can anyone give meanings of Job 38:4 after looking at the Hebrew or Aramaic versions?

Question

I heard someone say that it was not actually Where were you but more like Don't you remember and would like to confirm if the originals support this. Also who came first, or which was written first- the five books of Moses (traditionally) or Job?

Answer 1

Firstly, Job was probably written about the same time as Abraham so preceeds the Pentateuch. As there was no real written word that far back it would have been an "oral tradition" for centuries also.
Job 38:4 in any translation is a rhetorical question as is vs 5 and vs 12 and 16 and 17............. God is establishing His sovereignity with man and showing us, not His greatness, but our ignorance.

Answer 2

Here is literal translation from the Hebrew of Job 38:4 with Strong numbers.

whereat? H375
you-were H1961
into.found-of.me H3245
earth H776
tell-you H5046
if H518
you-know H3045
understanding H998
who H4310
he-determined H7760
measurements-of.her H4461
that H3588
you-are-knowing H3045
or H176
who H4310
he-stretched-out H5186
on.her H5921
measuring-tape H6957

The first books of Moses were written before Job.

Answer 3

the book of job is thought to have been written first. i checked about five different translations on biblegateway.com, and they all either said ''where were you'' or ''where wast thou.'' in this passage, God is just speaking to job, basically just letting job know that He's God, and that He knows best.

the aramaic old testament texts aren't considered valid by... well... anyone, really.