Job 38:2 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Who is this that darkeneth counsel, &c.— Nothing can be conceived more awful, than this appearance of Jehovah; nothing more sublime, than the manner in which his speech is introduced. Thunders, lightnings, and a whirlwind, announce his approach: All creation trembles at his presence: At the blaze of his all-piercing eye, every disguise falls off; the stateliness of human pride, the vanity of human knowledge, sink into their original nothing. The man of understanding, the men of age and experience; he who desired nothing more than to argue the point with God; he that would maintain his ways to his face, confounded and struck dumb at his presence, is ready to drop into dissolution, and repents in dust and ashes. With a single question the Almighty shews the absolute emptiness of human abilities, and puts an end to the dispute: "Canst thou give account of any one of my works? How then, presumptuous creature, darest thou attempt to censure my conduct in the government of the world; with the various relations of all whose parts thou art so far from being acquainted, that thou art not able to account for any one of them?" The present verse might be rendered, Who is this that maketh a great display of wisdom about reasoning above his comprehension? See Heath.