Job 37:22

22 Out of the north comes golden splendor; around God is awesome majesty.

Job 37:22 Meaning and Commentary

Job 37:22

Fair weather cometh out of the north
Or "gold" F24, which some understand literally; this being found in northern climates as well as southern, as Pliny relates F25; particularly in Colchis and Scythia, which lay to the north of Palestine and Arabia; and is thought by a learned man F26 to be here intended: though to understand it figuratively of the serenity of the air, bright and pure as gold, or of fair weather, which is golden weather, as Mr. Broughton renders it,

``through the north the golden cometh,''

seems best to agree with the subject Elihu is upon; and such weather comes from the north, through the north winds, which drive away rain, ( Proverbs 25:23 ) ;

with God [is] terrible majesty;
majesty belongs to him as he is King of kings, whose the kingdom of nature and providence is; and he is the Governor among and over the nations of the world. His throne is prepared in the heavens; that is his throne, and his kingdom ruleth over all: and this majesty of his is "terrible", commanding awe and reverence among all men, who are his subjects; and especially among his saints and peculiar people; and strikes a terror to others, even to great personages, the kings and princes of the earth; to whom the Lord is sometimes terrible now, and will be hereafter; see ( Psalms 76:12 ) ( Revelation 6:15-17 ) ; and to all Christless sinners, especially when he comes to judgment; see ( Isaiah 2:19 ) ( 2 Corinthians 5:11 ) . Or "terrible praise" F1; for God is "fearful in praises", ( Exodus 15:11 ) ; which may respect the subject of praise, terrible things, and the manner of praising him with fear and reverence, ( Psalms 106:22 ) ( 2:11 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F24 (bhz) "aurum", Pagninus, Montanus
F25 Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 11. & l. 33. c. 3, 4.
F26 Reland. de Paradiso, s. 9, 10. p. 22, 23, 24. And, in the countries farthest north were mines of gold formerly, as Olaus Magnus relates, though now destroyed. De Ritu Gent. Septent. l. 6, 11. Vid. l. 3, 5.
F1 (dwh arwn) (foberov ainov) , Symmachus, "formidolosa laudatio", V. L. "terribilem laude", Vatablus.

Job 37:22 In-Context

20 Should he be told that I want to speak? Did anyone ever wish to be swallowed up?
21 Now, no one can look on the light when it is bright in the skies, when the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 Out of the north comes golden splendor; around God is awesome majesty.
23 The Almighty —we cannot find him; he is great in power and justice, and abundant righteousness he will not violate.
24 Therefore mortals fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.