Job 38:21

 Job 38:21

Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

a. ASV: Doubtless, thou knowest, for thou wast then born, And the number of thy days is great! [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: Thou hast known -- for then thou art born And the number of thy days are many!    [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.]

c. Classic Amplified: You must know, since you were born then! Or because you are so extremely old! [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Job, Jewish Publication Society of America Text: Thou knowest it. For thou wast then born. And the number of thy days is great!  [Soncino Books of the Bible, Job, 1946; Jewish Publication Society of America Text; Commentary, Rabbi Dr. Victor E. Reichert]

e. ESV: You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great! [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

1. “Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?”

a. Knowest [thou it] [Strong: 3045 yâdaʻ, yaw-dah'; a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.):—acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, × could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, be learned, lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, × prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), × will be, wist, wit, wot.]

b. because [Strong: 3588 kîy, kee; a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:—and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

c. [thou wast] then [Strong: 227 ʼâz, awz; a demonstrative adverb; at that time or place; also as a conjunction, therefore:—beginning, for, from, hitherto, now, of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet.]

d. born [Strong: 3205 yâlad, yaw-lad'; a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage:—bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).]

e. [or because the] number [Strong: 4557 miçpâr, mis-pawr'; from H5608; a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerable; small, a few); also (abstractly) narration:— abundance, account, × all, × few, (in-) finite, (certain) number(-ed), tale, telling, time.]

f. [of thy] days [Strong: 3117 yôwm, yome; from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb):—age, always, chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), elder, × end, evening, (for) ever(-lasting, -more), × full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, old, outlived, perpetually, presently, remaineth, × required, season, × since, space, then, (process of) time, as at other times, in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), × whole ( age), (full) year(-ly), younger.]

g. [is] great [Strong: 7227 rab, rab; by contracted from H7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality):—(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly), captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), (ship-)master, mighty, more, (too, very) much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous, populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).]

1). Henry Morris, Biblical Basis for Modern Science; p357: In chapters 38, 39, God asks a series of rhetorical questions concerning different facts of His creation, all indicating a number of fully accurate scientific perspective, and even suggesting a number of scientific facts millennia before their recognition by modern scientists.

2). Here God is being sarcastic with Job.