Job 37:1-8

1 Mine heart dreaded of this thing, and is moved out of his place. (My heart feareth this thing, and is given a start, or a shock, in its place/and is startled out of its place.)
2 It shall hear an hearing in the fearedfulness of his voice, and a sound coming forth [out] of his mouth.
3 He beholdeth over all (the) heavens; and his light is over the terms of the earth.
4 (A) Great sound shall roar after him, and he shall thunder with the voice of his greatness; and it shall not be sought out, when his voice is heard.
5 God shall thunder in his voice wonderfully, which maketh great things that may not be sought out. (God shall thunder wonderfully with his voice, and he maketh great things which cannot be understood.)
6 He it is that commandeth the snow to come down upon the earth (It is he who commandeth the snow to come down on the earth), and to the rains of winter, and to the rains of his strength.
7 He marketh in the hand of all men, that all men know their works (so that all can know his works).
8 An unreasonable beast shall go into his den, and shall dwell in his cave, either dark place. (An unreasoning beast shall go into its den, and shall live there in its cave, or that dark place.)

Job 37:1-8 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.