Some insights from Job 38:4-8

4. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if you have understanding.

5. Who has laid the measures thereof, if you know? or who has stretched the line upon it?

6. Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the cornerstone thereof;

7. When the morning stars sang together, and all the beney elohim shouted for joy?

v7 "beney elohim": These two words are commonly translated as "sons of God," however in Hebrew and in the ancient theocratic culture of Israel the word "elohim" does not mean "God," nor does it blatantly refer to the God of Israel.

It simply means:

1. mighty

2. grand

3. powerful

4. extremely great

5. mighty ones [when referring to a person, whether that be the God of Israel, angels or great military warriors]

It does not mean "eternal," nor "divine."

In the holy Tanach [the Jewish bible] the word "elohim" is used in various applications. Here are some examples: it is used to describe a set of huge mountains; used in referrance to angels, great warriors, and to the God of Israel and His son that sits on his own separate throne at the right side of the God of Israel's throne. The messiah of Judaism is not the God of Israel, rather he is a made being, being the firstborn of all those that came into being [Pro 30:1-4 & Psalm 110:1 [Hebrew text, not English]].

When "-im" is used at the end of a Hebrew word, it makes things plural, like the common bible word "cherubim."

With that being said Job 38:7 can have a few different translations that would be more accurate such as:

1. When the morning stars sang together, and all the mighty sons or hosts shouted for joy?

2.  When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of the mighy ones shouted for joy?

These two renderings are actually quite different; I personally would go with #1.

This set of verses, by the way, gives us more insights into the days of creation. For this set of verses tells us that the heavenly hosts were made some time before the very moment that the  very foundations of the earth were laid out. Furthermore, if you couple this set of verses with that of Genesis 1, we can see that the hosts of Job 38 are not included in the word "elohim" as we can see it being used throughout Genesis 1. This particular set of "mighty ones" in Genesis 1 is referring to the God of Israel and His son who was actually made in the Father's awesome image. Moreover, we humans were made in their image and likeness.

Here are some proof texts for you:

Proverbs 30:1-4

1. The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, [even] the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,

2. Surely I [am] more brutish than [any] man, and have not the understanding of a man.

3. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy ones.

4. Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters

  in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what [is] His name, and what [is] His son's name, if thou

  canst tell?

Micah 5:2

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, [though] thou be little among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he come forth unto Me [that is] to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth/origins/birth [have been] from of old, before the days of time.

Psalm 110:1

Yehowah [the God of Israel] said unto my [King David talking] master [Hebrew: adonai], 'Sit thou at My right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.'

This passage boldly tells us that David's master [the 'son' of Pro 30:4] has his own throne at the right hand of the God of Israel, Whose name is Yehowah.

There are many other verses I can use, I will leave that up to you to check out the front page to see them.

Thank you,

Maregaal

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