Job 38:4

Literal Standard Version

Where were you when I founded the earth? Declare, if you have known understanding.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Where were you when I established the earth?Tell me, if you have understanding.

Hebrew Names Version
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the eretz? Declare, if you have understanding.

King James Version
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

English Standard Version
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.

New Century Version
Where were you when I made the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.

New English Translation
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you possess understanding!

Amplified Bible
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you know and have understanding.

New American Standard Bible
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,

World English Bible
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Where wast thou when I layd the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast vnderstanding,

Legacy Standard Bible
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?Tell Me, if you know understanding,

Berean Standard Bible
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.

Contemporary English Version
How did I lay the foundation for the earth? Were you there?

Complete Jewish Bible
"Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.

Darby Translation
Where wast thou when I founded the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.

Easy-to-Read Version
"Where were you when I made the earth? If you are so smart, answer me.

George Lamsa Translation
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.

Good News Translation
Were you there when I made the world? If you know so much, tell me about it.

Lexham English Bible
"Where were you at my laying the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you possess understanding.

Literal Translation
Where were you when I founded the earth? Declare if you know understanding.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Where wast thou, when I layed ye foundacions of the earth? Tell planely yff thou hast vnderstondinge.

American Standard Version
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.

Bible in Basic English
Where were you when I put the earth on its base? Say, if you have knowledge.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast the understanding.

King James Version (1611)
Where wast thou when I layd the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast vnderstanding.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Where wast thou when I layed the foundations of the earth? Tell playnely, if thou hast vnderstanding.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Where wast thou when I founded the earth? tell me now, if thou hast knowledge,

English Revised Version
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Where were thou, whanne Y settide the foundementis of erthe? schewe thou to me, if thou hast vndurstondyng.

Update Bible Version
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.

Webster's Bible Translation
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

New King James Version
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.

New Living Translation
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.

New Life Bible
Where were you when I began building the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.

New Revised Standard
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Where wast thou, when I founded the earth? Tell, if thou knowest understanding!

Douay-Rheims Bible
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? tell me if thou hast understanding.

Revised Standard Version
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.

Young's Literal Translation
Where wast thou when I founded earth? Declare, if thou hast known understanding.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,

Contextual Overview

⁴Where were you when I founded the earth? Declare, if you have known understanding.⁵Who placed its measures—if you know? Or who has stretched out a line on it? ⁶On what have its sockets been sunk? Or who has cast its cornerstone— ⁷In the singing together of [the] stars of morning, || When all [the] sons of God shout for joy? ⁸And He shuts up the sea with doors, || In its coming forth, it goes out from the womb. ⁹In My making a cloud its clothing, || And thick darkness its swaddling band, ¹⁰And I measure My statute over it, || And place bar and doors, ¹¹And say, To here you come, and no more, || And a command is placed || On the pride of your billows.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Where: Proverbs 8:22, Proverbs 8:29, Proverbs 8:30, Proverbs 30:4

I: Genesis 1:1, Psalms 102:25, Psalms 104:5, Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 1:10

hast: Heb. knowest

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 2:8 - the pillars Job 9:6 - the pillars Job 15:7 - or wast thou Job 34:13 - Who hath given Job 37:15 - Dost Job 38:12 - since Job 38:21 - General Psalms 18:15 - foundations Psalms 24:2 - For Psalms 90:2 - Before Psalms 119:90 - thou hast Proverbs 8:25 - General Proverbs 25:2 - the glory Ecclesiastes 11:5 - even Isaiah 24:23 - before his ancients gloriously Isaiah 40:12 - measured Isaiah 40:22 - stretcheth Jeremiah 10:12 - hath made Jeremiah 27:5 - made Amos 4:13 - he that Jonah 2:6 - the earth

Cross-References

Genesis 46:12
And sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Perez, and Zerah (and Er and Onan die in the land of Canaan). And sons of Perez are Hezron and Hamul.

Numbers 26:19
Sons of Judah [are] Er and Onan; and Er dies—Onan also—in the land of Canaan.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?.... The earth has foundations, and such firm ones that it cannot be moved; but what are they, since it is hung in the air on nothing! No other than the power and will of God, who laid these foundations, and the Son of God, who has created and upholds all things by the word of his power, Hebrews 1:3. Where was Job then? In a state of nothingness, a mere nonentity: he was not present when this amazing work of nature was done, and saw not how the Lord went about it; and yet takes upon him to dive into the secret works and ways of Providence, for which he is rebuked by this question and the following;

declare, if thou hast understanding: Job had the understanding of a man in things natural and civil, and of a good man in things spiritual and divine; but he had no understanding of this, of what he is questioned about; could not declare in what place he was, and where he stood, when the earth was founded.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? - The first appeal is to the creation. The question here, “Where wast thou?” implies that Job was not present. He had not then an existence. He could not, therefore, have aided God, or counselled him, or understood what he was doing. How presumptuous, therefore, it was in one so short-lived to sit in judgment on the doings of him who had formed the world! How little could he expect to be able to know of him! The expression, “laid the foundations of the earth,” is taken from building an edifice. The foundations are first laid, and the super-structure is then reared. It is a poetic image, and is not designed to give any intimation about the actual process by which the earth was made, or the manner in which it is sustained.

If thou hast understanding - Margin, as in Hebrew “if thou knowest.” That is, “Declare how it was done. Explain the manner in which the earth was formed and fixed in its place, and by which the beautiful world grew up under the hand of God.” If Job could not do this, what presumption was it to speak as he had done of the divine adminisitration!

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 38:4. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? — Thou hast a limited and derived being; thou art only of yesterday; what canst thou know? Didst thou see me create the world?