Job Chapter 12
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
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Is there not a warfare to man upon earth?
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And are not his days like the days of a hireling?
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As a servant that earnestly desireth the shadow,
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And as a hireling that looketh for his wages:
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So am I made to possess months of misery,
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And wearisome nights are appointed to me.
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When I lie down, I say,
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When shall I arise, and the night be gone?
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And I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.
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My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust;
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My skin closeth up, and breaketh out afresh.
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My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
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And are spent without hope.
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Oh remember that my life is a breath:
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Mine eye shall no more see good.
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The eye of him that seeth me shall behold me no more;
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Thine eyes shall be upon me, but I shall not be.
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As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away,
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So he that goeth down to Sheol shall come up no more.
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He shall return no more to his house,
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Neither shall his place know him any more.
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Therefore I will not refrain my mouth;
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I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
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I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
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Am I a sea, or a sea-monster,
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
And Job answered and said,
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Truly ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you!
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I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; and who knoweth not such things as these?
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I am to be one that is a derision to his friend, I who call uponGod, and whom he will answer: a derision is the just upright [man].
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He that is ready to stumble with the foot is a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
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The tents of desolators are in peace, and they that provokeGod are secure; into whose handGod bringeth.
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But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowl of the heavens, and they shall tell thee;
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Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
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Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this?
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In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all flesh of man.
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Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food?
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With the aged is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.
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With him is wisdom and might; he hath counsel and understanding.
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Behold, he breaketh down, and it is not built again; he shutteth up a man, and there is no opening.
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Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; and he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
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With him is strength and effectual knowledge; the deceived and the deceiver are his.
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He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools;
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He weakeneth the government of kings, and bindeth their loins with a fetter;
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He leadeth priests away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty;
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He depriveth of speech the trusty, and taketh away the judgment of the elders;
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He poureth contempt upon nobles, and slackeneth the girdle of the mighty;
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He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out into light the shadow of death;
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He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; he spreadeth out the nations, and bringeth them in;
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He taketh away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a pathless waste.
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They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunkard.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
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And Job answered and said,
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So then ye [alone] are men, and wisdom shall die with you?
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[But] I also have a heart as well as you.
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For a righteous and blameless man has become a subject for mockery.
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For it had been ordained that he should fall under others at the appointed time, and that his houses should be spoiled by transgressors: let not however any one trust that, being evil, he shall be [held] guiltless,
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even as many as provoke the Lord, as if there were indeed to be no inquisition [made] of them.
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But ask now the beasts, if they may speak to thee; and the birds of the air, if they may declare to thee.
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Tell the earth, if it may speak to thee: and the fishes of the sea shall explain to thee.
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Who then has not known in all these things, that the hand of the Lord has made them?
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Whereas the life of all living things is in his hand, and the breath of every man.
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For the ear tries words, and the palate tastes meats.
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In length of time is wisdom, and in long life knowledge.
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With him are wisdom and power, with him counsel and understanding.
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If he should cast down, who will build up? if he should shut up against men, who shall open?
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If he should withhold the water, he will dry the earth: and if he should let it loose, he overthrows and destroys it.
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With him are strength and power: he has knowledge and understanding.
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He leads counsellors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.
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He seats kings upon thrones, and girds their loins with a girdle.
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He sends away priests into captivity, and overthrows the mighty ones of the earth.
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He changes the lips of the trusty, and he knows the understanding of the elders.
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He pours dishonour upon princes, and heals the lowly.
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Revealing deep things out of darkness: and he has brought into light the shadow of death.
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Causing the nations to wander, and destroying them: overthrowing the nations, and leading them [away].
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Perplexing the minds of the princes of the earth: and he causes them to wander in a way they have not known, [saying],
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Let them grope [in] darkness, and [let there be] no light, and let them wander as a drunken man.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
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Respondens autem Iob, dixit:
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Ergo vos estis soli homines, et vobiscum morietur sapientia?
