Job 38:17
“Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?”
— Job 38:17
About this verse
Job 38:17 comes from the book of Job, written during the Divided Kingdom (~930 BC) period. The setting is whirlwind. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the poem genre of biblical literature. Key themes include mortality, mystery. Notable phrases: gates of death; shadow of death.
Speaker
God
Era
Divided Kingdom (~930 BC)
Emotion
seeking
Type
poem
Emotional genome
Comfort power
Quotability
Memorability
Crisis relevance
Standalone
This verse is part of a bigger story
Job 38 has more verses that reveal the full context — who wrote it, what was happening, and why this moment matters.
Read Job 38 →This verse was found through the Bible Genome. Take time to reflect on what speaks to you.
Emotionally similar
“But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
— Psalms 90:12
“Do two walk together, unless they have agreed?”
— Amos 3:3
“For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”
— Hosea 6:6
“"The leach has two daughters: 'Give, give.' "There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don't say, 'Enou…”
— Proverbs 30:15