Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.
Who has given me something first that I should pay them back? Everything under the whole sky belongs to me.
God is declaring that no one can claim He owes them anything because everything in existence already belongs to Him.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Job, this verse is part of God's lengthy response to Job, where He uses vivid descriptions of powerful creatures like the Leviathan to demonstrate His unmatched sovereignty and creative power. This occurs after Job has endured immense suffering and debated with his friends about God's justice, leading God to remind Job of His ultimate authority over all creation. The cultural context draws from ancient Near Eastern ideas of mythical sea monsters, which God employs to emphasize that nothing in the universe escapes His control.
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