The Meaning of Job 38:28 Explained

Job 38:28

KJV: Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

YLT: Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

Darby: Hath the rain a father? or who begetteth the drops of dew?

ASV: Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Hath  the rain  a father?  or who hath begotten  the drops  of dew? 

What does Job 38:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 38:19-41 - What Man Cannot Do
In this chapter a number of nature-pictures pass before us. These include the creation of the earth, Job 38:4-7; the sea, Job 38:8-11; light, Job 38:12-15; the mysteries of the unseen, Job 38:16-18; snow and rain, Job 38:22-30; the constellations of heaven, Job 38:31-38; and the recesses of the forest-glades, Job 38:39-41.
What does it all mean? Ah! there are times when the voice of God through nature falls on our hearts like sweet music, and we hardly know whence or how, but we are comforted and strengthened. The peace passes understanding. Besides, the frequent question, Hast thou? was intended to turn Job's attention to the great mysteries contained in common and ordinary things. If he could not unravel these, how could he hope to fathom all the wonderful dealings of God with the human soul? His ways are above ours and His thoughts higher than ours; but we are sure from Calvary that He is love. Let us quiet ourselves, therefore, and trust. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 38

1  God challenges Job to answer
4  God, by his mighty works, convinces Job of ignorance
31  and weakness

What do the individual words in Job 38:28 mean?

Has the rain a father Or who has begotten the drops of dew
הֲיֵשׁ־ לַמָּטָ֥ר ؟ אָ֑ב א֥וֹ מִי־ ה֝וֹלִ֗יד אֶגְלֵי־ ؟ טָֽל

לַמָּטָ֥ר  the  rain 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָטָר  
Sense: rain.
؟ אָ֑ב  a  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
ה֝וֹלִ֗יד  has  begotten 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
אֶגְלֵי־  the  drops 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֵגֶל  
Sense: drop, reserve supply, collections, stores.
؟ טָֽל  of  dew 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טַל  
Sense: dew, night mist.