Job 38:31

_CANST THOU BIND THE SWEET INFLUENCES OF PLEIADES, OR LOOSE THE BANDS OF ORION?_ Sweet influences, х_ MA`ªDANOWT_ (H4575), from _ `AADAN_ (H6029), to be delightful; whence comes Eden] - the joy diffused by spring, the time when the Pleiades х_ KIYMAAH_ (H3598)] appear. The Eastern poets Hafiz, Sadi, etc., describe them as 'brilliant rosettes.' Gesenius 'bands' or 'knot,' which answers better the parallelism. [He supposes the Hebrew is a transposition for ma`ªnadowt, from _ `AANAD_ (H6029), bound.] But the English version agrees better with the Hebrew. The seven stars are closely 'bound' together (note, Job 9:9). 'Canst thou bind or loose the tie?' 'Canst thou loose the bonds by which the cons

25-41 Hitherto God had put questions to Job to show him his ignorance; now God shows his weakness. As it is but little that he knows, he ought not to arraign the Divine counsels; it is but little he can do, therefore he ought not to oppose the ways of Providence. See the all-sufficiency of the Divine Providence; it has wherewithal to satisfy the desire of every living thing. And he that takes care of the young ravens, certainly will not be wanting to his people. This being but one instance of the Divine compassion out of many, gives us occasion to think how much good our God does, every day, beyond what we are aware of. Every view we take of his infinite perfections, should remind us of his right to our love, the evil of sinning against him, and our need of his mercy and salvation....

Verse Job 38:31. _CANST THOU BIND THE SWEET INFLUENCES OF PLEIADES_] The _Pleiades_ are a constellation in the sign _Taurus_. They consist of _six stars_ visible to the naked eye; to a good eye, in a clear night, _seven_ are discernible; but with a _telescope_ ten times the number may be readily counted. They make their appearance in the _spring_. _Orion_ may be seen in the morning, towards the end of _October_, and is visible through _November, December_, and _January_; and hence, says Mr. _Good_, it becomes a correct and elegant synecdoche for the winter at large. The _Pleiades_ are elegantly opposed to _Orion_, as the _vernal_ renovation of nature is opposed to its _wintry_ destruction; the mild and open benignity of _spring_, to the severe and icy inactivity of _winter_. I have already e

CANST THOU BIND THE SWEET INFLUENCES OF PLEIADES? - The seven stars. On the meaning of the word used here (כימה _kı̂ymâh_), see the notes at Job 9:9. In regard to the meaning of the word rendered “sweet influences,” there has been considerable variety of interpretation. The Septuagint renders it, “Dost thou understand the band (δεσμόν _desmon_) of Pleiades?” The Hebrew word (מעדנה _ma‛ădannâh_) is naturally derived from a word signifying “pleasures,” or “delights” (מעדן _ma‛âdan_, from עדן _‛__âdan_, “to be soft, or pliant; to enjoy pleasure or delight”; hence, the word “Eden”), and then it would mean, as in our translation, the delightful influences of the Pleiades; or

CLOSE OF THE CONTROVERSY BY THE INTERFERENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY. EXPOSITION The discourse, by which the Almighty answers Job and rebukes his "friends," occupies four chapters (ch. 38-41.). It is broken into two parts by the interposition of a-short confession on Job's part (Job 40:3). Job 38:1 and Job 39:1 are closely connected, and form a single appeal—a sort of _argumentum ad verecundiam—_to_ _Job's profound ignorance of God's natural government, which incapacitates him from passing judgment upon what is far more incomprehensible and myste

CANST THOU BIND THE SWEET INFLUENCES OF PLEIADES,.... Of which Job 9:9; and this constellation of the seven stars which is meant, rising in the spring, the pleasantnesses of the season, as the word may be rendered, may be intended here; which cannot be restrained or hindered from taking place in the proper course of the year; which is beautifully described in Song of Solomon 2:12; and may in a spiritual sense relate to the effects of powerful and efficacious grace, the influences of which are irresistible, and cause a springtime in the souls of men, where it was before winter, a state of darkness, deadness, coldness, hardness, and unfruitfulness, but now the reverse. Some versions read, "the bands of the Pleiades" l, as if the sense was, canst thou gather and bind, or cluster together, such a constellati

V. THE LORD'S TESTIMONY TO JOB AND CONTROVERSY WITH HIM CHAPTER 38:1-38 _ 1. The Lord speaks to Job (Job 38:1)_ 2. The questions of the Lord (Job 38:4) Job 38:1. The voice of man is hushed; the voice of the Lord begins to speak. The Almighty, the Creator, the Lord of All comes now upon the scene. He too, like Elihu, had been the silent listener; He heard Job's complaint and wailing and the babblings of his friends. Elihu's wonderful utterance, inspired by the Lord, was ended. The thunderstorm is on, no doubt a literal storm, the dark clouds gather-- _ Then from the North there comes a golden light._ God appears in wondrous Majesty ...

THE WONDERS OF THE INANIMATE CREATION. Where was Job when the earth was made? The work of creation is described as the building of a house. In Job 38:7 the stars, which are older than the world (contrast Genesis 1:16), are thought of as animated beings: the sons of God are the angels. The morning stars and the angels then composed the choir at the laying of earth's foundation-stone; the stone-laying, therefore, took place in the morning. JOB 38:8 speaks of the taming of the sea: when it burst forth from the womb of chaos, God clothed the newborn child with the cloud and swaddled it with thick cloud. In Job 38:10 read as _mg._ and brake for it

PLEIADES. Hebrew. _kimah._ See App-12. ORION. Hebrew kesil. App-12....

A survey of the inanimate creation, the wonders of earth and sky the earth, Job 38:4; the heavens, Job 38:18...