Job 26:12
New International Version
By his power he churned up the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces.

New Living Translation
By his power the sea grew calm. By his skill he crushed the great sea monster.

English Standard Version
By his power he stilled the sea; by his understanding he shattered Rahab.

Berean Standard Bible
By His power He stirred the sea; by His understanding He shattered Rahab.

King James Bible
He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.

New King James Version
He stirs up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He breaks up the storm.

New American Standard Bible
“With His power He quieted the sea, And by His understanding He shattered Rahab.

NASB 1995
“He quieted the sea with His power, And by His understanding He shattered Rahab.

NASB 1977
“He quieted the sea with His power, And by His understanding He shattered Rahab.

Legacy Standard Bible
He quieted the sea with His power, And by His understanding He crushed Rahab.

Amplified Bible
“He stirred up the sea by His power, And by His understanding He smashed [proud] Rahab.

Christian Standard Bible
By his power he stirred the sea, and by his understanding he crushed Rahab.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
By His power He stirred the sea, and by His understanding He crushed Rahab.

American Standard Version
He stirreth up the sea with his power, And by his understanding he smiteth through Rahab.

Contemporary English Version
By his power and wisdom, God conquered the force of the mighty ocean.

English Revised Version
He stirreth up the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through Rahab.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
With his power he calmed the sea. With his insight he killed Rahab [the sea monster].

Good News Translation
It is his strength that conquered the sea; by his skill he destroyed the monster Rahab.

International Standard Version
By his power he disturbs the sea; and with his skill he shatters the sea monster.

Majority Standard Bible
By His power He stirred the sea; by His understanding He shattered Rahab.

NET Bible
By his power he stills the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab the great sea monster to pieces.

New Heart English Bible
He stirs up the sea with his power, and by his understanding he strikes through Rahab.

Webster's Bible Translation
He divideth the sea by his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.

World English Bible
He stirs up the sea with his power, and by his understanding he strikes through Rahab.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
By His power He has quieted the sea, "" And by His understanding struck the proud.

Young's Literal Translation
By His power He hath quieted the sea, And by His understanding smitten the proud.

Smith's Literal Translation
By his power he caused the sea to tremble; by his understanding he smote through pride.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
By his power the seas are suddenly gathered together, and his wisdom has struck the proud one.

Catholic Public Domain Version
By his strength, the seas suddenly gather together, and his foresight has struck the arrogant.

New American Bible
By his power he stilled Sea, by his skill he crushed Rahab;

New Revised Standard Version
By his power he stilled the Sea; by his understanding he struck down Rahab.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He rebukes the sea with his power, and by his wisdom he saves many.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
By his power he rebukes the sea and in his wisdom he gives life to the multitude
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
He stirreth up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He smiteth through Rahab.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
He has calmed the sea with his might, and by his wisdom the whale has been overthrown.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job: Who Can Understand God's Majesty?
11The foundations of heaven quake, astounded at His rebuke. 12By His power He stirred the sea; by His understanding He shattered Rahab. 13By His breath the skies were cleared; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.…

Cross References
Psalm 89:9-10
You rule the raging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them. / You crushed Rahab like a carcass; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.

Isaiah 51:9-10
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon? / Was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea for the redeemed to cross over?

Exodus 15:8-10
At the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up; like a wall the currents stood firm; the depths congealed in the heart of the sea. / The enemy declared, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.’ / But You blew with Your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

Psalm 74:13-14
You divided the sea by Your strength; You smashed the heads of the dragons of the sea; / You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert.

Isaiah 27:1
In that day the LORD will take His sharp, great, and mighty sword, and bring judgment on Leviathan the fleeing serpent—Leviathan the coiling serpent—and He will slay the dragon of the sea.

Nahum 1:4
He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts.

Jeremiah 31:35
Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day, who sets in order the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD of Hosts is His name:

Psalm 104:7-9
At Your rebuke the waters fled; at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away— / the mountains rose and the valleys sank to the place You assigned for them— / You set a boundary they cannot cross, that they may never again cover the earth.

Proverbs 8:29
when He set a boundary for the sea, so that the waters would not surpass His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth.

Isaiah 50:2
Why was no one there when I arrived? Why did no one answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem you? Or do I lack the strength to deliver you? Behold, My rebuke dries up the sea; I turn the rivers into a desert; the fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.

Matthew 8:26-27
“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm. / The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!”

Mark 4:39-41
Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm. / “Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?” / Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Luke 8:24-25
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm. / “Where is your faith?” He asked. Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!”

Revelation 12:7-9
Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. / But the dragon was not strong enough, and no longer was any place found in heaven for him and his angels. / And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 21:1
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.


