Job 37:14-24

14 Hearken unto this, Job; stand still and discern the wondrous works of God.
15 Dost thou know how God hath disposed them, and how he causeth the lightning of his cloud to flash?
16 Dost thou know about the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him that is perfect in knowledge?
17 How thy garments become warm when he quieteth the earth by the south wind?
18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, firm, like a molten mirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say unto him! We cannot order [our words] by reason of darkness.
20 Shall it be told him if I would speak? if a man [so] say, surely he shall be swallowed up.
21 And now [men] see not the light as it gleameth, it is [hidden] in the skies. But the wind passeth by and cleareth them.
22 From the north cometh gold; with God is terrible majesty.
23 The Almighty, we cannot find him out: excellent in power, and in judgment, and in abundance of justice, he doth not afflict.
24 Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.

Job 37:14-24 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.

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. Lit. 'light;' as ver.11, see ch. 36.32.
  • [b]. 'If one must speak, he shall.'
  • [c]. Others, 'the golden light.'
  • [d]. Elsewhere 'right.'
  • [e]. Or 'answer.'
  • [f]. Or 'none clever in heart shall see him.'
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.