Who has put wisdom in the heart
This phrase emphasizes the divine origin of wisdom, suggesting that true wisdom is a gift from God. In the biblical context, wisdom is often associated with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10). The heart, in ancient Hebrew thought, is the center of one's being, encompassing emotions, will, and intellect. This aligns with the biblical view that God is the source of all wisdom, as seen in Solomon's request for wisdom in 1 Kings 3:9-12. The rhetorical question implies that no human can claim credit for the wisdom that resides within; it is a divine endowment.

or given understanding to the mind?
Understanding, like wisdom, is portrayed as a divine gift. The mind, or "inner man," is where discernment and comprehension occur. This phrase suggests that intellectual and spiritual insight are not merely human achievements but are granted by God. This is consistent with the biblical theme that God grants understanding to those who seek Him, as seen in Daniel 2:21, where God is described as the one who gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. The rhetorical nature of the question underscores human limitations and the necessity of divine intervention for true understanding.

1. Job
A man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, experiencing intense suffering and questioning God's justice.

2. God
The Creator and Sustainer of the universe, who speaks to Job out of the whirlwind in Job 38, challenging Job's understanding and perspective.

3. The Whirlwind
The medium through which God speaks to Job, symbolizing God's power and majesty.Divine Source of Wisdom
Recognize that true wisdom and understanding are gifts from God, not merely human achievements.

Humility Before God
Acknowledge our limitations in understanding and approach God with humility, seeking His wisdom in our lives.

The Role of the Heart and Mind
Understand that God imparts wisdom to both the heart and mind, indicating a holistic approach to spiritual and intellectual growth.

Seeking God’s Wisdom
Actively seek God's wisdom through prayer, scripture, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Trust in God’s Sovereignty
Trust that God, in His sovereignty, knows what is best for us and will provide the wisdom we need in His timing.1. What is the meaning of Job 38:36?

2. How does Job 38:36 highlight God's sovereignty over human wisdom and understanding?

3. What role does divine wisdom play in our daily decision-making processes?

4. How can we seek God's wisdom as described in Job 38:36?

5. Connect Job 38:36 with Proverbs 2:6 on the source of wisdom.

6. How can acknowledging God's wisdom in Job 38:36 strengthen our faith and trust?

7. What does Job 38:36 reveal about God's wisdom and human understanding?

8. How does Job 38:36 challenge our perception of divine knowledge?

9. Why does God question Job about wisdom in Job 38:36?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 38?

11. What does 'God granting heart's desires' mean?

12. In Job 25:4, how can anyone be vindicated before God if even those closest to Him are considered unclean?

13. In Job 22:5, Eliphaz accuses Job of great wickedness, yet Job 1:1 calls him blameless; how do we resolve this apparent contradiction?

14. How does the Bible inspire creative expression?Who has put wisdom

Job 38:36 opens with God’s probing question: “Who has put wisdom…?” • The inquiry is rhetorical; only the LORD Himself, “the only wise God” (Romans 16:27), can claim this role. • In Proverbs 2:6 we read, “For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” • James 1:5 echoes the same reality: if anyone lacks wisdom, he must ask God, because God alone is its source. • By asking Job this question, the Lord reminds him—and us—that no human, no angelic being, no created power can manufacture true wisdom. God is the Creator not merely of matter and energy but of every spark of insight that lights the human soul.

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in the heart

The verse continues, pinpointing where God deposits wisdom: “…in the heart.” • Scripture consistently locates genuine wisdom in the inner person. Proverbs 4:23 urges, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.” • Psalm 51:6 affirms, “Surely You desire truth in the inmost being.” • Jeremiah 31:33 promises a new covenant in which God writes His law on the heart. • Wisdom is therefore not external trivia but a divinely installed compass at the core of our being—guiding motives, shaping desires, directing choices.

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or given understanding

Next comes the companion gift: God has “given understanding.” • Understanding is the capacity to process and apply truth. When Solomon prayed, God answered, “I will give you a wise and discerning heart” (1 Kings 3:12). • Psalm 119:34 pleads, “Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law.” • Colossians 1:9 speaks of “all spiritual wisdom and understanding,” underscoring that comprehension of life’s mysteries is God-bestowed, not self-generated. • Every moment of clarity regarding His purposes, every flash of discernment in confusing circumstances, comes from His gracious hand.

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to the mind

Finally, God pinpoints the faculty He enlightens: “to the mind.” • Romans 12:2 calls believers to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.” • Ephesians 4:23 commands, “be renewed in the spirit of your minds.” • 1 Corinthians 2:16 celebrates that “we have the mind of Christ,” a direct outcome of God’s impartation. • 2 Timothy 2:7 reminds us, “Consider what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all things.” • The intellect is not sidelined in Scripture; rather, God engages it, sanctifies it, and equips it for His glory.

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summary

Job 38:36 underscores that every ounce of authentic wisdom and understanding originates with God, is implanted deep within the heart, expressed through the mind, and sustains a life that honors Him. Human capacity is derivative; divine generosity is primary. Recognizing this truth humbles us, anchors our confidence in the Lord, and propels us to seek Him continually for the insight we need.

(36) Wisdom in the inward parts.--The mention of the inward parts and the heart here, in the midst of natural phenomena, perplexes every one; but it is a natural solution to refer them to the lightnings personified: "Who hath put such understanding in their inward parts?"

Verse 36. - Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? Some refer this to human wisdom, and understand the Almighty as asking - Who has put man's wisdom into his inward parts? literally, into his kidneys, or as our idiom would express it, "into his heart." But there is great difficulty in supposing a sudden transition from clouds and lightning in vers. 34, 35 to the human understanding in ver. 36, with a return to clouds and rain in ver. 37. Hence many of the best critics understand ver. 36 of the purpose and intelligence that may be regarded as existing in the clouds and rain and lightning themselves, which are God's ministers, and run to and fro at his command, and execute his pleasure. (So Schultens, Rosenmuller, Professor Lee, and Professer Stanley Leathes.) To obtain this result, we must translate the word טוּחות By "tempest" or "thunder-belts," and the word שׂכוי, in the next clause, by "storm n or something similar (see the Revised Version, where "dark clouds" is suggested as an alternative for "inward parts'" and "meteor" as an alternative for "heart"). The whole passage will then run thus: Who hath put wisdom in the thunderbolts? or who hath given understanding to the tempest?

Parallel Commentaries ...


Who
מִי־ (mî·šā-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

has put
שָׁ֭ת (ṯ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7896: To put, set

wisdom
חָכְמָ֑ה (ḥāḵ·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2451: Wisdom

in the heart
בַּטֻּח֣וֹת (baṭ·ṭu·ḥō·wṯ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 2910: The kidneys, the inmost thought

or
א֤וֹ (’ōw)
Conjunction
Strong's 176: Desire, if

given
נָתַ֖ן (nā·ṯan)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

understanding
בִינָֽה׃ (ḇî·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 998: An understanding

to the mind?
לַשֶּׂ֣כְוִי (laś·śeḵ·wî)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7907: Perhaps appearance, phenomenon


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OT Poetry: Job 38:36 Who has put wisdom in the inward (Jb)