Job 37:9

9 When blizzards roar out of the north and freezing rain crusts the land.

Job 37:9 Meaning and Commentary

Job 37:9

Out of the south cometh the whirlwind
Or "from the chamber" F14; from the chamber of the cloud, as Ben Gersom, from the inside of it; or from the treasury of God, who bringeth the wind out of his treasures; alluding to chambers where treasures are kept; or from the heavens, shut up and veiled around with clouds like a pavilion: but because we read of the chambers of the south, ( Job 9:9 ) ; and the southern pole was like a secret chamber, shut up, unseen, and unknown very much to the ancients; hence we render it, and others interpret it, of the south; from whence in these countries came whirlwinds. Hence we read of the whirlwinds of the south, ( Isaiah 21:1 ) ( Zechariah 9:14 ) ;

and cold out of the north;
cold freezing winds from thence; or "from the scatterers" F15: Aben Ezra interprets them of stars, the same with the "Mazzaroth", ( Job 38:32 ) ; stars scattered about the Arctic or northern pole, as some: or rather the northern winds are designed which scatter the clouds, drive away rain, ( Proverbs 25:23 ) ; and bring fair weather, ( Job 37:22 ) . Wherefore Mr. Broughton renders the word,

``fair weather winds;''

and, in a marginal note,

``the scatterers of clouds F16.''


FOOTNOTES:

F14 (rdxh Nm) "de penetali", Montanus; so Junius and Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Schultens.
F15 (Myrzmm) "a dispergentibus", Montanus, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "a sparsoribus", Schultens.
F16 So David de Pomis, Lexic. fol. 7. 3.

Job 37:9 In-Context

7 No one can escape the weather - it's there. And no one can escape from God.
8 Wild animals take shelter, crawling into their dens,
9 When blizzards roar out of the north and freezing rain crusts the land.
10 It's God's breath that forms the ice, it's God's breath that turns lakes and rivers solid.
11 And yes, it's God who fills clouds with rainwater and hurls lightning from them every which way.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.