Job 37:8-18

8 The beasts go into dens, And remain in their lairs.
9 From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind, And cold from the scattering winds of the north.
10 By the breath of God ice is given, And the broad waters are frozen.
11 Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds; He scatters His bright clouds.
12 And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, That they may do whatever He commands them On the face of the whole earth.
13 He causes it to come, Whether for correction, Or for His land, Or for mercy.
14 "Listen to this, O Job; Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Do you know when God dispatches them, And causes the light of His cloud to shine?
16 Do you know how the clouds are balanced, Those wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 Why are your garments hot, When He quiets the earth by the south wind?
18 With Him, have you spread out the skies, Strong as a cast metal mirror?

Job 37:8-18 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 1

  • [a]. Literally the world of the earth
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.