Job 26:13

Job 26:13

By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

a. NLT: His Spirit made the heavens beautiful, and his power pierced the gliding serpent. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: By his breath the skies became fair; his hand pierced the gliding serpent. [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

c. YLT: By His Spirit the heavens He beautified, Formed hath His hand the fleeing serpent. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible Classic: By His breath the heavens are garnished; His hand pierced the [swiftly] fleeing serpent. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: And the barriers of heaven fear him, and by a command he has slain the apostate dragon.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: By His breath the heavens were spread; His hand fashioned the [earth-] girdling serpent. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens…”

a. By his spirit [7307 * ruwach] [Strong: from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)), tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).]

1). More than a few translations have “breath” instead of “spirit”.

a). Job 26:13 [Christian Standard Bible] By his breath the heavens gained their beauty; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

b). Job 26:13 [NASB 2020] “By His breath the heavens are cleared; His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent.

c).Job 26:13 [New English Translation] By his breath the skies became fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

2). God created the heavens by the breath of His mouth. He spoke the heavens and the earth into existence.

a). Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

b. [he hath] garnished [Strong: 8235 shiphrah shif-raw' from 8231; rightness:--garnish.] [AMG:A femine noun indicating brightness, clearness. It refers to making something appear clean, neat, clear of visibility.] [Gesenius: brightness, beauty…” by his (God’s) Spirit the heavens were made brightness”, i.e., splendid, most splendid. Several interpreters have supposed [the Hebrew] to be (to make beautiful, to adorn, with stars and constellations)…”]

c. the heavens [8064 * shamayim] [Strongs: dual of an unused sing.] [Gesenius: heaven.] [AMG:A masculine noun meaning sky, heaven, abode, firmament, air, stars.]

2. “…his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.” 

a. his hand [3027 * yad] [Strong: a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad, (broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, + creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship, force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in, labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine, ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain, power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing, + thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side, where, + wide, X with (him, me, you), work, + yield, X yourselves.]

b. [hath] formed [2342 * chuwl or chiyl] [Strongs: to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner) to dance, to writhe in pain…] [Gesenius: to be twisted, to bring forth, to be strong, to wait, delay, to be born…] [AMG: This word has many different meanings, most of which derive from two basic ideas: to whirl in motion and to writhe in pain…This word is also used to describe the labor pains of giving birth, but can also imply God’s creative work…]

c. the crooked [1281 *  bariyach or bariach] [Strong: from 1272; a fugitive, i.e. the serpent (as fleeing), and the constellation by that name:--crooked, noble, piercing.]

d. serpent [5175 * nachash] [Strong: from 5172; a snake (from its hiss):--serpent.]

1). This verse in the first half of the verse is referring to the creation of the heavens and depending on the translation, the last part is continuing the subject of creation or the   prophetic declaration of the defeat of the enemy. Similar to Genesis 3:15. The original purpose of the heavens in particular the constellations was to reveal the plan of redemption to mankind.

2). The NLT, NIV, Amplified Bible, and the Septuagint all agree with the thought the serpent is being pierced. The King James and the Jewish translation favor the designing and creating the constellation.