Job 37:7

7 Dan zegelt Hij de hand van ieder mens toe, opdat Hij kenne al de lieden Zijns werks.

Job 37:7 Meaning and Commentary

Job 37:7

He sealeth up the hand of every man
That is, by deep snows and heavy rains being on the earth; where, as travellers are stopped in their journeys, and cannot proceed, so various artificers are hindered from their work, and husbandmen especially from their employment in the fields; so that their hands are as it were shut up and sealed, that they cannot work with them. Sephorno interprets this of the fruits and increase of the earth being produced and brought to perfection by means of the snow and rain, and so gathered by and into the hands of men; whereby they are led to observe the work of God and his goodness herein, and so to love and fear him; which he takes to be the sense of the following clause,

that all men may know his work;
either their own work; what they have to do at home when they cannot work abroad; or that they may have leisure to reflect upon their moral ways and works, and consider how deficient they are: or rather the work of God; that they may know and own the snow and rain are his work, and depend upon his will; or that they may have time and opportunity of considering and meditating on the works of God, in nature, providence, and grace. Some choose to read the words, "that all men of his work may know" F12; may know him the author of their beings, and the God of their mercies. For all men are the work of his hands; he has made them, and not they themselves; and the end of all God's dealings with them is, that they may know him, fear, serve, and glorify him.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 (yvna lk whvem) "omnes homines operis ipsius", Schmidt, Michaelis; so Schultens.

Job 37:7 In-Context

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.
8 En het gedierte gaat in de loerplaatsen, en blijft in zijn holen.
9 Uit de binnenkamer komt de wervelwind, en van de verstrooiende winden de koude.
The Dutch Staten Vertaling translation is in the public domain.