The Bible Says
Job 38:31-33 Meaning

In Job 38:31-33, God continues his interview with Job and now highlights Job’s lack of understanding of the majestic heavens. He asks, Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, Or loose the cords of Orion? (v. 31).

The Pleiades is a constellation that is also known as “the Seven Sisters.” Although containing over a thousand stars, only six to nine are usually visible to the naked eye. In the northern hemisphere, the Pleiades is prominent in the late fall and early winter. Another prominent constellation during the same time period is Orion, the hunter. To bind the chains or loose the cords of a constellation would be to engage with and arrange the stars in the sky.

God is asking Job what role he had in arranging the sky and setting the constellations in place. Obviously, neither Job nor any human has done that. Which is the point. Job had requested in Job 23:3-7 to have a hearing before God and explain his situation. He was confident God was missing information that would, if He had it, cause Him to alter Job’s fortunes. God here is making it clear to Job that God knows Job’s circumstance perfectly and does not need to know anything from Job in order to know what is best for Job.

It is worth reflecting that as readers of the biblical book of Job, we know from Chapters 1 and 2 that God thinks Job is really great. He bragged about Job to Satan (Job 1:8, 2:3). He allowed Satan to ravage Job as a part of a bigger plan. Likely this plan was to use Job’s faithfulness to shut up Satan. This was the reason God gave humans dominion over the earth instead of the angels (Psalm 8:2). Job is accomplishing that great purpose. There are much bigger things at work than Job realizes.

It is fascinating to note that the constellations God set in the sky are the same ones we view today. Continuing the same inquiry, God further asks, Can you lead forth a constellation in its season, And guide the Bear with her satellites? (v. 32).

This reference to the Bear refers to the constellation called Ursa Major in modern times, which is Latin for “great bear.” The “big dipper” is a part of the Bear, and is useful for locating the North Star. The North Star is always in the same place, being directly above the earth and therefore does not “move” as the earth rotates. It therefore has great benefit for navigation. Even though the Bear points to the North Star, it along with her satellites rotate around the North Star as the earth rotates.

God asks Job what he had to do with setting up the constellations so they facilitated navigation. As with the other questions, this is also rhetorical; not Job, nor any human, has the slightest capability to order the stars. The Lord concludes this section by asking, Do you know the ordinances of the heavens, Or fix their rule over the earth? (v. 33).

God points out that the wonders of the universe lie well beyond human planning or comprehension. This question ties back to the beginning of the conversation in which God reveals that the created order testifies to His supreme sovereignty. It echoes passages where the vastness of the heavens illustrates God’s power (Psalm 19:1-4, Romans 1:20). This reminds believers that their Creator stands as the ultimate Author of life’s orchestrated design (Colossians 1:16-17).

Job will conclude in Job 40:4, “Behold, I am insignificant” after beholding the realities of God and His amazing creation. But God will then place into Job’s hands the fate of Eliphaz and his two friends, telling them He will forgive them if Job will pray for them. Then God will bless Job’s latter days more than his former, doubling his possessions. This shows that throughout this tribunal, God’s plan is seeking Job’s best, even though it cannot have felt like that to Job in the moment.