Job 37:16-24

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,
18 can you, with him, spread out the sky, hard as a cast metal mirror?
19 Teach us what we should tell him, for the darkness keeps us from organizing our case.
20 Is he to be told that I will speak? Can a man speak at all when he is already swallowed up?
21 Now people don't see the light, which is bright in the sky; but then the wind blows and clears [the clouds] away.
22 Out of the north comes a golden glow, fearsome majesty surrounding God.
23 Shaddai, whom we cannot find, whose power is immense, in his great righteousness does not pervert justice.
24 This is why people fear him; he does not consider those who think of themselves as wise."

Job 37:16-24 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.

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