What is the meaning of Job 40:6?

Then the LORD

• “Then” links directly to Job’s brief admission of silence (Job 40:3-5), showing God’s immediate, gracious response to Job’s humble pause.

• “The LORD” (YHWH) is the covenant name, the same God who spoke to Moses from the bush (Exodus 3:4) and to Elijah on the mountain (1 Kings 19:11-13). His personal involvement underscores that the Almighty, not fate or a distant force, governs Job’s circumstances (Psalm 33:10-11).

• By re-entering the dialogue, the Lord affirms that He alone has the authority to interpret suffering and righteousness (Isaiah 45:5-7).

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answered Job

• God engages Job directly, not through a mediator, echoing Job’s earlier plea, “Oh, that I had someone to hear me!” (Job 31:35).

• The Lord’s answer corrects and completes Job’s partial understanding (Job 38:2-4), fulfilling the promise that God hears the cries of the righteous (Psalm 34:17; Jeremiah 33:3).

• This answer also models a relationship where honest questions can be brought before God, who is neither threatened nor silent (Psalm 73:24-26).

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out of the whirlwind

• The whirlwind signifies divine majesty and power, much like the storm cloud at Sinai (Exodus 19:16-19) and the vision Ezekiel saw (Ezekiel 1:4).

• Nature’s turbulence mirrors the upheaval in Job’s life, reminding him that every force, however chaotic it appears, remains under God’s rule (Nahum 1:3; Psalm 18:9-15).

• Speaking from the storm highlights that God is present in turbulent seasons, not just calm ones (Job 37:14; Mark 4:39-41).

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and said:

• God proceeds to challenge Job: “Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me” (Job 40:7).

• The coming words will expose human limitations and spotlight divine justice (Job 40:8-14; Isaiah 55:8-9).

• By commanding attention before speaking, the Lord confirms that His revelation, not human reasoning, is the ultimate standard (Deuteronomy 29:29; Romans 11:33-36).

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summary

Job 40:6 marks the moment God resumes speaking, emphasizing His personal, covenantal engagement (“the LORD”), His attentive response to Job’s struggle (“answered Job”), His sovereign power displayed in creation (“out of the whirlwind”), and His authoritative revelation (“and said”). The verse assures believers that the Almighty hears, cares, and speaks—often through life’s storms—to correct, comfort, and draw us into deeper trust.