Job 37:2-12

2 Hearken to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.

3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go, and his lightning to the corners of the earth.

4 After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard.

5 God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things which we cannot comprehend.

6 For to the snow he says, 'Fall on the earth'; and to the shower and the rain, 'Be strong.'

7 He seals up the hand of every man, that all men may know his work.

8 Then the beasts go into their lairs, and remain in their dens.

9 From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds.

10 By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast.

11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning.

12 They turn round and round by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world.

Job 37:2-12 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.