Job 37:7-17

7 He brings all human activity to a stop, so that everyone he has made can know it.
8 Then the animals go into their lairs and hibernate in their dens.
9 "Out of its chamber comes the storm, with cold out of the north.
10 By the breath of God, ice is given, and the wide waters freeze over.
11 He weighs the clouds down with moisture, and they flash forth his lightning.
12 He, by his plans, turns them around, so they do what he commands them anywhere on earth;
13 he brings them forth on the earth sometimes to punish, sometimes to express his grace.
14 "Listen to this, Iyov! Stop, and consider God's wonders.
15 Do you know how God puts them in place, how he causes lightning to flash from his cloud?
16 Do you know how he balances the clouds? These are marvels of him who knows everything!
17 "You, sweltering in your clothing as the earth lies still under a sultry south wind,

Job 37:7-17 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.

Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.