Job 37:10

By the breath of God the ice is formed and the watery expanses are frozen.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Elihu addresses Job and his companions in Job 37, describing divine control over atmospheric phenomena. He delivers this description immediately after noting the arrival of the tempest and the cold north winds.

The words — The Hebrew phrase מִנִּשְׁמַת אֵל (minishmat El) translates literally to "by the breath of God." The verb יִתֵּן (yitten) paired with קָרַח (qaraḥ) means "it gives" or "forms" ice, while the waters are described as being in constraint.

The thread — This motif of God's direct action on frozen water runs through Job 38:29, Psalms 147:16, and Psalms 78:47.

Why it lands — The text states that God's breath forms the ice and the waters remain in a frozen state, requiring the reader to acknowledge divine authority over natural processes.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

מִנִּשְׁמַת־mi./nish.mat-from/ [the] breath of אֵ֥ל'elGod יִתֶּן־yi.ten-it gives קָ֑רַחKa.rachice וְרֹ֖חַבve./Ro.chavand/ [the] breadth of מַ֣יִםMa.yim[the] waters בְּמוּצָֽק׃be./mu.Tzak[is] <in>/ constraint

King James Version

By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.

Cross-references

Job 38:29 From whose womb does the ice emerge? Who gives birth to the frost from heaven,
Psalms 147:16 He spreads the snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes;
Psalms 78:47 He killed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore-figs with sleet.