Job 38:14
New International Version
The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment.

New Living Translation
As the light approaches, the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal; it is robed in brilliant colors.

English Standard Version
It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment.

Berean Standard Bible
The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.

King James Bible
It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

New King James Version
It takes on form like clay under a seal, And stands out like a garment.

New American Standard Bible
“It is changed like clay under the seal; And they stand out like a garment.

NASB 1995
“It is changed like clay under the seal; And they stand forth like a garment.

NASB 1977
“It is changed like clay under the seal; And they stand forth like a garment.

Legacy Standard Bible
It is changed like clay under the seal; And they stand forth like clothing.

Amplified Bible
“The earth is changed like clay into which a seal is pressed; And the things [of the earth] stand out like a [multi-colored] garment.

Christian Standard Bible
The earth is changed as clay is by a seal; its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The earth is changed as clay is by a seal; its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.

American Standard Version
It is changed as clay under the seal; And all things stand forth as a garment:

Contemporary English Version
Early dawn outlines the hills like stitches on clothing or sketches on clay.

English Revised Version
It is changed as clay under the seal; and all things stand forth as a garment:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The earth changes like clay stamped by a seal, and [parts of it] stand out like [folds in] clothing.

Good News Translation
Daylight makes the hills and valleys stand out like the folds of a garment, clear as the imprint of a seal on clay.

International Standard Version
Like clay is molded by a signet ring, the earth's hills and valleys then stand out like the colors of a garment.

Majority Standard Bible
The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.

NET Bible
The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features are dyed like a garment.

New Heart English Bible
It is changed as clay under the seal, and stands forth as a garment.

Webster's Bible Translation
It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

World English Bible
It is changed as clay under the seal, and presented as a garment.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
It turns itself as clay of a seal "" And they station themselves as clothed.

Young's Literal Translation
It turneth itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.

Smith's Literal Translation
It shall be turned as clay to the seal; and they shall stand as clothing.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The seal shall be restored as clay, and shall stand as a garment :

Catholic Public Domain Version
The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment.

New American Bible
The earth is changed as clay by the seal, and dyed like a garment;

New Revised Standard Version
It is changed like clay under the seal, and it is dyed like a garment.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
So that their bodies shall be turned into clay, and be thrown into a heap.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Their bodies shall be changed like clay, and they shall rise as clothing
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
It is changed as clay under the seal; And they stand as a garment.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Or didst thou take clay of the ground, and form a living creature, and set it with the power of speech upon the earth?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God Challenges Job
13that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it? 14The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its hills stand out like the folds of a garment. 15Light is withheld from the wicked, and their upraised arm is broken.…

Cross References
Genesis 1:3-5
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. / And God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. / God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

Psalm 104:20-23
You bring darkness, and it becomes night, when all the beasts of the forest prowl. / The young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. / The sun rises, and they withdraw; they lie down in their dens. ...

Isaiah 45:7
I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things.

Jeremiah 33:25
This is what the LORD says: If I have not established My covenant with the day and the night and the fixed order of heaven and earth,

Proverbs 4:18
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

Psalm 19:1-6
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. / Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. / Without speech or language, without a sound to be heard, ...

Isaiah 60:1-2
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. / For behold, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear over you.

Daniel 2:22
He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.

Ecclesiastes 11:7
Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.

Psalm 139:12
even the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You.

Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. / Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. / In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

John 1:4-5
In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. / The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:8-14
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, / for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. / Test and prove what pleases the Lord. ...

1 John 1:5-7
And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. / If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. / But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.


