Job 37:6-16

6 For to snow He saith, `Be [on] the earth.' And the small rain and great rain of His power.
7 Into the hand of every man he sealeth, For the knowledge by all men of His work.
8 And enter doth the beast into covert, And in its habitations it doth continue.
9 From the inner chamber cometh a hurricane, And from scatterings winds -- cold,
10 From the breath of God is frost given, And the breadth of waters is straitened,
11 Yea, by filling He doth press out a cloud, Scatter a cloud doth His light.
12 And it is turning itself round by His counsels, For their doing all He commandeth them, On the face of the habitable earth.
13 Whether for a rod, or for His land, Or for kindness -- He doth cause it to come.
14 Hear this, O Job, Stand and consider the wonders of God.
15 Dost thou know when God doth place them, And caused to shine the light of His cloud?
16 Dost thou know the balancings of a cloud? The wonders of the Perfect 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.

Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.