Job 38:31

Job 38:31

Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

a. NLT: “Can you direct the movement of the stars—binding the cluster of the Pleiades
or loosening the cords of Orion?

b. NIV: Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion?

c. YLT: Dost thou bind sweet influences of Kimah? Or the attractions of Kesil dost thou open?

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Can you bind the chains of [the cluster of stars called] Pleiades, or loose the cords of [the constellation] Orion?

e. Septuagint: And dost thou understand the band of Pleias, and hast thou opened the barrier of Orion?

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Did you tie up the bond of Pleiades, or unbind the cords of Orion?

1. “Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades…”

a. Canst thou bind [7194 * qushar][Gesenius: to bind, tie, bind together, league together, conspire, to bind, confine, to league together, conspire, to be bound, be bound up, to bind on, to bind fast

to bind, tie, to bind to oneself,  robust, vigorous (participle), to conspire.]

b. the sweet influences [4575 * ma’ adannah]   [Gesenius: bonds, bands.][Strongs: a bond, i.e. group:--influence.][AMG: A feminine plural noun referring to chains, fetters. It is used to describe the chains or bands tying together the Pleiades constellation.

1). As we shall see in the following notes the line of thought is our inability as men to change the seasons, as comparable to Almighty God wo not only created them but created the seasons as well.

2). [British Family Bible: Canst thou alter the seasons of the year, or cause a restraint of the spring, summer, autumn, &c.?... "The sweet influences" are the pleasant season of spring: "the bands" are the rigours of winter, when the earth is bound with frost. The chief attention of the Arabs was, not so much to the planets, as to the fixed stars; their rising and setting, and their supposed influence in producing rain, wind, heat, cold, and all other changes of weather. Scott.]

3). [Thomas Scott: The different seasons of the year are marked out by the relative situation of the fixed stars to the earth and to the sun. But could Job prevent the effects of those constellations, which presided either over the genial spring or the dreary winter?]

4). [Adam Clark’s Commentary: 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.]

c. . Pleiades [3598 * kiymah][Gesenius: a heap or cluster, a constellation of seven stars.][Strong: a cluster of stars.]

1). An interesting fact about this passage is that Bible scholars believe that Job is the oldest book of the Bible and yet these constellations are already known. This is understandable in light of the belief that the original revelation of the Mazzaroth, the twelve signs of the Zodiac was the plan of redemption in the life of Christ, in fact we would expect it, and so I believe.    

2). The Witness of the Stars, Bullinger: “This word [Pleiades] means “the congregation of the judge or ruler”, comes to us through the Greek Septuagint as the translation of the Hebrew kimah, which means the heap or accumulation.”

a). The Pleiades are located in the neck of Taurus the bull.

2. “…or loose the bands of Orion?”

a. or loose [6605 * pathach] [Gesenius: to open, to open, to be opened, be let loose, be thrown open, to free, to loosen, to open, open oneself, to loose oneself, to carve, engrave.]

b. the bands [4189 * mowshekah] [Gesenius: cord.][Strong: something drawing, i.e. (figuratively) a cord:--band.]  

c. of Orion [3685 * Keciyl] [Gesenius: constellation, Orion, to engrave].