8:28

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

28a
when He established the clouds above,

28b when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,

It is possible that “clouds” and “fountains of the deep” are paired together here, because both were regarded as a source of water or as a boundary from which water could be released.

8:28a

when He established the clouds above: The verb phrase He established is literally “He made firm/strong,” as a building. Here it may mean that the LORD gave the clouds the strength “to remain suspended above the earth.” Some English versions translate this clause without using a figure of speech. For example:

when he placed the clouds in the sky (Good News Translation)

8:28b

the fountains of the deep: This phrase refers to springs of water that supply the oceans. These may be underground springs on the land or springs from beneath the bottom of the ocean. It is better not to specify one or the other.

gushed forth: The verb gushed forth is literally “became strong.” This is difficult to understand and does not fit the parallelism. So most scholars and versions change the form of the verb slightly so that it says, “he strengthened.” In other words, he enabled the springs to flow continuously with water. As in 8:28a, the figurative idea of strengthening springs of water may not be clear, so some versions translate this line less figuratively. For example:

and put the deep underground springs in place (New Century Version)
-or-
and created the springs that fill the ocean (Contemporary English Version)

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