H4657 H4657
balancings, spreadings; the hovering or suspending of clouds
This rare noun appears only in Job 37:16, in Elihu's speech about God's wisdom displayed in weather phenomena. The word apparently describes the spreading out or balancing of clouds in the sky—how they hang suspended and spread across the heavens. This may refer to the visual wonder of cloud formations or the physics of how clouds float and spread. Some scholars emend to 'spreadings' to match 36:29, but the image of balanced suspension fits the context of divine marvels.
Senses
1. sense 1 — English 'the-balancings-of' and Spanish 'balanceos-de' (balancings of) both preserve the sense of suspension or equilibrium. Elihu marvels at how clouds are poised and spread in the sky, a phenomenon demonstrating the perfect knowledge of the God who governs atmospheric physics (Job 37:16). 1×
AR["تَوَازُنِ-"]·ben["ভারসাম্য-"]·DE["[מפלשי]"]·EN["the-balancings-of-"]·FR["מפלשי"]·heb["מפלשי"]·HI["संतुलनों-के"]·ID["keseimbangan-"]·IT["il-balancings-di"]·jav["imbang-ipun"]·KO["균형들을"]·PT["os-equilíbrios-de-"]·RU["равновесиях-"]·ES["balanceos-de-"]·SW["kusawazika-kwa"]·TR["asılışını-"]·urd["موازنہ"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [מִפְלָשׂ] n.[m.] swaying, poising;—מִפְלְשֵׂי־עָב Jb 37:16; Bu (plausibly) מִפְרְשֵׂי, as 36:29.