Job 38:27

 Job 38:27

To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

a. ASV: To satisfy the waste and desolate ground, And to cause the tender grass to spring forth? [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: To satisfy a desolate and waste place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass?  [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: To satisfy the waste and desolate ground and to cause the tender grass to spring forth? [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Job, Jewish Publication Society of America Text: To satisfy the desolate and waste ground. And to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?   [Soncino Books of the Bible, Job, 1946; Jewish Publication Society of America Text; Commentary, Rabbi Dr. Victor E. Reichert]

e. ESV: To satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground sprout with grass?  [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. “To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?”

a. [To satisfy [Strong: 7646 sâbaʻ, saw-bah'; or שָׂבֵעַ sâbêaʻ; a primitive root; to sate, i.e. fill to satisfaction (literally or figuratively):—have enough, fill (full, self, with), be (to the) full (of), have plenty of, be satiate, satisfy (with), suffice, be weary of.]

b. [the] desolate [Strong: 7722 shôwʼ, sho; or (feminine) שׁוֹאָה shôwʼâh; or שֹׁאָה shôʼâh; from an unused root meaning to rush over; a tempest; by implication, devastation:—desolate(-ion), destroy, destruction, storm, wasteness.]

c. [and] waste [ground] [Strong: 4875 mᵉshôwʼâh, meh-o-aw'; or מְשֹׁאָה mᵉshôʼâh; from the same as H7722; (a) ruin, abstractly (the act) or concretely (the wreck):—desolation, waste.]

d. [and to cause the] bud [Strong: 4161 môwtsâʼ, mo-tsaw'; or מֹצָא môtsâʼxlit môtsâ corrected to môtsâʼ; from H3318; a going forth, i.e. (the act) an egress, or (the place) an exit; hence, a source or product; specifically, dawn, the rising of the sun (the East), exportation, utterance, a gate, a fountain, a mine, a meadow (as producing grass):—brought out, bud, that which came out, east, going forth, goings out, that which (thing that) is gone out, outgoing, proceeded out, spring, vein, (water-) course (springs).]

e. [of the] tender herb [Strong: 1877 desheʼ, deh'-sheh; from H1876; a sprout; by analogy, grass:—(tender) grass, green, (tender) herb.]

f. [to] spring forth [Strong: 6779 tsâmach, tsaw-makh'; a primitive root; to sprout (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative):—bear, bring forth, (cause to, make to) bud (forth), (cause to, make to) grow (again, up), (cause to) spring (forth, up).]

1). Isaiah 55:10, 11 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

a). The same power of God that causes the natural seed to produce in nature causes the seed of the word to produce spiritual growth in obedient and faith believing Christians. 

b). 2 Corinthians 9:8-10 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

9:9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

9:10  Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

2). Other uses of the images of water and in salvation.

a). Deuteronomy 32:2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

b). Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: 

3). There are three distinct works listed in this verse that are God’s will in respect to His word. It will not return void or empty or in vain. It will perform or do His will or what pleases Him, and it will do exactly what it says. We can say with confidence and authority that in some circumstances it is inevitable that God’s word will succeed, but in the human being it is conditioned upon the free will of the individual. It is clearly stated in the Scripture that it is the will of God that all be saved (1 Timothy 2:3, 4; 2 Peter 3:9), but it is also stated clearly that not everyone will be saved (Matthew 7:13, 14; Revelation 14:9-11; Revelation 20:11-15). The ability of the word of God to not return to God void, to accomplish in us what pleases God, and to prosper where God sent it in our lives, is dependent upon our cooperation, our believing and obedience and standing in faith. The parable of the sower clearly reveals this. The parable of the Sower.  The word of God reveals the secrets of the hearts of men. In the parable of the Sower the Scripture reveals how and why all mankind reacts to the word of the kingdom. The supernatural ability, the divine power of the word is available to all, to whosoever hears it. We determine the fruitfulness of the word in our own lives through our free will. If we through free will walk in obedience to the Scriptures, we will produce fruit because God is faithful. If we fail, the responsibility solely rests upon us. God does not predetermine individuals to fail or succeed, the power of the word of the kingdom is made available to all who hear. Notice Jesus words about the impact of God’s word on us.

a). Mark 4:23-25 If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend.

4:24 And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you—and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

4:25 For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away [by force],

4). The Apostle Paul said similar things in his preaching and letters to the churches.

a). Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

b). Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

5). The ability of the word of God to not return to God void, to accomplish in us what pleases God, and to prosper where God sent it in our lives, is dependent upon our cooperation to give large measures of thought and study to it, allowing it to build us up and give us our inheritance, to give us continuing revelation and establishing us in what God’s word says.