Job 40:7

 Job 40:7

Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

a. ASV:  Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.  [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:  Gird up your loins now like a man; I will demand of you, and you answer Me. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Gird your loins like a warrior! I will ask and you will answer Me!  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ltd.]

e. ESV: “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.  [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. “Gird up thy loins now like a man…”

a. Gird up [Strong: 247 ʼâzar, aw-zar'; a primitive root; to belt:—bind (compass) about, gird (up, with).] 

b. [thy] loins [Strong: 2504 châlâts, khaw-lawts'; from H2502 (in the sense of strength); only in the dual; the loins (as the seat of vigor):—loins, reins.

1). The phrase “gird up your loins” is used in a few places in the Old Testament. The two most notable are in Exodus and 1 Kings. 

a). Exodus 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.

(1) It is used here to show God commanded His people to be ready at a moments notice. The use of the phrase in 1 Peter 1:13 suggest that we must be ready also. [Compare 2 Timothy 4:2].

(2) We must remember that Jesus is our Passover, 1 Corinthians 5:7.

b). 1 Kings 18:46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

(1) The distance between Mt. Carmel and Jezreel is about 25 miles. Elijah ran the whole way because the hand of the LORD was upon him. It was a supernatural marathon.

2). The Apostle Paul included having our lions girded in reference to the armor of God that the Lord provides for us in order to live the victorious Christian life.

a). Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

(1) As believers, we need to gird or wrap the truth of the word of God around our minds. This phrase, “gird up the loins of your mind” is no doubt another way to exhort us to meditate the Scriptures, in order to strengthen our minds. When we gird ourselves we wrap something around us, such as a belt, it is to strengthen us. Peter is speaking of our minds, Peter is exhorting us to wrap and strengthen our minds. We are to strengthen and gird our minds with the word of God because as we shall see, it is from revelation knowledge through meditation that the empowering grace comes to us.

3). Barnes' Notes on the Bible: Gird up thy loins now like a man - An expression taken from the ancient mode of dress. That was a loose, flowing robe, which was secured by a girdle when traveling, or when one entered upon anything requiring energy; see the notes at Matthew 5:38-41. The meaning here is, "Prepare thyself for the highest effort that can be made. Put forth all your strength, and explain to me what will now be said;" 

4). Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible: [Concerning Job 38:3 where the same phrase is used.]  Gird up now thy loins like a man,.... Like a man of valour that girds on his harness for battle: Job is bid to prepare for the controversy the Lord was entering into with him; and bring forth his strong reasons and most powerful arguments in his own defence. The allusion is to the custom in the eastern countries, where they wore long garments, to gird them about their loins, when they engaged in work or war.

c. now [Strong: 4994 nâʼ, naw; a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may usually be rendered; 'I pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction:—I beseech (pray) thee (you), go to, now, oh.]

d. [like a] man [Strong: 1397 geber, gheh'-ber; from H1396; properly, a valiant man or warrior; generally, a person simply:—every one, man, × mighty.]

1). This is what men do.

2. “...I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.””

a. [I will] demand of thee [Strong: 7592shâʼal, shaw-al'; or שָׁאֵל shâʼêl; a primitive root; to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand:—ask (counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand, desire, × earnestly, enquire, greet, obtain leave, lend, pray, request, require, salute, × straitly, × surely, wish.]

b. [and] declare [thou unto me] [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.]