Job 26:12 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He divideth the sea with his power— He shaketh the sea. Schultens. He appeaseth the sea by his power; by his wisdom he hath determined its extent. Houbigant, who observes, that the sacred author here refers to God's creation of the sea, and his limitation of it by appointed bounds. Bishop Warburton, however, tells us, that the destruction of Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea is here plainly referred to, and that רהב rahab, rendered proud, signifies Egypt. But perhaps, says Mr. Peters, others may see nothing more in it than the description of a storm or tempest. The Hebrew word רג raging translated divide, is not the same as is used Exodus 14 of the Red Sea, but signifies a violent breaking and tossing of the waves, as in a storm. And if the former part of the sentence means that God sometimes by his power raises a violent storm at sea, the latter may well enough be understood of the pride and swelling of the sea itself, allayed again by the same divine power and will which raised it. Though I suspect, indeed, from the use of the phrase elsewhere, that same ancient piece of history, much older than that of Pharaoh's overthrow in the Red Sea, may be here alluded to. If Egypt, for its pride, or strength, be once or twice called רהב rahab, in the scriptures, this is no argument that Egypt must be always meant, wherever the word proud or reb occurs.