Job 38:10

when I prescribed ¹  its limits, and set ²  in place its bolts and doors,

Ge 1:9,10; Ge 9:15; Job 26:10; Ps 104:9; Jer 5:22

¹ tc The MT has “and I broke,” which cannot mean “set, prescribed” or the like. The LXX and the Vulgate have such a meaning, suggesting a verb עֲשִׁית (’ashiyt, “plan, prescribe”). A. Guillaume finds an Arabic word with a meaning “measured it by span by my decree.” Would God give himself a decree? R. Gordis simply argues that the basic meaning “break” develops the connotation of “decide, determine” (2 Sam 5:24; Job 14:3; Dan 11:36).

² tn Dhorme suggested reversing the two verbs, making this the first, and then “shatter” for the second colon.