Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 38:24
By what way is the light parted, [which] scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
24. The verse seems to mean:
Which is the way to where the light is parted,
And the east wind spreadeth over the earth?
The phrase in clause first is the same as in Job 38:19. The words may mean by which way, or road, is light parted? The “light” was already referred to in Job 38:19, and some consider the word to mean lightning here. This, however, comes from above and is spoken of in Job 38:25. More probably the reference is to the wonderful diffusion of light over the whole earth, and the query concerns the way or path by which this takes place. Such a path appears to lie in the East, from whence also the stormy wind spreads over the earth; hence the two are brought into connexion. Job, of course, knows the way along which this diffusion of light and wind takes place.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
24 27. The stormy wind, rain and lightning.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
By what way is the light parted – The reference here is to the light of the morning, that seems to come from one point, and to spread itself at once over the whole earth. It seems to be collected in the east, or, as it were, condensed or concentrated there, and then to divide itself, and to expand over the face of the world. God here asks Job whether he could explain this, or show in what manner it was done. This was one of the subjects which might be supposed early to excite inquiry, and is one which can be as little explained now as then. The causes of the propagation of light, which seems to proceed from a center and to spread rapidly in every direction, are perhaps as little known now as they were in the time of Job. Philosophy has done little to explain this, and the mode in which light is made to travel in eight minutes from the sun to the earth – a distance of ninety million miles – and the manner in which it is divided or parted from that great center, and spread over the solar system, is as much of a real mystery as it was in the days of Job, and the question proposed here may be asked now with as much emphasis as it was then.
Which scattereth the east wind upon the earth – According to this translation, the idea would be that somehow light is the cause of the east wind. But it may be doubted whether this is the true interpretation, and whether it is meant to be affirmed that light has any agency in causing the wind to blow. Herder renders it:
When doth the light divide itself,
When the east wind streweth it upon the earth?
According to this, the idea would be that the light of the morning seemed to be borne along by the wind. Umbreit renders it, Where is the way upon which the east wind flows forth upon the earth? That is, the east wind, like the light, comes from a certain point, and seems to spread abroad over the world; and the question is, whether Job could explain this? This interpretation is adopted by Rosenmuller and Noyes, and seems to be demanded by the parallelism, and by the nature of the case. The cause of the rapid spreading of the wind from a certain point of the compass, was involved in as much obscurity as the propagation of the light, nor is that cause much better understood now. There is no reason to suppose that the spread of the light, has any particular agency in causing the east wind, as our common version seems to suppose, nor is that idea necessarily in the Hebrew text. The east wind is mentioned here either because the light comes from the east, and the wind from that quarter was more naturally suggested than any other, or because the east wind was remarkable for its violence. The idea that a strong east wind was somehow connected with the dawn of day or the rising of the sun, was one that prevailed, at least to some extent, among the ancients. Thus, Catullus (lxiv. 270ff) says:
Hic qualis flatu placidum mare matutino
Horrificans zephyrus proclivas incitat undas
Aurora exoriente, vagi sub lumina solis.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 24. By what way is the light parted] Who can accurately describe the cause and operation of a thunder cloud, the cause, nature, and mode of operation of the lightning itself? Is it a simple element or compound substance? What is its velocity? and why not conductible by every kind of substance, as it is known to exist in all, and, indeed, to be diffused through every portion of nature? How is it parted? How does it take its zigzag form? this is the curious, indescribable, and unknown parting. Are all the causes of positive and negative electricity found out? What are its particles, and how do they cohere, and in what order are they propagated? Much has been said on all these points, and how little of that much satisfactorily!
Scattereth the east wind upon the earth?] kadim, the eastern storm, euroclydon, or levanter.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
By what way; dost thou know all the causes, means, methods, and circumstances of this work of God? Is the light parted or dispersed or distributed, to wit, in the air, or upon the face of the earth? By
light he understands either,
1. The lightning, which breaks forth suddenly out of a cloud, and with strange swiftness disperseth itself, and fleeth from east to west, as is noted, Mat 24:27. But this word light put by itself, and being understood properly, is constantly used in this book for the light of the sun, and never for the lightning; and where it is meant of the lightning, there is some other word added to it, as Job 37:15, where it is called the light of his cloud. And besides, he speaks of the lightning in the next verse; which were superfluous, if it were here mentioned. Or rather,
2. Of the light of the sun, which is commonly called light without any other word added to it, as Job 3:4,9,16; 24:14; 25:3, &c. And this light of the sun is variously parted or distributed in the world, shining in one place and time, when it doth not shine in another; or for a longer time, or with greater brightness, and power, and virtue, than it doth in another; all which are the effects of Gods infinite wisdom and power, and such as were out of Jobs reach to understand, or at least to effect.