Treasury of Scripture

It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

as a

Psalm 104:2,6
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: …

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Changed Clay Clothed Coloured Dyed Earth Features Forth Garment Robe Seal Shape Stamp Stand Stands Station Themselves Turned Turneth Wet
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Changed Clay Clothed Coloured Dyed Earth Features Forth Garment Robe Seal Shape Stamp Stand Stands Station Themselves Turned Turneth Wet
Job 38
1. God challenges Job to answer
4. God, by his mighty works, convinces Job of ignorance
31. and weakness














The earth
In the context of Job, "the earth" refers to the physical world created by God. The Hebrew word for earth, "erets," encompasses not just the ground but the entire created order. This phrase reminds us of God's sovereignty over creation, emphasizing that the earth is not a random occurrence but a deliberate act of divine craftsmanship.

takes shape
The Hebrew verb "haphak" suggests transformation or change. Here, it implies the dynamic and intentional process by which God molds the earth. This imagery evokes the idea of God as a potter, shaping the world with purpose and precision, reinforcing the belief in a purposeful creation.

like clay
Clay, or "chomer" in Hebrew, is a malleable substance that can be shaped by a skilled artisan. This metaphor highlights God's role as the ultimate Creator, who molds the earth with care and intention. It also suggests the earth's potential for transformation under God's guidance, much like clay in the hands of a potter.

under a seal
In ancient times, seals were used to imprint a mark of ownership or authority on clay or wax. The phrase "under a seal" implies that the earth bears the imprint of God's authority and design. This imagery underscores the idea that creation is not only shaped by God but also marked by His sovereign will and purpose.

its hills
The mention of "hills" or "giv'ah" in Hebrew, points to the natural features of the earth that stand out prominently. Hills are often seen as symbols of stability and permanence, reflecting the enduring nature of God's creation. This phrase invites us to consider the beauty and majesty of the natural world as a testament to God's creative power.

stand out
The phrase "stand out" suggests prominence and visibility. In the Hebrew context, it conveys the idea of something being revealed or made manifest. This highlights the way God's creation is not hidden but displayed openly for all to see, inviting humanity to recognize and appreciate His handiwork.

like the folds of a garment
This simile compares the hills to the intricate folds of a garment, suggesting both beauty and complexity. The Hebrew word "beged" for garment implies something that is carefully crafted and designed. This imagery reinforces the notion of the earth as a work of art, intricately woven together by the Creator, and invites us to marvel at the detailed and intentional design of the natural world.

(14) As clay to the seal.--In the darkness every object is without form and void, just as clay or wax, which has no distinctness of shape till the seal is applied, and then the impression is clear and manifest. So with the coming of the daylight after darkness. We should rather render, It is changed as clay under the seal, and all things stand forth as in their proper raiment.

Verse 14. - It is turned as clay to the seal; rather, it changes as the clay of a seal. The seals of the Babylonians, Assyrians, and others were commonly impressed upon clay, and not upon wax (Lsyard, 'Nineveh and Babylon,' pp. 153-156). As the seal changed the clay from a dull, shapeless lump to a figured surface, so the coming of the dawn changes the earth from an indistinct mass to one diversified with form and colour. As M. Renan explains, "L'aurore fair our la terre l'effet d'un sceau sur la torte sigillee, en dormant de laforme, et du relief, a la surface do l'univers, qui pendant la nuit est somme un chaos indistinct." And they stand as a garment; rather, and things stand out as a garment or as on a garment - a richly embroidered dress is intended, on which the pattern stands out in relief.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The earth takes shape
תִּ֭תְהַפֵּךְ (tiṯ·hap·pêḵ)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 2015: To turn about, over, to change, overturn, return, pervert

like clay
כְּחֹ֣מֶר (kə·ḥō·mer)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2563: A bubbling up, of water, a wave, of earth, mire, clay, a heap, a chomer, dry measure

[under] a seal;
חוֹתָ֑ם (ḥō·w·ṯām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2368: A seal, signet ring

its hills stand out
וְ֝יִֽתְיַצְּב֗וּ (wə·yiṯ·yaṣ·ṣə·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3320: To set or station oneself, take one's stand

like
כְּמ֣וֹ (kə·mōw)
Preposition
Strong's 3644: Like, as, when

the folds of a garment.
לְבֽוּשׁ׃ (lə·ḇūš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3830: A garment, clothing, raiment


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OT Poetry: Job 38:14 It is changed as clay under (Jb)
Job 38:13
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