Job 26:13 Commentary and Bible Study

By God’s Spirit the stars were put in place in the form of a glorious display, which, using such profound understatement, is compared to a person putting on a beautiful garment. The word of God combines the most formidable argument with the most elegant and beautiful expression. How marvellous that truth comes to us in such a form. The work involved in God creating the stars and fixing them in their position is incalculable. From our location in the galaxy we can only see a small portion of what is there. This entire display was put on for the benefit of mankind, the only creature in this physical universe capable of knowing God and thinking his thoughts after him. Only man can grasp something of the majesty of God reflected in his works, and worship him in response. God has worked on such a superabundant scale that he is prepared to create trillions of stars knowing that man will only ever see a tiny fraction of them, but pleased that this nevertheless conveys a lesson to him about the overwhelming power of God. It creates a context for man’s existence. which teaches him how much greater the Lord is than anything we have seen of him so far. This is the purpose that lies behind creation of the heavens.The second half of the verse is interpreted in two different ways again depending on the root chosen for the verb. Two similar Hebrew verbs mean to begin, form (also to writhe, twist, travail in birth), or to bore, pierce. The KJV, taking the first meaning, understands here a description of a constellation in the heavens which is drawn between Ursa Major and Cepheus (Barnes). Many other versions take the second meaning and understand a sea creature – the crooked, or better, fleeing serpent – equivalent to Leviathan. This creature is certainly referred to by God later (Job 41:1), and could be a figure of Satan, who will ultimately be pierced.