the ocean to make a place for the land.

George Lamsa Translation
When he established the heavens, I was there; when he set a circle upon the face of the deep;

Good News Translation
I was there when he set the sky in place, when he stretched the horizon across the ocean,

Lexham English Bible
when he established the heavens, there I was, when he drew a circle upon the face of the deep,

Literal Translation
When He prepared the heavens, I was there; when He set a circle on the face of the deep,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For when he made the heauens, I was present: wha he set the depthes in ordre:

American Standard Version
When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,

Bible in Basic English
When he made ready the heavens I was there: when he put an arch over the face of the deep:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
When He established the heavens, I was there; when He set a circle upon the face of the deep,

King James Version (1611)
When hee prepared the heauens, I was there: when he set a compasse vpon the face of the depth.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For when he made the heauens, I was present, when he compassed the deapthes about:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:

English Revised Version
When he established the heavens, I was there: when he set a circle upon the face of the deep:

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whanne he made redi heuenes, Y was present; whanne he cumpasside the depthis of watris bi certeyn lawe and cumpas.

Update Bible Version
When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle on the face of the deep,

Webster's Bible Translation
When he prepared the heavens, I [was] there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

New King James Version
When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,

New Living Translation
I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans.

New Life Bible
I was there when He made the heavens, and when He drew a mark around the top of the sea.

New Revised Standard
When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
When he prepared the heavens, there, was I! When he decreed a vault upon the face of the resounding deep;

Douay-Rheims Bible
When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law, and compass, he enclosed the depths:

Revised Standard Version
When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

Young's Literal Translation
In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"When He established the heavens, I was there, When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

Contextual Overview

²² From the beginning, I was with the Lord . I was there before he began ²³ to create the earth. At the very first, the Lord gave life to me. ²⁴ When I was born, there were no oceans or springs of water. ²⁵ My birth was before mountains were formed or hills were put in place. ²⁶ It happened long before God had made the earth or any of its fields or even the dust. ²⁷ I was there when the Lord put the heavens in place and stretched the sky over the surface of the sea. ²⁸ I was with him when he placed the clouds in the sky and created the springs that fill the ocean. ²⁹ I was there when he set boundaries for the sea to make it obey him, and when he laid foundations to support the earth. ³⁰ I was right beside the Lord , helping him plan and build. I made him happy each day, and I was happy at his side. ³¹ I was pleased with his world and pleased with its people.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he prepared: Psalms 33:6, Psalms 103:19, Psalms 136:5, Jeremiah 10:12, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2

compass: or, circle, Isaiah 40:11, Isaiah 40:22

Reciprocal: Job 37:18 - spread Job 38:5 - laid Psalms 148:6 - He hath also Proverbs 3:19 - Lord

Gill's Notes on the Bible

When he prepared the heavens, I [was] there,.... Made, beautified, and adorned them; when he gave them their form, figure, magnitude, and motion; when he garnished them with the sun, moon, and stars; then was Christ present, not as a mere spectator, but as a co-worker; see Hebrews 1:10; and even the third heaven, the place and state of glorified saints, prepared for them from the foundation of the world, Matthew 25:34;

when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: or "compassed the waters with bounds", as Job says, Proverbs 26:10; or made the earth with the sea globular, which make one terraqueous globe: or "made a circle" p; all around it, called the circle of the earth, on which he sits,

Isaiah 40:22; this compass may design the vast expanse or firmament of heaven, which is stretched and drawn around the terraqueous globe as a canopy or curtain. Christ was with his Father on the first day's creation of the heavens; and on the second day, when the firmament was made, and was before them both.

p בחקו חוג "describendo circulum", Montanus, Mercerus, Cocceius, Michaelis, Schultens.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A compass - Better as in the margin and Job 22:14 (see the note), i. e., the great vault of heaven stretched over the deep seas.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 8:27. When he prepared the heavens, I was there — For there is no part of the creation of God in which wisdom, skill, contrivance, are more manifest, than in the construction of the visible heavens.

When he set a compass upon the face of the depth — Does not this refer to the establishment of the law of gravitation? by which all the particles of matter, tending to a common centre, would produce in all bodies the orbicular form, which we see them have; so that even the waters are not only retained within their boundaries, but are subjected to the circular form, in their great aggregate of seas, as other parts of matter are. This is called here making a compass, בחקו חוג bechukko chug, sweeping a circle; and even this on the face of the deep, to bring the chaotic mass into form, regularity, and order.