He stretches out the north over empty space;This phrase highlights God's sovereignty and power in creation. The "north" in ancient Near Eastern cosmology often symbolized the abode of the gods or a place of divine mystery. The idea of stretching out the north over "empty space" suggests God's control over the cosmos, emphasizing His ability to create and sustain the universe. This aligns with other biblical passages that speak of God's creative power, such as
Isaiah 40:22, which describes God as stretching out the heavens like a curtain. The concept of "empty space" may also reflect the ancient understanding of the universe as a vast expanse, which modern science confirms with the notion of the vacuum of space.
He hangs the earth upon nothing.
This statement is remarkable for its time, as it reflects an understanding of the earth's suspension in space without visible support, a concept that aligns with modern scientific understanding. In the ancient world, many cultures believed the earth was supported by physical structures, such as pillars or a giant creature. The imagery of God hanging the earth "upon nothing" underscores His omnipotence and the miraculous nature of creation. This phrase can be connected toHebrews 1:3, which speaks of Christ upholding all things by His powerful word, suggesting a type of Christ as the sustainer of the universe. The idea of the earth being suspended by God's power alone serves as a testament to His unmatched authority and wisdom.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
JobThe central figure in the Book of Job, a man of great faith and patience who endures immense suffering and questions the nature of God's justice and power.
2.
GodThe Creator and Sustainer of the universe, whose wisdom and power are beyond human understanding.
3.
BildadOne of Job's friends, whose speeches prompt Job's response in this chapter, highlighting God's majesty and power.
4.
The EarthThe physical world that God created and sustains, referenced here as being "hung upon nothing," illustrating God's sovereign power.
5.
The NorthOften associated with the heavens or the sky, representing the vastness and mystery of God's creation.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and PowerRecognize that God's power is beyond human comprehension, as He alone can sustain the earth and the universe.
Faith in the UnseenTrust in God's invisible hand that holds the universe together, even when we cannot see or understand His ways.
The Majesty of CreationReflect on the beauty and complexity of creation as a testament to God's wisdom and creativity.
Humility Before GodApproach God with humility, acknowledging our limited understanding compared to His infinite wisdom.
Dependence on GodLive with a sense of dependence on God, who sustains all things, including our lives, by His power.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Job 26:7?
2.How does Job 26:7 reveal God's power in creation and the universe?
3.What does "He stretches out the north" teach about God's sovereignty?
4.How can Job 26:7 deepen our trust in God's control over our lives?
5.Connect Job 26:7 with Genesis 1:1 regarding God's role as Creator.
6.How can understanding Job 26:7 strengthen our faith during life's uncertainties?
7.How does Job 26:7 align with modern scientific understanding of the universe's structure?
8.What does Job 26:7 reveal about God's power and sovereignty over creation?
9.How did ancient people interpret Job 26:7 without modern astronomical knowledge?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 26?
11.Job 26:7: Does the statement about the earth “hanging on nothing” truly reflect advanced cosmological insight or is it simply poetic language?
12.Why does the Bible lack descriptions of fundamental scientific principles like gravity?
13.Psalm 103:19 states God’s throne rules over everything—how does this align with the universe’s vastness and apparent lack of divine intervention?
14.What is the circumference of the Earth?What Does Job 26:7 Mean
He stretches out the north over empty space• Job marvels that God unrolls the heavens like a vast canopy where there is “empty space,” a picture echoed inPsalm 104:2, “He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent.”
• Ancient cultures imagined solid domes or massive supports, yet Scripture portrays an expanse resting on nothing but God’s word, matchingIsaiah 40:22, “He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its dwellers are like grasshoppers; He stretches out the heavens like a curtain.”
• The mention of “the north” recallsJob 9:9, where God made the constellations, andPsalm 89:12, “The north and the south You created.” It invites worship of the One who set the stars in their places and keeps the night sky ordered without visible pillars.
•Genesis 1:1 reminds us that God created all matter out of nothing; Job simply celebrates that continuing reality—space itself exists because the Creator wills it to.
He hangs the earth upon nothing• The earth is pictured as suspended in open space, without cables, columns, or mythical creatures to bear its weight.Psalm 24:2 says, “For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters,” emphasizing divine support rather than material props.
•Proverbs 8:29 notes God “set a boundary for the sea so the waters would not overstep His command,” underscoring the ordered stability He gives the planet.
•Isaiah 45:18 affirms, “For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens—He is God—He formed the earth and established it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited.” The verse in Job anticipates that declaration: God not only hangs the globe but fashions it for life.
•Colossians 1:17 andHebrews 1:3 reveal the sustaining aspect: “in Him all things hold together” and He is “upholding all things by His powerful word.” The earth remains in perfect balance because the Creator continually upholds it.
• While poetic, the wording strikingly aligns with observable reality—our planet actually floats in space. The Spirit guided Job to assert a fact no human instrumentation could verify at the time, underscoring Scripture’s reliability.
summaryJob 26:7 highlights God’s absolute supremacy in creation. He alone stretches the starry north across a vast, empty universe and suspends the earth without visible support. These twin images invite awe, confirm the trustworthiness of Scripture, and remind us that the same Lord who holds the cosmos together also holds our lives in His powerful hands.
(7)
He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.--If these words mean what they seem to do--and it is hard to see how they can mean anything else--then they furnish a very remarkable instance of anticipation of the discoveries of science. Here we find Job, more than three thousand years ago, describing in language of scientific accuracy the condition of our globe, and holding it forth as a proof of Divine power. Some have attempted to explain the latter clause of the destitution caused by famine; but that is precluded by the terms of the first clause.
Verse 7. -
He streteheth out the north over the empty place. Over what was "empty space" or "chaos" (
תּהוּ) God stretches out "the north" - a portion of his orderly creation - perhaps the northern portion of the heavens, where are the grandest constellations visible to the inhabitants of the world's northern half.
And hangeth theearth upon nothing. "Takes,"
i.e., "the huge ball of the earth, and suspends it in vacancy, with nothing to support it but his own fixed will, his own firm laws." This is an idea scarcely reached by astronomers in general, at any rate till the time of Hippar-chus; and it has, not without reason, been regarded as "a very remarkable instance of anticipation of the discoveries of science' (Stanley Loathes).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
He stretches outנֹטֶ֣ה(nō·ṭeh)Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5186:To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bendthe northצָפ֣וֹן(ṣā·p̄ō·wn)Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6828:Hidden, dark, the north as a, quarteroverעַל־(‘al-)Preposition
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againstempty space;תֹּ֑הוּ(tō·hū)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8414:A desolation, desert, a worthless thing, in vainHe hangsתֹּ֥לֶה(tō·leh)Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8518:To suspendthe earthאֶ֝֗רֶץ(’e·reṣ)Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776:Earth, landuponעַל־(‘al-)Preposition
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againstnothing.בְּלִי־(bə·lî-)Adverb
Strong's 1099:Nothing whatever
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OT Poetry: Job 26:7 He stretches out the north over empty (Jb) 
