Job 37:6-16

6 "For to 1the snow He says, 'Fall on the earth,' And to the 2downpour * and the rain *, 'Be strong.'
7 "He 3seals the hand of every man, That 4all men may know His work.
8 "Then the beast goes into its 5lair And remains in its den.
9 "Out of the 6south comes the storm, And out of the north the cold.
10 "From the breath of God 7ice is made, And the expanse of the waters is frozen.
11 "Also with moisture He 8loads the thick cloud; He 9disperses 10the cloud of His lightning.
12 "It changes direction, turning around by His guidance, That it may do whatever * He 11commands it On the 12face of the inhabited earth.
13 "Whether for 13correction, or for 14His world, Or for 15lovingkindness, He causes it to happen.
14 "Listen to this, O Job, Stand and consider the wonders of God.
15 "Do you know how God establishes them, And makes the lightning of His cloud to shine?
16 "Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds, The 16wonders of one 17perfect in knowledge,

Job 37:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 37

Elihu in this chapter proceeds to show the greatness of God as it appears in other of his works of nature, which greatly affected him, and to an attention to which he exhorts others, Job 37:1,2; particularly thunder and lightning, the direction, extent, and order of which he observes, Job 37:3,4; and then suggests that besides these there are other great things done by him, incomprehensible and unknown in various respects; as the snow, and rain, lesser and greater, which come on the earth at his command, and have such effect on men as to seal up their hands, and on the beasts of the field as to cause them to retire to their dens, and there remain, Job 37:5-8; and then he goes on to take notice of wind, and frost, and the clouds, and dispersion of them; their use and ends, whether in judgment or mercy, Job 37:9-13; and then calls on Job to consider these wondrous works of God, and remark how ignorant men are of the disposition of clouds for the rainbow; of the balancing of them; of the heat and quietness that come by the south wind, and of the firmness of the sky, Job 37:14-21; and from all this he concludes the terrible majesty, unsearchable nature of God, the excellency of his power and justice; and that men therefore should and do fear him, who is no respecter of persons, Job 37:21-23.

Cross References 17

Footnotes 10

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