Which scattereth the east wind upon the earth, i.e. which light scattereth, &c., i.e. raiseth, the east wind, and causeth it to blow hither and thither upon the earth. For as the sun is justly called by the poets and others the father of the winds, because he draws up those exhalations which give matter to the winds, and for other reasons; so in particular the east wind is oft observed to rise together with the sun, from which also it hath both its Latin and Greek name. But some make this a distinct question from the former, and render the words thus; and (repeat, by which way)
the east wind (under which all the other winds may be comprehended) scattereth itself upon the earth, i.e. whence the winds come, and whither they go, which is mentioned as a secret in nature, Joh 3:8, and how it comes to pass that they blow in such several manners, and with such various and even contrary effects. Or thus, and by which way the east wind scattereth (to wit, the clouds, or other light things; for this is noted in Scripture to be a most vehement wind, and to scatter the clouds, Exo 14:21; Jon 4:8)
upon the earth, i.e. whence it comes to pass that the east wind was so violent and furious. But the words may be rendered thus, which (i.e. which light of the sun, or when it, to wit, this light) scattereth itself (as divers here render this word, that conjugation being often used reciprocally, as is confessed) from (the prefix mem being understood, as it is very frequently in the Hebrew text)
the east (for this Hebrew word doth not only signify the eastern wind, but also the east, or the eastern part of the heavens or earth, as Eze 40:19; 42:16; Hab 1:9, and in many other places; and kedem, the root of this word, is constantly so used) upon or over the earth, all over the earth. And this is justly mentioned as a wonderful work of God, that as soon as ever the sun ariseth, it parteth or scattereth its light in an instant from one end of the hemisphere to another. But this I propose with submission.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
24. is . . . partedparts, soas to diffuse itself over the whole earth, though seeming to comefrom one point. Light travels from the sun to the earth, ninetymillions of miles, in eight minutes.
which scatterethrather,”And by what way the east wind (personified) spreads(scattereth) itself.” The light and east wind are associatedtogether, as both come from one quarter, and often arise together(Jon 4:8).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
By what way is the light parted,…. That is, dost thou know by what way it is parted or divided? as at the first creation, when God divided the light from darkness, Ge 1:4; or at sun rising and sun setting; and so in the two hemispheres, when there is darkness on the one, and light on the other; or under the two poles, when there are interchangeably six months light and six months darkness. Or how it is parted in an unequal distribution of day and night, at different seasons and in different climates; or how on one and the same day, and at the same time, the sun shall shine in one part of the earth, and not another; and more especially if this had been now a fact, and known, that there should be darkness all over the land of Egypt, and light in Goshen. Some understand this of lightning, but that is later mentioned;
[which] scattereth the east wind upon the earth? that rising sometimes with the sun, or first spring of light; see Jon 4:8; or which light spreads and diffuses itself “from the east”, as it may be rendered. The sun rises in the east, and in a very quick and surprising manner spreads and diffuses its light throughout the hemisphere. Or this may respect the east wind itself, which scatters the clouds; and either spreads them in the heavens over the earth, or disperses them and drives away rain x, as the north wind does: or as Mr. Broughton renders the words, “and the east wind scattereth itself over the earth”; it blowing invisibly and without our knowledge, goes and returns as other winds do, Joh 3:8.
x “Agente nimbos ocyor euro”. Horat. Carmin. l. 2. Ode 16.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(24) By what way is the light parted?i.e., distributed in turn to all the inhabitants of the earth.
The east wind.As naturally suggested by the origin of light and the mention of it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
24. By what way, etc. What is the way that light divides itself? (Dillmann and Hitzig.) Which scattereth, etc. [ How ] does the east wind scatter itself over the earth? The east wind, for diffusiveness and destructiveness corresponding to the Eurus of the classics, is here used representatively. It was an east wind that was summoned to hurl the wicked man out of his place, (Job 27:21, on which see note,) and an east wind also which broke the ships of Tarshish. Psa 48:7. The reason that light and the east wind are mentioned together may be that they both take their rise in the same quarter of the sky, or because of the extreme heat associated with each.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 38:24 By what way is the light parted, [which] scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
Ver. 24. By what way is the light parted ] sc. From the clouds by lightning, or from darkness by the sunrising? Knowest thou that? Or the cause of it? Nothing less. Something philosophers have to say here, but upon no great certainty.
Which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
part = divide up into parts: as the rays of light in a prism.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Job 38:12, Job 38:13, Jon 4:8, Mat 24:27
Reciprocal: Job 28:7 – a path Job 37:15 – the light Psa 135:7 – he maketh lightnings Psa 147:8 – covereth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 38:24. By what way is the light parted Or dispersed, or distributed, namely, in the air, or upon the face of the earth. This is variously distributed in the world, shining in one place and time, when it doth not shine in another, or for a longer time, or with greater brightness and power than it doth in another; all which are the effects of Gods infinite wisdom and power, and such as were out of Jobs reach to understand. Which scattereth the east wind Which light scattereth, or raises the east wind, and causes it to blow hither and thither upon the earth? For as the sun is called by the poets, the father of the winds, because he rarefies the atmosphere by his heat, or condenses it by drawing up and loading it with vapours, and thereby destroys the equilibrium of it which produces winds; so, in particular, the east wind is often observed to rise together with the sun. But as there is no Hebrew for which, the words , japhetz kadim, would, perhaps, be better translated, By what way does the east wind scatter itself? continuing the interrogation, and making this a distinct question. That is, whence do the winds come, and whither do they go? And how comes it to pass, that they blow in so many manners, and with such various and contrary effects?