Treasury of Scripture

He divides the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smites through the proud.

divideth

Exodus 14:21
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

Psalm 29:10
The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.

Psalm 74:13
Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

he smiteth

Job 40:11,12
Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him…

Isaiah 2:12
For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

Daniel 4:37
Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

the proud.

Psalm 89:9,10
Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them…

Isaiah 51:9
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?

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Cut Divideth Pieces Power Proud Quiet Quieted Rahab Sea Shattered Smiteth Smitten Smote Stilled Stirreth Stirs Strikes Understanding Wisdom Wounded
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Job 26
1. Job, reproving the uncharitable spirit of Bildad
5. acknowledges the power of God to be infinite and unsearchable














By His power
The Hebrew word for "power" here is "koach," which signifies strength, might, or force. In the context of Job, this word emphasizes God's omnipotence and His ability to control the natural world. The power of God is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, illustrating His supreme authority over creation. This phrase reminds us of the divine strength that governs the universe, a power that is beyond human comprehension and control. It is a call to recognize the might of God in our lives, acknowledging that His power is at work even in the chaos of the world.

He stilled the sea
The imagery of God stilling the sea is rich with biblical symbolism. The sea often represents chaos and disorder in ancient Near Eastern literature. The Hebrew word "yam" for "sea" can also refer to a large body of water, often associated with tumult and unpredictability. In this context, God's ability to still the sea demonstrates His mastery over chaos and His capacity to bring peace and order. This echoes the account of Jesus calming the storm in the New Testament, reinforcing the message that God has the power to bring tranquility to the storms of our lives.

by His understanding
The Hebrew term for "understanding" is "tebunah," which conveys insight, wisdom, and discernment. This word highlights the divine intelligence and wisdom that God possesses. It is not merely brute force that God uses to accomplish His will, but a profound understanding of the universe and its workings. This phrase invites us to trust in God's wisdom, knowing that His plans are crafted with perfect insight and knowledge. It reassures believers that God's actions are not arbitrary but are guided by His infinite understanding.

He shattered Rahab
"Rahab" in this context is not referring to the woman from Jericho but is a symbolic name for a mythical sea monster or a representation of chaos and evil. The Hebrew word "Rahab" is often used in biblical poetry to depict forces of chaos that oppose God. By stating that God "shattered Rahab," the text underscores His victory over chaos and evil. This imagery is a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty and His ultimate triumph over all that stands against His divine order. It serves as an assurance to believers that no force of chaos or evil can withstand the might and wisdom of God.

(12) He divideth the sea.--The word is taken in the two opposite senses of stirring up and calming; perhaps the latter is more appropriate to the context, which seems to speak of God's mastery over nature.

By his understanding he smiteth through the proud.--Literally, Rahab, which certainly is at times a name for Egypt (see Isaiah 51:9, e.g.), and which, if used in that sense here, can only refer to the signal judgments on Egypt at the Exodus. According to our view of this matter will be the indication derived therefrom of the date of Job.

Verse 12. - He divideth the sea with his power. "Divideth" is certainly a wrong translation. The verb used (־ָגַע) means either "stirreth up" or "stilleth." In favour of the former rendering are Rosen-muller, Schultens, Delitzsch, Merx, and Canon Cook; in favour of the latter, the LXX., Dillmann, and Dr. Stanley Leathes. In either case the general sentiment is that God has full mastery over the sea, and can regulate its movements at his pleasure. And by his understanding he smiteth through the proud; literally, he smiteth through Rahab. (On Rahab, as the great power of evil, see the comment on Job 9:13.) God is said to have "smitten him through by his understanding" since in the contest between good and evil it is rather intelligence than mere force that carries the day. Power alone is sufficient to control the sea.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
By His power
בְּ֭כֹחוֹ (bə·ḵō·ḥōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3581: A small reptile (of unknown species)

He stilled
רָגַ֣ע (rā·ḡa‘)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7280: To toss violently and suddenly, to settle, quiet, to wink

the sea,
הַיָּ֑ם (hay·yām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

and by His understanding
וּ֝בִתְבוּנָת֗וֹ (ū·ḇiṯ·ḇū·nā·ṯōw)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8394: Intelligence, an argument, caprice

He shattered
מָ֣חַץ (mā·ḥaṣ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4272: To dash asunder, to crush, smash, violently plunge, to subdue, destroy

Rahab.
רָֽהַב׃ (rā·haḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7293: Rahab -- 'storm', a sea monster


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OT Poetry: Job 26:12 He stirs up the sea with his (Jb)
Job 26:11
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