Job 37:5

5 God dondert met Zijn stem zeer wonderlijk; Hij doet grote dingen, en wij begrijpen ze niet.

Job 37:5 Meaning and Commentary

Job 37:5

God thundereth marvellously with his voice
Or "marvels" {c}, or marvellous things, which may respect the marvellous effects of thunder and lightning: such as rending rocks and mountains; throwing down high and strong towers; shattering to pieces high and mighty oaks and cedars, and other such like effects, mentioned in ( Psalms 29:5-9 ) ; and there are some things reported which seem almost incredible, were they not well attested facts; as that an egg should be consumed thereby, and the shell unhurt; a cask of liquor, the liquor in it spoiled, and the cask not touched; money melted in the purse, and the purse whole; the fetus in the womb killed, and the woman preserved; with other things of the like kind mentioned by various writers F4; and which are to be accounted for only by the swift motion and piercing and penetrating nature of lightning. So the voice of God in the Gospel thunders out and declares many wonderful things; as the doctrines of the trinity of Persons in one God; of the everlasting love of the three Persons; of the Person of Christ, and the union of the two natures in him; of his incarnation, of redemption and salvation by him; of regeneration by the spirit of God; of union to Christ, and communion with him; and of the resurrection of the dead: and it produces marvellous effects, attended with a divine power; as quickening sinners dead in trespasses and sins; enlightening those who are darkness itself; bearing down all opposition before it; casting down the strong holds of sin and Satan, and reducing the most stubborn and obstinate to the obedience of Christ;

great things doth he, which we cannot comprehend;
or "know" F5: great things in creation, the nature and causes of which lie greatly out of the reach of man; and which he rather guesses at than knows, and still less comprehends. Great things in providence; in sustaining all creatures and providing for them; and in the government of the world, and in his dispensations in it; his judgments being unsearchable, and his ways past finding out: and great things in grace; as the salvation of sinners by Christ, and the conversion of their souls by his Spirit; and even what is known of them is known but in part and very imperfectly. This is a transition to other great things done by the Lord, besides those before mentioned, and particular instances follow.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 (twalpn) "mirabilia", Pagninus, Montanus.
F4 Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 2. c. 51. Senec. Nat. Quaest. l. 2. c. 31.
F5 (ern alw) "et nesciemus", Pagninus, Montanus; so Schultens.

Job 37:5 In-Context

3 Dat zendt Hij rechtuit onder den gansen hemel, en Zijn licht over de einden der aarde.
4 Daarna brult Hij met de stem; Hij dondert met de stem Zijner hoogheid, en vertrekt die dingen niet, als Zijn stem zal gehoord worden.
5 God dondert met Zijn stem zeer wonderlijk; Hij doet grote dingen, en wij begrijpen ze niet.
6 Want Hij zegt tot de sneeuw: Wees op de aarde; en tot den plasregens des regens; dan is er de plasregen Zijner sterke regenen.
7 Dan zegelt Hij de hand van ieder mens toe, opdat Hij kenne al de lieden Zijns werks.
The Dutch Staten Vertaling translation is in the public domain.