Job 38:25

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood, Or the way for the lightning of the thunder;

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

מִֽי־פִלַּ֣ג לַשֶּׁ֣טֶף תְּעָלָ֑ה וְ֝דֶ֗רֶךְ לַחֲזִ֥יז קֹלֽוֹת׃

Transliteration

Who-pillag for-šeṭep təʿālâ and-derekə for-ḥăzîz qōlôt?

Grammar Details

*mî*: interrogative pronoun - who?
*pillag*: piel perfect, 3rd masculine singular - he cleft/divided
*la*: preposition - for/to
*šeṭep*: noun, masculine singular - flood/flowing water
*təʿālâ*: noun, feminine singular - channel/conduit
*wə*: conjunction - and
*derekə*: noun, masculine singular - way/path
*ḥăzîz*: noun, masculine singular - lightning
*qōlôt*: noun, masculine plural - thunders/voices

Word Meanings

*pillag*: he cleft/he divided/he split
*šeṭep*: flood/flowing water/torrent
*təʿālâ*: channel/conduit/watercourse
*derekə*: way/path/road
*ḥăzîz*: lightning/thunderbolt
*qōlôt*: thunders/voices/sounds

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Job 28:26 : 26 When he made a decree for the rain, And a way for the lightning of the thunder;
Job 36:27-28 : 27 For he draweth up the drops of water, Which distil in rain from his vapor, 28 Which the skies pour down And drop upon man abundantly.
Job 37:3-6 : 3 He sendeth it forth under the whole heaven, And his lightning unto the ends of the earth. 4 After it a voice roareth; He thundereth with the voice of his majesty; And he restraineth not [the lightnings] when his voice is heard. 5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. 6 For he saith to the snow, Fall thou on the earth; Likewise to the shower of rain, And to the showers of his mighty rain.
Ps 29:3-9 : 3 The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters: The God of glory thundereth, Even Jehovah upon many waters. 4 The voice of Jehovah is powerful; The voice of Jehovah is full of majesty. 5 The voice of Jehovah breaketh the cedars; Yea, Jehovah breaketh in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild-ox. 7 The voice of Jehovah cleaveth the flames of fire. 8 The voice of Jehovah shaketh the wilderness; Jehovah shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of Jehovah maketh the hinds to calve, And strippeth the forests bare: And in his temple everything saith, Glory. 10 Jehovah sat [as King] at the Flood; Yea, Jehovah sitteth as King for ever.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Job 38:24
87%
24By what way is the light parted, Or the east wind scattered upon the earth?
Job 28:25-27
3 verses
83%
25To make a weight for the wind: Yea, he meteth out the waters by measure.
26When he made a decree for the rain, And a way for the lightning of the thunder;
27Then did he see it, and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out.
Job 38:26-29
4 verses
82%
26To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; On the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27To satisfy the waste and desolate [ground], And to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
28Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
Job 38:33-38
6 verses
78%
33Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?
34Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover thee?
35Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, And say unto thee, Here we are?
36Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the mind?
37Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
38When the dust runneth into a mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
Job 37:11
77%
11Yea, he ladeth the thick cloud with moisture; He spreadeth abroad the cloud of his lightning:
Jer 51:16
77%
16when he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries.
Job 37:3-6
4 verses
77%
3He sendeth it forth under the whole heaven, And his lightning unto the ends of the earth.
4After it a voice roareth; He thundereth with the voice of his majesty; And he restraineth not [the lightnings] when his voice is heard.
5God thundereth marvellously with his voice; Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.
6For he saith to the snow, Fall thou on the earth; Likewise to the shower of rain, And to the showers of his mighty rain.
Ps 135:7
76%
7Who causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who maketh lightnings for the rain; Who bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries;
Job 37:15-16
2 verses
76%
15Dost thou know how God layeth [his charge] upon them, And causeth the lightning of his cloud to shine?
16Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, The wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?
Jer 10:13
76%
13when he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries.
Job 38:19
76%
19Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
Ps 77:17-18
2 verses
75%
17The clouds poured out water; The skies sent out a sound: Thine arrows also went abroad.
18The voice of thy thunder was in the whirlwind; The lightnings lightened the world: The earth trembled and shook.
Job 36:27-29
3 verses
75%
27For he draweth up the drops of water, Which distil in rain from his vapor,
28Which the skies pour down And drop upon man abundantly.
29Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, The thunderings of his pavilion?
Job 28:11
75%
11He bindeth the streams that they trickle not; And the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
Job 36:32
75%
32He covereth his hands with the lightning, And giveth it a charge that it strike the mark.
Ps 74:15
74%
15Thou didst cleave fountain and flood: Thou driedst up mighty rivers.
Job 38:8
74%
8Or [who] shut up the sea with doors, When it brake forth, [as if] it had issued out of the womb;
Job 5:10
74%
10Who giveth rain upon the earth, And sendeth waters upon the fields;
Job 38:16
74%
16Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
Job 38:22
74%
22Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
Job 12:15
74%
15Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
Job 26:14
74%
14Lo, these are but the outskirts of his ways: And how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?
Job 26:8
74%
8He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; And the cloud is not rent under them.
Job 38:2
73%
2Who is this that darkeneth counsel By words without knowledge?
Job 38:10
73%
10And marked out for it my bound, And set bars and doors,
Job 38:5
73%
5Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it?
Ps 104:3
72%
3Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters; Who maketh the clouds his chariot; Who walketh upon the wings of the wind;
Job 34:13
72%
13Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who hath disposed the whole world?
Job 41:32
72%
32He maketh a path to shine after him; One would think the deep to be hoary.
Job 28:4
72%
4He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; They are forgotten of the foot; They hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.
Job 38:12
72%
12Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days [began], [And] caused the dayspring to know its place;
2 Sam 22:15
72%
15And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; Lightning, and discomfited them.
Prov 8:28
71%
28When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong,