Job 37:16-24

16 Knowest thou the great paths of the clouds, and the perfect knowledges?
17 Are not thy garments hot, when the south wind blows upon the earth?
18 Thou perhaps hast made the heavens with him, which are most strong, as if they were of molten brass.
19 Shew us what we may say to him: or we are wrapped up in darkness.
20 Who shall tell him the things I speak? even if a man shall speak, he shall be swallowed up.
21 But now they see not the light: the air on a sudden shall be thickened into clouds, and the wind shall pass and drive them away.
22 Cold cometh out of the north, and to God praise with fear.
23 We cannot find him worthily: he is great in strength, and in judgment, and in justice, and he is ineffable.
24 Therefore men shall fear him, and all that seem to themselves to be wise, shall not dare to behold him.

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.

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