Job 36:22-33

22 “God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?

23 Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?

24 Remember to extol his work, which people have praised in song.

25 All humanity has seen it; mortals gaze on it from afar.

26 How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.

27 “He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams^[a] ;

28 the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.

29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion?

30 See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea.

31 This is the way he governs^[b] the nations and provides food in abundance.

32 He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.

33 His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach.^[c]

Job 36:22-33 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 36

This chapter, with the following, contains Elihu's fourth and last discourse, the principal view of which is to vindicate the righteousness of God; which is done by observing the dealings of God with men in his providence, according to their different characters, and from the wonderful works wrought by him in a sovereign manner, and for the benefit of his creatures. This chapter is introduced with a preface, the design of which is to gain attention, Job 36:1-4; the different dealings of God with men are observed, and the different issue of them, and the different ends answered thereby, Job 36:5-15; and it is suggested to Job, that had he attended to the design of the providence he was under, and had submitted to it patiently, things would have been otherwise with him; and therefore Elihu proceeds to give him some advice, which, if taken, would be for his own good, and the glory of God, Job 36:16-25; and closes the chapter by observing the unsearchable greatness of God, as appears by the works of nature wrought by him, Job 36:26-33.

Cross References

• 1. S Job 5:9; S Job 9:4
• 2. S Job 21:22; S Romans 11:34; Isaiah 40:13; 1 Corinthians 2:16
• 3. Job 27:11
• 4. S Job 34:13; Romans 11:33
• 5. S Genesis 18:25; S Job 34:10; Job 8:3
• 6. 1 Chronicles 16:24; Psalms 35:27; Psalms 92:5; Psalms 111:2; Psalms 138:5; Psalms 145:10
• 7. S Exodus 15:1; Psalms 59:16; Revelation 15:3
• 8. Romans 1:20
• 9. S Job 5:9; 1 Corinthians 13:12
• 10. S Genesis 21:33; S Job 10:5; Psalms 90:2; Psalms 102:24; Hebrews 1:12
• 11. S Job 26:8
• 12. S 2 Samuel 1:21; Job 28:26; Job 38:28; Isaiah 55:10; Psalms 147:8
• 13. Psalms 65:10; Psalms 72:6; Joel 2:23
• 14. S Job 5:10; S Job 22:11; S Job 28:26; Matthew 5:45
• 15. Psalms 29:3; Jeremiah 10:13
• 16. S Job 9:6; Job 26:14; Job 37:16; Psalms 18:7-15; Psalms 19:4,5; Psalms 104:2; Proverbs 8:28; Isaiah 40:22
• 17. Exodus 19:16; Job 37:11,15; Psalms 18:12,14; Psalms 97:4; Jeremiah 10:13; Habakkuk 3:11
• 18. Psalms 68:22; Isaiah 51:10
• 19. Deuteronomy 28:23-24; 1 Kings 17:1; Job 37:13; Amos 4:7-8
• 20. Psalms 145:15
• 21. Ps 104:14-15,27-28; Isaiah 30:23; Psalms 136:25; Acts 14:17
• 22. S Job 28:24; Job 37:12,15; Psalms 18:14; Psalms 29:7-9
• 23. Job 37:5; Job 40:9
• 24. S Job 28:26

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "distill from the mist as rain"
• [b]. Or "nourishes"
• [c]. Or "announces his coming—" / "the One zealous against evil"