Job 26:14
New International Version
And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?”

New Living Translation
These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?”

English Standard Version
Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

Berean Standard Bible
Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”

King James Bible
Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

New King James Version
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

New American Standard Bible
“Behold, these are the fringes of His ways; And how faint a word we hear of Him! But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”

NASB 1995
“Behold, these are the fringes of His ways; And how faint a word we hear of Him! But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”

NASB 1977
“Behold, these are the fringes of His ways; And how faint a word we hear of Him! But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”

Legacy Standard Bible
Behold, these are the fringes of His ways; And how only with a whisper of a word do we hear of Him! But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”

Amplified Bible
“Yet these are just the fringes of His ways [mere samples of His power], The faintest whisper of His voice! Who can contemplate the thunder of His [full] mighty power?”

Christian Standard Bible
These are but the fringes of his ways; how faint is the word we hear of him! Who can understand his mighty thunder?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
These are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the word we hear of Him! Who can understand His mighty thunder?

American Standard Version
Lo, these are but the outskirts of his ways: And how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Behold these all are from the tip of his ways, and what evil statement has been heard about him, and the immensity of his heroism who comprehends?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Behold, these are parts of his way; and we will hearken to him at the least intimation of his word: but the strength of his thunder who knows, when he shall employ it?

Contemporary English Version
These things are merely a whisper of God's power at work. How little we would understand if this whisper ever turned into thunder!

Douay-Rheims Bible
Lo, these things are said in part of his ways: and seeing we have heard scarce a little drop of his word, who shall be able to behold the thunder of his greatness?

English Revised Version
Lo, these are but the outskirts of his ways: and how small a whisper do we hear of him! but the thunder of his power who can understand?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"These are only glimpses of what he does. We [only] hear a whisper of him! Who can understand the thunder of his power?"

Good News Translation
But these are only hints of his power, only the whispers that we have heard. Who can know how truly great God is?

International Standard Version
Indeed, these are the fringes of his ways, and how faint is the whisper we've heard of it! But who can comprehend the thunder of his might?"

JPS Tanakh 1917
Lo, these are but the outskirts of His ways; And how small a whisper is heard of Him! But the thunder of His mighty deeds who can understand?

Literal Standard Version
Behold, these [are] the borders of His way, and how little a matter is heard of Him, and who understands the thunder of His might?”

Majority Standard Bible
Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”

New American Bible
Lo, these are but the outlines of his ways, and what a whisper of a word we hear of him: Who can comprehend the thunder of his power?

NET Bible
Indeed, these are but the outer fringes of his ways! How faint is the whisper we hear of him! But who can understand the thunder of his power?"

New Revised Standard Version
These are indeed but the outskirts of his ways; and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

New Heart English Bible
Look, these are but the outskirts of his ways. How small a whisper do we hear of him. But the thunder of his power who can understand?"

Webster's Bible Translation
Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

World English Bible
Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways. How small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

Young's Literal Translation
Lo, these are the borders of His way, And how little a matter is heard of Him, And the thunder of His might Who doth understand?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job: Who Can Understand God's Majesty?
13By His breath the skies were cleared; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. 14Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”

Cross References
Job 4:12
Now a word came to me secretly; my ears caught a whisper of it.

Job 36:29
Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?

Job 37:4
Then there comes a roaring sound; He thunders with His majestic voice. He does not restrain the lightning when His voice resounds.

Job 37:5
God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things we cannot comprehend.

Job 42:5
My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You.

Habakkuk 3:4
His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden.


Treasury of Scripture

See, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

how little

Job 11:7-9
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? …

Psalm 139:6
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Psalm 145:3
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

the thunder

Job 40:9
Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

1 Samuel 2:10
The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

Psalm 29:3
The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.

Jump to Previous
Acts Borders Deeds Ears Faint Fringe Fringes Hear Heard Little Mighty Outer Outside Outskirts Parts Portion Power Small Thunder Understand Ways Whisper Word Works
Jump to Next
Acts Borders Deeds Ears Faint Fringe Fringes Hear Heard Little Mighty Outer Outside Outskirts Parts Portion Power Small Thunder Understand Ways Whisper Word Works
Job 26
1. Job, reproving the uncharitable spirit of Bildad
5. acknowledges the power of God to be infinite and unsearchable














(14) These are parts.--Literally, ends--just the merest outskirts. For "is heard" we may render do we hear; and for "the thunder of His power," the thunder of His mighty deeds. We can only hear the faintest whisper of His glory, and cannot understand or endure the full-toned thunder of His majesty. Here, then, is Job's final reply to the arguments of his friends. He shows himself even more conscious than they of the grandeur and holiness of God; but that has in no way rendered his position as a sufferer more intelligible--rather the reverse--nor theirs as defenders of the theory of exact retribution. He cannot understand and they cannot explain; but while he rejects their explanations, he rests secure in his own faith.

Verse 14. - Lo, these are parts of his ways; literally, ends of his ways; i.e. the mere outskirts and fringe of his doings. But how small a portion is heard of him? rather, how small a whisper? But the thunder of his power who can understand?, or, the thunder of his mighty deeds. Job implies that he has not enumerated one-half of God's great works - he has just hinted at them, just whispered of them. If they were all thundered out in the ears of mortal man. who could receive them or comprehend them



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Indeed,
הֶן־ (hen-)
Interjection
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

these [are]
אֵ֤לֶּה ׀ (’êl·leh)
Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

but the fringes
קְצ֬וֹת (qə·ṣō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 7098: A termination

of His ways;
דְּרָכָ֗יו (də·rā·ḵāw)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

how
וּמַה־ (ū·mah-)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

faint
שֵּׁ֣מֶץ (šê·meṣ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8102: An inkling

is the whisper
דָּ֭בָר (dā·ḇār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

we hear
נִשְׁמַע־ (niš·ma‘-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

of Him!
בּ֑וֹ (bōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

Who then
מִ֣י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

can understand
יִתְבּוֹנָֽן׃ (yiṯ·bō·w·nān)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 995: To separate mentally, understand

the thunder
וְרַ֥עַם (wə·ra·‘am)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7482: A peal of thunder

of His power?”
גְּ֝בוּרוֹתָ֗יו‪‬ (gə·ḇū·rō·w·ṯāw)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1369: Force, valor, victory


Links
Job 26:14 NIV
Job 26:14 NLT
Job 26:14 ESV
Job 26:14 NASB
Job 26:14 KJV

Job 26:14 BibleApps.com
Job 26:14 Biblia Paralela
Job 26:14 Chinese Bible
Job 26:14 French Bible
Job 26:14 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Job 26:14 Behold these are but the outskirts (Jb)
Job 26:13
Top of Page
Top of Page