Job 37:8-18

8 "Then the beast goes into its 1lair And remains in its den.
9 "Out of the 2south comes the storm, And out of the north the cold.
10 "From the breath of God 3ice is made, And the expanse of the waters is frozen.
11 "Also with moisture He 4loads the thick cloud; He 5disperses 6the cloud of His lightning.
12 "It changes direction, turning around by His guidance, That it may do whatever * He 7commands it On the 8face of the inhabited earth.
13 "Whether for 9correction, or for 10His world, Or for 11lovingkindness, 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 12wonders of one 13perfect in knowledge,
17 You whose garments are hot, When the land is still because of the south wind?
18 "Can you, with Him, 14spread out the skies, Strong as a molten mirror?

Job 37:8-18 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 14

  • 1. Job 38:40; Psalms 104:21, 22
  • 2. Job 9:9
  • 3. Job 38:29; Psalms 147:17
  • 4. Job 36:27
  • 5. Job 36:29
  • 6. Job 37:15
  • 7. Job 36:32; Psalms 148:8
  • 8. Isaiah 14:21; Isaiah 27:6
  • 9. Exodus 9:18, 23; 1 Samuel 12:18, 19
  • 10. Job 38:26, 27
  • 11. 1 Kings 18:41-46
  • 12. Job 37:5, 14, 23
  • 13. Job 36:4
  • 14. Job 9:8; Psalms 104:2; Isaiah 44:24; Isaiah 45:12; Jeremiah 10:12; Zechariah 12:1

Footnotes 9

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