Job 38:32

Job 38:32

Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

a. NLT: Can you direct the sequence of the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens?

b. NIV: Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs?

c. YLT: Dost thou bring out Mazzaroth in its season? And Aysh for her sons dost thou comfort?

d. Amplified Bible Classic:  Can you lead forth the signs of the zodiac in their season? Or can you guide [the stars of] the Bear with her young?

e. Septuagint: Or wilt thou reveal Mazuroth in his season, and the evening star with his rays? Wilt tho guide them?

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Did you ever take out the constellations in their times, or lead Ursa together with her children?

1. “Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season?”

a. Canst thou bring forth [3318 * yatsa'] [Strong: a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any time, X to (and fro), utter.]

b. mazzaroth [4216 * mazzarah] [Gesenius: Mazzaroth, the 12 signs of the Zodiac and their 36 associated constellations.]

c. in his season [6256 * ‘eth] [Gesenius: time, time (of an event), time (usual), experiences, fortunes, occurrence, occasion.]

1). When the LORD is asking Job if he can “bring forth Mazzaroth in his season”, it is of course a rhetorical question demonstrating the omnipotence of God as compared to man. This rhetorical question does however contain scientific truth. The Constellations proceed across the heavens almost in the same order every year (Note: the slight wobble of the earth’s axis produces a gradual change in the path across the night sky from year to year, but only from the view from the earth). God has set all the stars and galaxies in exact particular orbits across the universe.

a). Jeremiah 31:35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:

b). ordinances [2708 * chuqqah][Gesenius: statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed.][Strong: appointed, custom, manner, ordinance, site, statute.]

2). As demonstrated in Job 38:31, Job’s contemporaries knew where the constellations were in relation to the night sky as to when the seasons began. In Job 38:32 this is what God is asking Job. Can you cause the constellations to proceed across the evening sky to determine the seasons of the year?

3). Also in the light of the original meaning of the signs of the Zodiac, how that each sign represents a different stage in the fulfillment of the plan of redemption, could He is also be asking Job if he could bring to pass each “season” of the plan of salvation, planned before the creation of the earth, 1 Peter 1:18-20.

 2. “…or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?”

a. or canst thou guide [5148 * nachah] [Strong: a primitive root; to guide; by implication, to transport (into exile, or as colonists):--bestow, bring, govern, guide, lead (forth), put, straiten.]

b. Arcturus [5906 * `Ayish; or mAsh] [Strong: from 5789; the constellation of the Great Bear (perhaps from its migration through the heavens):-- Arcturus.]

c. with his sons [1121 * ben] [Strong: from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

1). Again this a continuance of the first rhetorical question and is speaking of the procession of the signs of the Zodiac across the heavens in relation to the seasons of the year. I personally believe it is more than just in relation to the seasons of the year. Each sign represents a different aspect or “season” of the plan of redemption. I believe God is also asking Job rhetorically of course, if he (Job) could bring forth the individual “seasons” of the plan of redemption. Hence not only the constellation Virgo on a yearly season but the season of the birth of the Messiah from a virgin.