Isaiah 40:22

40:22 He is the one who sits on the earth’s horizon; ¹ 

its inhabitants are like grasshoppers before him. ² 

He is the one who stretches out the sky like a thin curtain, ³ 

and spreads it out ⁴  like a pitched tent. ⁵ 

Isaiah 42:5

42:5 This is what the true God, ⁶  the Lord, says –

the one who created the sky and stretched it out,

the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it, ⁷ 

the one who gives breath to the people on it,

and life to those who live on it: ⁸ 

Isaiah 45:12

45:12 I made the earth,

I created the people who live ⁹  on it.

It was me – my hands ¹⁰  stretched out the sky, ¹¹ 

I give orders to all the heavenly lights. ¹² 

Isaiah 48:13

48:13 Yes, my hand founded the earth;

my right hand spread out the sky.

I summon them;

they stand together.

Isaiah 51:13

51:13 Why do you forget ¹³  the Lord, who made you,

who stretched out the sky ¹⁴ 

and founded the earth?

Why do you constantly tremble all day long ¹⁵ 

at the anger of the oppressor,

when he makes plans to destroy?

Where is the anger of the oppressor? ¹⁶ 

Job 9:8

9:8 he alone spreads out the heavens,

and treads ¹⁷  on the waves of the sea; ¹⁸ 

Job 26:7

26:7 He spreads out the northern skies ¹⁹  over empty space; ²⁰ 

he suspends the earth on nothing. ²¹ 

Psalms 104:2

104:2 He covers himself with light as if it were a garment.

He stretches out the skies like a tent curtain,

Jeremiah 51:15

51:15 He is the one who ²²  by his power made the earth.

He is the one who by his wisdom fixed the world in place,

by his understanding he spread out the heavens.

[40:22]  ¹ tn Heb “the circle of the earth” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[40:22]  ² tn The words “before him” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[40:22]  ³ tn The otherwise unattested noun דֹּק (doq), translated here “thin curtain,” is apparently derived from the verbal root דקק (“crush”) from which is derived the adjective דַּק (daq, “thin”; see HALOT 229 s.v. דקק). The nuance “curtain” is implied from the parallelism (see “tent” in the next line).

[40:22]  ⁴ tn The meaning of the otherwise unattested verb מָתַח (matakh, “spread out”) is determined from the parallelism (note the corresponding verb “stretch out” in the previous line) and supported by later Hebrew and Aramaic cognates. See HALOT 654 s.v. *מתה.

[40:22]  ⁵ tn Heb “like a tent [in which] to live”; NAB, NASB “like a tent to dwell (live NIV, NRSV) in.”

[42:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “the God.” The definite article here indicates distinctiveness or uniqueness.

[42:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “and its offspring” (so NASB); NIV “all that comes out of it.”

[42:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “and spirit [i.e., “breath”] to the ones walking in it” (NAB, NASB, and NRSV all similar).

[45:12]  ⁹ tn The words “who live” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[45:12]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “I, even my hands”; NASB “I stretched out…with My hands”; NRSV “it was my hands that stretched out.” The same construction occurs at the beginning of v. 13.

[45:12]  ¹¹ tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[45:12]  ¹² tn Heb “and to all their host I commanded.” See the notes at 40:26.

[51:13]  ¹³ tn Heb “and that you forget.”

[51:13]  ¹⁴ tn Or “the heavens” (also in v. 16). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[51:13]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and that you tremble constantly all the day.”

[51:13]  ¹⁶ tn The question anticipates the answer, “Ready to disappear!” See v. 14.

[9:8]  ¹⁷ tn Or “marches forth.”

[9:8]  ¹⁸ tn The reference is probably to the waves of the sea. This is the reading preserved in NIV and NAB, as well as by J. Crenshaw, “Wÿdorek `al-bamote ‘ares,” CBQ 34 (1972): 39-53. But many see here a reference to Canaanite mythology. The marginal note in the RSV has “the back of the sea dragon.” The view would also see in “sea” the Ugaritic god Yammu.

[26:7]  ¹⁹ sn The Hebrew word is צָפוֹן (tsafon). Some see here a reference to Mount Zaphon of the Ugaritic texts, the mountain that Baal made his home. The Hebrew writers often equate and contrast Mount Zion with this proud mountain of the north. Of course, the word just means north, and so in addition to any connotations for pagan mythology, it may just represent the northern skies – the stars. Since the parallel line speaks of the earth, that is probably all that was intended in this particular context.

[26:7]  ²⁰ sn There is an allusion to the creation account, for this word is תֹּהוּ (tohu), translated “without form” in Gen 1:2.

[26:7]  ²¹ sn Buttenwieser suggests that Job had outgrown the idea of the earth on pillars, and was beginning to see it was suspended in space. But in v. 11 he will still refer to the pillars.

[51:15]  ²² tn The participle here is intended to be connected with “Lord who rules over all” in the preceding verse. The passage is functioning to underline the Lord’s power to carry out what he has sworn in contrast to the impotence of their idols who will be put to shame and be dismayed (50:2).