Job 38:17
New International Version
Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?

New Living Translation
Do you know where the gates of death are located? Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?

English Standard Version
Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

Berean Standard Bible
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

King James Bible
Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

New King James Version
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?

New American Standard Bible
“Have the gates of death been revealed to you, And have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

NASB 1995
“Have the gates of death been revealed to you, Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

NASB 1977
“Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

Legacy Standard Bible
Have the gates of death been revealed to you, Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

Amplified Bible
“Have the gates of death been revealed to you, Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

Christian Standard Bible
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

American Standard Version
Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?

Contemporary English Version
Have you seen the gate to the world of the dead?

English Revised Version
Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Have the gateways to death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gateways to total darkness?

Good News Translation
Has anyone ever shown you the gates that guard the dark world of the dead?

International Standard Version
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?

Majority Standard Bible
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

NET Bible
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of deepest darkness?

New Heart English Bible
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

Webster's Bible Translation
Have the gates of death been opened to thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shades of death?

World English Bible
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Were the gates of death revealed to you? And do you see the gates of death-shade?

Young's Literal Translation
Revealed to thee were the gates of death? And the gates of death-shade dost thou see?

Smith's Literal Translation
Were the gates of death uncovered to thee? and shalt thou see the gates of the shadow of death?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Have the gates of death been opened to thee, and hast thou seen the darksome doors?

Catholic Public Domain Version
Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness?

New American Bible
Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness?

New Revised Standard Version
Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Were the doors of death revealed to you and the doors of the shadows of death?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And do the gates of death open to thee for fear; and did the porters of hell quake when they saw thee?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God Challenges Job
16Have you journeyed to the vents of the sea or walked in the trenches of the deep? 17Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? 18Have you surveyed the extent of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.…

Cross References
Psalm 9:13
Be merciful to me, O LORD; see how my enemies afflict me! Lift me up from the gates of death,

Psalm 107:18
They loathed all food and drew near to the gates of death.

Isaiah 38:10
I said, “In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of Sheol and be deprived of the remainder of my years.”

Isaiah 38:18
For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.

Psalm 88:6
You have laid me in the lowest Pit, in the darkest of the depths.

Psalm 88:10-12
Do You work wonders for the dead? Do departed spirits rise up to praise You? Selah / Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon? / Will Your wonders be known in the darkness, or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?

Psalm 49:14
Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode.

Psalm 49:19
he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day.

Proverbs 5:5
Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to Sheol.

Proverbs 7:27
Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.

Ezekiel 31:14
This happened so that no other trees by the waters would become great in height and set their tops among the clouds, and no other well-watered trees would reach them in height. For they have all been consigned to death, to the depths of the earth, among the mortals who descend to the Pit.’

Ezekiel 31:16
I made the nations quake at the sound of its downfall, when I cast it down to Sheol with those who descend to the Pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, all the well-watered trees, were consoled in the earth below.

Matthew 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

Revelation 1:18
the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.

Revelation 20:13-14
The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds. / Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.


Treasury of Scripture

Have the gates of death been opened to you? or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?

the gates

Psalm 9:13
Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:

Psalm 107:18
Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.

Psalm 116:3
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

the shadow

Job 3:5
Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

Job 12:22
He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

Psalm 23:4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Jump to Previous
Dark Darkness Death Death-Shade Deep Door-Keepers Doors Gates Open Opened Revealed Shades Shadow Shown
Jump to Next
Dark Darkness Death Death-Shade Deep Door-Keepers Doors Gates Open Opened Revealed Shades Shadow Shown
Job 38
1. God challenges Job to answer
4. God, by his mighty works, convinces Job of ignorance
31. and weakness














Have the gates of death
The phrase "gates of death" is a metaphorical expression that appears in various parts of the Bible, often symbolizing the entrance to the realm of the dead or Sheol. In Hebrew, the word for "gates" (שַׁעֲרֵי, sha'arei) suggests a boundary or a point of transition. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, gates were significant as they represented both protection and transition. The "gates of death" imply a boundary that separates the living from the dead, a realm that is beyond human experience and understanding. This phrase challenges Job to consider the limits of his knowledge and the vastness of God's creation, emphasizing that only God has dominion over life and death.

been revealed to you?
The Hebrew root for "revealed" (גָּלָה, galah) means to uncover or disclose something hidden. This rhetorical question underscores the mystery and hidden nature of death, which remains beyond human comprehension. In the context of Job, God is reminding Job of the limitations of human wisdom and understanding. The use of "revealed" suggests that such knowledge is divine and not accessible to humans unless God chooses to disclose it. This serves to humble Job, reminding him of his place in the created order and the sovereignty of God over all mysteries.

Or have you seen
The verb "seen" (רָאָה, ra'ah) in Hebrew implies not just physical sight but also understanding or perceiving. This question further emphasizes the theme of human limitation. In biblical literature, seeing often equates to understanding or experiencing something fully. By asking Job if he has "seen" these gates, God is highlighting Job's lack of experiential knowledge of death's mysteries, contrasting it with God's omniscience.

the gates of the shadow of death?
The "shadow of death" (צַלְמָוֶת, tsalmaveth) is a powerful Hebrew expression that conveys deep darkness or extreme danger, often associated with the grave or the underworld. This term appears in other biblical texts, such as Psalm 23, where it represents a place of fear and uncertainty. The "shadow of death" suggests a realm that is not only unknown but also terrifying, a place where human control and understanding cease. In the context of Job, this phrase serves to remind Job of the vast and unfathomable aspects of God's creation, reinforcing the idea that God's wisdom and power extend far beyond human experience and comprehension.

Verse 17. - Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? By "the gates of death," Sheol, the abode of the dead, seems to be intended (comp. Job 10:21, 22; Job 17:16). Has Job explored this region, and penetrated its secrets? Or is it as unknown to him as to the rest of mankind? The second hemistich - Or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? - is a mere echo of the first, adding an new idea.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Have the gates
שַׁעֲרֵי־ (ša·‘ă·rê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

of death
מָ֑וֶת (mā·weṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4194: Death, the dead, their place, state, pestilence, ruin

been revealed
הֲנִגְל֣וּ (hă·niḡ·lū)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1540: To denude, to exile, to reveal

to you?
לְ֭ךָ (lə·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

Have you seen
תִּרְאֶֽה׃ (tir·’eh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

the gates
וְשַׁעֲרֵ֖י (wə·ša·‘ă·rê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

of the shadow of death?
צַלְמָ֣וֶת (ṣal·mā·weṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6757: Death-like shadow, deep shadow


Links
Job 38:17 NIV
Job 38:17 NLT
Job 38:17 ESV
Job 38:17 NASB
Job 38:17 KJV

Job 38:17 BibleApps.com
Job 38:17 Biblia Paralela
Job 38:17 Chinese Bible
Job 38:17 French Bible
Job 38:17 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Job 38:17 Have the gates of death been revealed (Jb)
Job 38:16
Top of Page
Top of Page