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Et mihi est cor sicut et vobis, nec inferior vestri sum: quis enim hæc, quæ nostis, ignorat?
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Qui deridetur ab amico suo sicut ego, invocabit Deum, et exaudiet eum: deridetur enim iusti simplicitas.
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Lampas contempta apud cogitationes divitum, parata ad tempus statutum.
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Abundant tabernacula prædonum, et audacter provocant Deum, cum ipse dederit omnia in manus eorum.
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Nimirum interroga iumenta, et docebunt te: et volatilia cæli, et indicabunt tibi.
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Loquere terræ, et respondebit tibi: et narrabunt pisces maris.
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Quis ignorat quod omnia hæc manus Domini fecerit?
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In cuius manu anima omnis viventis, et spiritus universæ carnis hominis.
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Nonne auris verba diiudicat, et fauces comedentis, saporem?
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In antiquis est sapientia, et in multo tempore prudentia.
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Apud ipsum est sapientia et fortitudo, ipse habet consilium et intelligentiam.
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Si destruxerit, nemo est qui ædificet: si incluserit hominem, nullus est qui aperiat.
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Si continuerit aquas, omnia siccabuntur: et si emiserit eas, subvertent terram.
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Apud ipsum est fortitudo et sapientia: ipse novit et decipientem, et eum qui decipitur.
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Adducit consiliarios in stultum finem, et iudices in stuporem.
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Balteum regum dissolvit, et præcingit fune renes eorum.
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Ducit sacerdotes inglorios, et optimates supplantat:
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Commutans labium veracium, et doctrinam senum auferens.
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Effundit despectionem super principes, eos, qui oppressi fuerant, relevans.
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Qui revelat profunda de tenebris, et producit in lucem umbram mortis.
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Qui multiplicat gentes et perdit eas, et subversas in integrum restituit.
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Qui immutat cor principum populi terræ, et decipit eos ut frustra incedant per invium:
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Palpabunt quasi in tenebris, et non in luce, et errare eos faciet quasi ebrios.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
Then Job answered,
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“No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.
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But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn’t know such things as these?
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I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.
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In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.
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The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their god in their hands.
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“But ask the animals now, and they will teach you; the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.
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Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you. The fish of the sea will declare to you.
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Who doesn’t know that in all these, the LORD’s hand has done this,
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in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?
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Doesn’t the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?
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With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.
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“With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.
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Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
15
Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
16
With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.
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He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.
18
He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.
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He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.
20
He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.
21
He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.
22
He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
23
He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.
24
He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25
They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
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And Job answereth and saith: --
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Truly--ye <FI>are<Fi> the people, And with you doth wisdom die.
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I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?
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A laughter to his friend I am: `He calleth to God, and He answereth him,' A laughter <FI>is<Fi> the perfect righteous one.
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A torch--despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.
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At peace are the tents of spoilers, And those provoking God have confidence, He into whose hand God hath brought.
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And yet, ask, I pray thee, <FI>One of<Fi> the beasts, and it doth shew thee, And a fowl of the heavens, And it doth declare to thee.
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Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:
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`Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?
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In whose hand <FI>is<Fi> the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.'
11
Doth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?
12
With the very aged <FI>is<Fi> wisdom, And <FI>with<Fi> length of days understanding.
13
With Him <FI>are<Fi> wisdom and might, To him <FI>are<Fi> counsel and understanding.
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Lo, He breaketh down, and it is not built up, He shutteth against a man, And it is not opened.
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Lo, He keepeth in the waters, and they are dried up, And he sendeth them forth, And they overturn the land.
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With Him <FI>are<Fi> strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.
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Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.
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The bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.
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Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.
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Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.
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Pouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.
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Removing deep things out of darkness, And He bringeth out to light death-shade.
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Magnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.
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Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And he causeth them to wander In vacancy--no way!
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They feel darkness, and not light, He causeth them to wander as a drunkard.
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).