Job 38:10

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

when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,

And I placed boundaries on it And set a bolt and doors,

For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores.

Then I made a playpen for it, a strong playpen so it couldn't run loose,

Ordering a fixed limit for it, with locks and doors;

and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors,

When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors;

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

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.