SEV Biblia, Chapter 38:14
Trasmudándose como lodo de sello, y parándose como vestidura;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Job 38:14
Verse 14. It is turned as clay to the seal ] The earth, like soft clay, is capable of modifying itself in endless ways, and assuming infinite forms. As a proof of this, see the astonishing variety of plants, flowers, and fruits, and the infinitely diversified hues, odours, tastes, consistency, and properties, of its vegetable productions. There seems to be an allusion here to the sealing of clay, which I believe has been, and is now, frequent in the East. Six of those Eastern seals for sealing clay, made of brass, the figures and characters all in relief, the interstices being entirely perforated and cut out, so that the upper side of the seal is the same as the lower, now lie before me. They seem to have been used for stamping pottery, as some of the fine clay still appears in the interstices.
And they stand as a garment. - The earth receiving these impressions from the solar light and heat, plants and flowers spring up, and decorate its surface as the most beautiful stamped garment does the person of the most sumptuously dressed female. Mr. Good translates the whole verse thus: ] "Canst thou cause them to bend round as clay to the mould, so that they are made to sit like a garment?" He supposes that reference is here made to the rays of light; but take his own words: "The image, as it appears to me, is taken directly from the art of pottery, an image of very frequent recurrence in Scripture; and in the present instance admirably forcible in painting the ductility with which the new light of the morning bends round like clay to the mould, and accompanies the earth in every part of its shape so as to fit it, as we are expressly told in the ensuing metaphor, like a garment, as the clay fits the mould itself." Mr. Good supposes that a mould in which the pottery is formed, not a seal by which it is impressed, is referred to here. In this sense I do not see the metaphor consistent, nor the allusion happy. It is well known that the rays of light never bend. They may be reflected at particular angles, but they never go out of a straight course. A gun might as well be expected to shoot round a corner, as a ray of light to go out of a straight line, or to follow the sinuous or angular windings of a tube, canal, or adit. But if we take in the sun as he advances in his diurnal voyage, or rather the earth, as it turns round its axis from west to east, the metaphor of Mr. Good will be correct enough; but we must leave out bending and ductility, as every part of the earth's surface will be at least successively invested with the light.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-24 - The Lord questions Job, to convince him of his ignorance, and shame his for his folly in prescribing to God. If we thus try ourselves, we shal soon be brought to own that what we know is nothing in comparison with what we know not. By the tender mercy of our God, the Day-spring from on high has visited us, to give light to those that sit in darkness whose hearts are turned to it as clay to the seal, 2Co 4:6. God's wa in the government of the world is said to be in the sea; this means that it is hid from us. Let us make sure that the gates of heaven shal be opened to us on the other side of death, and then we need not fea the opening of the gates of death. It is presumptuous for us, wh perceive not the breadth of the earth, to dive into the depth of God' counsels. We should neither in the brightest noon count upon perpetua day, nor in the darkest midnight despair of the return of the morning and this applies to our inward as well as to our outward condition What folly it is to strive against God! How much is it our interest to seek peace with him, and to keep in his love!
Original Hebrew
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