Job 37:22

22 Gold shall come from the north, and the fearedful praising of God. (And then a golden glow shall come from the north, from the terrible, or the wonderful, majesty of God.)

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 ) .

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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 Who shall tell to him, what things I speak? yea, if he speaketh, a man shall be devoured. (Who shall tell him what things he should speak? yea, if a man speaketh, he shall be devoured!)

21 And now men see not (the) light; the air shall be made thick suddenly into clouds, and wind passing shall drive away those. (And now people do not see the light; and then suddenly the air shall be made thick with clouds, but the passing wind shall drive them away.)

22 Gold shall come from the north, and the fearedful praising of God. (And then a golden glow shall come from the north, from the terrible, or the wonderful, majesty of God.)

23 For we may not find him worthily; he is great in strength, and in doom, and in rightfulness, and he may not be told out. (For we be not able to find him; yea, he is great in strength, and in justice, and in righteousness, and he cannot be described, or understood.)

24 Therefore men shall dread him; and all men, that seem to themselves to be wise, shall not be (so fool-)hardy to behold God. (And so people shall fear him; and all, who shall be wise, shall look to God.)