Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 38:13
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
13. ends of the earth ] lit. skirts or wings of the earth. The figure is beautiful; the dawn as it pours forth along the whole horizon, on both sides of the beholder, lays hold of the borders of the earth, over which night lay like a covering; and seizing this covering by its extremities it shakes the wicked out of it. The wicked flee from the light. The dawn is not a physical phenomenon merely, it is a moral agent.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth – Margin, as in Hebrew wings. Wings are in the Scriptures frequently given to the earth, because it seems to be spread out, and the expression refers to its extremities. The language is derived from the supposition that the earth was a plain, and had limits or bounds. The idea here is, that God causes the light of the morning suddenly to spread to the remotest parts of the world, and to reveal everything which was there.
That the wicked might be shaken out of it – Out of the earth; that is, by the light which suddenly shines upon them. The sense is, that the wicked perform their deeds in the darkness of the night, and that in the morning light they flee away. The effect of the light coming upon them is to disturb their plans, to fill them with alarm, and to cause them to flee. The idea is highly poetic. The wicked are engaged in various acts of iniquity under cover of the night. Robbers, thieves, and adulterers, go forth to their deeds of darkness as though no one saw them. The light of the morning steals suddenly upon them, and they flee before it under the apprehension of being detected. The dawn, says Herder, is represented as a watchman, a messenger of the Prince of heaven, sent to chase away the bands of robbers. It may illustrate this to observe that it is still the custom of the Arabs to go on plundering excursions before the dawn. When on their way this faithful watchman, the aurora, goes out to spread light about them, to intimidate them, and to disperse them; compare the notes at Job 24:13-17.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. That the wicked might be shaken out of it?] The meaning appears to be this: as soon as the light begins to dawn upon the earth, thieves, assassins, murderers, and adulterers, who all hate and shun the light, fly like ferocious beasts to their several dens and hiding places; for such do not dare to come to the light, lest their works be manifest, which are not wrought in God. To this verse the fifteenth appears to belong, as it connects immediately with it, which connection the introduction of the fourteenth verse disturbs. “And from the wicked,” such as are mentioned above “their light is withholden;” they love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; and as they prowl after their prey in the night-season, they are obliged to sleep in the day, and thus its “light is withholden” from them. “And the high arm shall be broken;” or, as Mr. Good translates, “The roving of wickedness is broken off.” They can no longer pursue their predatory and injurious excursions.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
That this morning light should in a moment spread itself over the face of the whole earth, from one end of the hemisphere to the other.
Shaken out of it, from the face of the earth. And this effect the morning light hath upon the wicked, partly because it discovers them, and drives them into their lurking holes; whereas the darkness hides them, and draws them forth, and gives them opportunity to execute their villanies without observation, Job 24:15-17; and partly because it brings them to condign punishment, the morning being the most fit and the most usual time for executing judgment; of which see Psa 101:8; Jer 21:12.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. take hold of the ends,&c.spread itself over the earth to its utmost bounds in amoment.
wickedwho hate thelight, and do their evil works in the dark (Job24:13).
shaken out of itThecorners (Hebrew, “wings” or “skirts”) ofit, as of a garment, are taken hold of by the dayspring, so as toshake off the wicked.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,…. As when the morning light springs forth, it quickly does, reaching in a short time the extreme part of the hemisphere; which, and what goes before, may be applied to the light of the Gospel, and the direction of that under divine Providence in the several parts of the world, and unto the ends of it; see Ps 19:4;
that the wicked might be shaken out of it? the earth, by means of the light; which may be understood either of wicked men who have been all night upon works of darkness, and be take themselves on the approach of light to private lurking places, like beasts of prey, so that the earth seems to be, as it were, clear of them; or of their being taken up in the morning for deeds done in the night, and brought to justice, which used to be exercised in mornings, Jer 21:12; and so the earth rid of them: thus wicked men shun the light, of the Gospel, and are condemned by it; and in the latter day light and glory they will cease from the earth; see Joh 3:19.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(13) Shaken out of it.The figure is that of a man shaking a cloth (Job. 24:15-17).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Ends of the earth See note on Job 37:3. Daylight, as it chases evil-doers back to their hiding places, seems “to take hold of the carpet of the earth, as it were, by the edges,” and shake from it the wicked. The dawn shines forth under the figure of “a watchman, a messenger of the prince of heaven sent to chase away bands of robbers,” with their deeds of darkness. In ancient times justice was administered in the early morning, (Jer 21:12,) as Drusius has fully shown. There is an unmistakable allusion to Job’s complaint, (Job 24:16-17.) The constant return of the light of the day “thus becomes an image of the perpetual flight and destruction of wicked men before God.” Ewald, 297.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 38:13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
Ver. 13. That it might take hold of the ends of the earth ] That is, suddenly illighten the whole horizon; for which cause also David ascribeth wings to the morning, Psa 139:9 , so that the light is not a body, nor, as some will have it, a substance, but an accident. The truth is, no man can tell what it is of any certainty; an admirable creature it is, surely a divine and heavenly thing, than which nothing is more desirable, nothing more profitable. Two excellent uses of it are here set forth: 1. To refresh men by the sight of the earth, and the things thereon. 2. To set us upon serious employment, such as is the punishment of evil doers, for so some interpret those next words.
That the wicked might be shaken out of it?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the wicked = lawless. All the ancient versions and early printed editions read “the lawless”
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
take: Psa 19:4-6, Psa 139:9-12
ends: Heb. wings, Job 37:3, *marg.
the wicked: Job 24:13-17, Exo 14:27, Psa 104:21, Psa 104:22, Psa 104:35
Reciprocal: Job 24:16 – they know Job 25:3 – upon whom Job 38:19 – the way Job 38:24 – General Job 38:33 – canst Amo 5:8 – and turneth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
38:13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be {k} shaken out of it?
(k) Who having in the night been given to wickedness, cannot abide the light, but hide themselves.